immoafrica blog

Good security installations increasingly necessary to sell a home It will come as no surprise to those who track the rise and fall of residential property in South Africa – and the factors which influence these – that for many buyers today, a home security system will be among the most important factors influencing their [...](more...)

Prestigious mountainside properties in Cape Town again attracting interest The December/January holiday season saw most Muizenberg estate agents fielding three or four times as many enquiries as usual and in many cases doubled their monthly sales turnover, says Errol King, franchisee for Rawson Properties Muizenberg. He, in fact, had up to fifteen email enquiries per [...](more...)

Make moving easier – with help from the previous owner. It may sound strange but the best way to get to know your new home is often to ask the previous owner – after you have signed a sale agreement and set the transfer in motion. “Buying a pre-owned home is very different from buying [...](more...)

Home Buyers’ Advice How to take the hassle out of the great trek The excitement of a new home is usually somewhat tempered by the daunting prospect of heaps of paperwork and then moving your belongings lock, stock and barrel. But, says Neville McIntyre, chairman of Aida, South Africa’s best-known estate agency group, a bit [...](more...)

We help you make the most of your home in 2013 with the January Edit! Follow us each day for tips, tasks, tricks and cures to your homes 2012 hangups. We help you get your home clean, clutter-free and organised with simple changes that will have a maximum impact on your living space. Post pictures [...](more...)

How to assess the average house price for an area? The agent’s analysis may be more helpful than national data. Bill Rawson, Chairman of the Rawson Property Group says that, one of the factors which makes the buying of a home in South Africa, especially if it is done as an investment/buy-to-let venture, more scientific [...](more...)

There is a growing awareness among home designers of the importance of reducing energy costs and creating a home that is eco-friendly, says Nancy Todd, Western Cape Regional Sales Manager for the Rawson Property Group. “However,” said Todd, “what so often happens is that the man-in-the-street picks up a book or a brochure on this [...](more...)

Don’t let electricity slip your mind. Electrically-powered lights, appliances, TVs and other technology are so commonplace now that most people don’t even think about electricity much, except perhaps during a power failure or when the monthly municipal bill arrives. So it is no surprise really that most homeowners are unaware of potential electrical hazards around their houses, [...](more...)

Repeated advice from senior staff at the Rawson Property Group to the effect that aspirant home buyers should revise/downgrade their ambitions regarding the home they would like to buy, rather than remain tenants and abandon all ambitions to become home owners, has been given additional credence by a recent FNB Property Barometer which shows that [...](more...)

Check list of needs and preferences Potential home buyers will often find that after looking at anything from eight to 12 properties they have become confused and unable to remember clearly what it was that appealed to them or was seen as a disadvantage in the homes they have visited, says Tony Clarke, Managing Director [...](more...)

Take care when using generators at home. Knowing that there’s not enough power to go around, South Africans have become used to electricity blackouts in the winter months, and many have bought portable generators to take up the slack and at least keep the lights and fridge on. But generators can be dangerous unless they’re [...](more...)

When it comes to home insurance, it pays to check if your home is over-insured in today’s market. Property owners, especially those who took out their insurance policies several years ago, should take the trouble to check whether they are not over-insured. “Many insurance companies,” said Bill Rawson of the Rawson Property Group, “routinely add [...](more...)

Part 1: Are you ready for a new home? Purchasing or selling a property is probably one of the most stressful things you could go through in life, and when it comes to the process, financing and legalities thereof most people become overwhelmed. It includes a lot of terms and forms that you may not [...](more...)

London house prices surge by as much as ten percent. Euro crisis and Olympic Games increase international demand for property and increasingly sought after; Buy-to-let investments. London’s residential property market is one of the most dynamic in the world. High-end real estate in the British capital is still regarded as a save haven for secure [...](more...)

Make your home entrance decor, unforgettable. When welcoming guests into your home you want to make a big impression – a “wow” moment – something that they will remember long after they have left, and possibly even want to duplicate in their own home! As an integral part of a home, an entrance should just look [...](more...)

Jump into the world of home finance jargon with our Mortgage Glossary. This week we take a look at letters G and F…(more...)

In the last few years the second home property market has declined dramatically, due to the recession. But markets are steadily recovering and this would definitely impact the growth of second homes.This brings forward the opportunity to guide you into buying your second home. Buying a new home is an exciting time whether you are [...](more...)

“Should I make use of a property professional?” should be the first question which comes to mind before you enter the real estate market. Home owners looking to sell their houses often wonder why they should pay that extra money in commission and whether it is really worth it. This debate has gone on for [...](more...)

To help you stay savvy in the world of bonds and home financing, we begin at the beginning by taking a look at the letter A in our Mortgage Glossary.(more...)