Barry Botha Breytenbach

Having ‘skin’ in the property game

Bigger deposits mean a smaller loan and a better interest rate. Rising inflation and several interest rate hikes have many South Africans trying their best to keep their costs down where possible, and this has also translated into their homebuying behaviour. The Q2 ’22 oobarometer statistics, released by ooba, reveal lower-than-expected home price inflation from […]

Reduce the pain of downscaling: Investing in a holiday home as a retiree

The decision to move out of a large residence in favour of a smaller or less expensive property, also known as down-scaling, is often viewed as a last resort in the face of mounting financial pressure.  However, for many retirees, the decision to downscale is driven by the prospect of greater freedom. As one gets […]

Having ‘skin’ in the property game

Bigger deposits mean a smaller loan and a better interest rate. Rising inflation and several interest rate hikes have many South Africans trying their best to keep their costs down where possible, and this has also translated into their homebuying behaviour. The Q2 ’22 oobarometer statistics, released by ooba, reveal lower-than-expected home price inflation from […]

Selling a property with defects: What you need to know

The Purchaser signs an agreement of sale with the Seller. The property is transferred into the Purchaser’s name. A month later, there were heavy rainfalls and the roof leaks. Is the Seller liable to repair the roof or the Purchaser, as the new owner? To understand which party is liable, one must appreciate the difference […]

Are estate agents ready for the change to come?

Property Practitioners who now need to hold a Fidelity Fund Certificate, unless excluded, to practice in terms of the Property Practitioners Act, 22 of 2019, may have certain questions regarding the application process to obtain the Certificate, its issuing from the Authority and any disqualifications from issuing, its amendment, withdrawal, and lapse thereof. A Property […]

Find your new home sooner with transparency

Estate agents play a vital role in the efficiency and ease of most real estate transactions. They are guides, advisers, companions, gurus, and partners to buyers, sellers, landlords and tenants alike. The strength of this relationship, however, is built on a foundation of open communication and transparency. When your estate agent is working off of lacklustre information, half-truths and muddled facts, the results […]

Buying property: Is it better to wait?

The property market has been a more advantageous ground recently than it has been in the past few decades. Especially if you are a millennial, whose news feed keeps you updated on just about everything that goes on in the world, it’s not something that has gone unnoticed. This has brought the question of whether to purchase a house or to go […]

The real estate landscape post-COVID

While the true effect of the lockdown will only be evident in a few months’ time, once the dust has settled around the re-opening of the economy, the real estate market is still vying for an optimistic outlook. But even though it is still a buyer’s market, thanks to various measures that have been taken pre- and mid-lockdown to assist […]

How is your property’s value being affected?

Preparing a home that will soon enter the market is one of the first steps of the selling process. But these preparations, intended to make a property more attractive for prospective buyers, should always be approached carefully and, above all, strategically. These are a few key elements that may affect a property’s ultimate attraction without […]

The new age of property viewings has arrived

The real estate industry has always been known for utilising the latest technologies available to bring buyers and sellers together. From announcements at Town Hall gatherings to the printing presses, the introduction of radios and television sets in households, and finally the World Wide Web, property practitioners have always been on the lookout for the […]