Planning to renovate your home?
Your insurer or broker should be the first to know. Many South African homeowners are investing in renovating their homes to increase its value. However, whether you’re planning to revamp your kitchen, bathroom or do some landscaping, anything that affects the replacement cost of your home can affect the amount of short-term insurance cover and, […]
Five residential property trends no one saw coming
Experts have already predicted the top property trends of 2024, ranging from the impact of looming interest rate cuts to co-buying, solar power financing, sectional title demand and the resurgence of first-time homebuyers. However, several emerging (and sometimes overlooked) trends are set to come into play, creating notable shifts in the landscape. The top five […]
Tenant ‘Red Flags’ and how to avoid them
The wrong tenant can have a lasting negative effect. The residential property industry continues its upward trajectory, and investors are getting in on the action. However, with the rise of investors choosing to take advantage of low prices and invest in ‘buy-to-let’ properties comes an excess supply of rental properties in areas with high supply […]
Reduce the pain of downscaling: Investing in a holiday home as a retiree
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 […]
Will solar power increase the value of your home?
The upfront investment is high, which you’ll want to recover when you sell. Stage 6 loadshedding is now firmly in effect, many South Africans are without power for up to 12 hours each day, and the threat of Stage 8 blackouts looms large on the horizon. It’s no wonder then that many households are turning […]
Semigrating: It’s not all about Cape Town!
Five compelling reasons to invest on the KZN Mid-South Coast. The appeal of South Africa’s Western Cape coastline—and. in more recent years, that of the KZN North Coast—has shown the massive potential such seaside locations offer investors. However, while these areas have become flooded in demand, the KZN Mid-South Coast is emerging as a top […]
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 […]
Rate hikes: Are buyers over-reacting?
Historically, interest rate hikes have had a dampening effect on the South African residential property market, with homeowners reassessing their affordability in anticipation of higher monthly loan repayments. The resultant reduction in home loan applications immediately following an interest rate hike is a reaction from buyers who are hesitant to make a long-term commitment until […]
Six projected home loan trends for 2023
Looking ahead to what is likely to drive home loans this year. Despite challenges of external factors such as ongoing interest rate hikes and rising costs of living, the ongoing demand for home loans remained relatively stable in 2022—slightly down on 2021 volumes, but up on 2020 and 2019 volumes. This sustained demand can be […]
The safety of animals begins at home
During the lockdown, many people were fortunate enough to be quarantined with their families and friends, while others got the short end of the stick and had to go full Tom Hanks and create a Wilson of their own to get some company. But somewhere in the middle there were those who had their cuddly counterparts to keep the […]