Estate agents: comment on Cape Town's proposed signage by-laws
The Institute of Estate Agents of South Africa, Western Cape, has been instrumental in discussions with the council to discuss the City of Cape Town’s outdoor advertising and signage policy and bylaw.
“To date, there have been concerns put forward by IEASA Western Cape members, and IEASA has stepped forward to raise its voice for the property sector,” says Annette Evans, general manager of IEASA Western Cape.
“In 2015, a huge milestone was reached in convincing the City that interns in the property industry deserved the right to obtain permits for show house directional boards. This was a significant accomplishment and has resulted in thousands of interns gaining the right to show houses using their own directional boards.”
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Up your rental without stress: four easy tips
If you’re renting out a property, it can be handy to know how to get the most value from your tenants.
It might go without saying, but your chances of getting the most value out of your rental are by making sure everything looks new, clean and fresh, says Katzen. “In tough economic times, you don’t want to be losing out on that extra income,” says Rob Katzen, Teljoy CEO. “Luckily, it can be a simple task to up the rental on your property.”
Katzen shares the top 4 ways to increase your rental income:
1. Try a bathroom makeover
The bathroom is one of the most important rooms in a house, and often the most neglected one too.
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Home-based care vs retirement villages: what to know
South Africans have become known for their poor preparation in saving for retirement. One of the main reasons contributing to this reality is that most are living in debt.
Mount Edgecombe Retirement Village developer representative and Director of Cameron Property Group, David Cameron says the World Banks findings show that approximately 86% of the South African population have borrowed money within the last year. Cameron shares his expert opinion on the matter and sheds some light on their recent case study.
“We understand that costs vary and depend on each individual’s healthcare needs, however, one of our recent case studies researched the cost of home-based care outside of a retirement village,” he says.
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Better urban planning to reduce commutes and boost productivity
South Africans spend more time in the traffic commuting than their counterparts in 22 similar countries – and when taken into account, the country’s poorest citizens typically live on the fringes due to the legacy of spatial fragmentation – the impact of the transport challenges are most significantly felt by those least able to afford them.
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) How’s Life study in 2011 reflected South Africans spend an average 58 minutes daily on commuting, the longest time among the countries analysed. Already urbanisation has been recognised as the cornerstone on which the globe’s cities will develop with 2005 being the milestone year when for the first time more than half the world’s population lived in cities.
The United Nations (UN) World Urbanisation Prospects Report 2013 indicated 30% of the rise in city dwellers will be in Africa and Asia and 70% of the world will occupy city residences by 2070. According to the Integrated Urban Development Framework released by the South African Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs Department (COGTA), by 2030 over 70% of South Africa’s population will be living in urban areas.
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Property portals now the 'go to' for home hunters
Property portals are now the ‘go-to’ hunting grounds for selling properties and agents are using these platforms to maximise exposure and reach. Digital tools have become the major focus, with traditional media such as print taking a backseat.
Options available in the digital space make provision for access to websites, property portals, apps, online advertising, newsletters and digital magazines - which are but a few of the platforms being used by agents to drive leads and create greater brand awareness.
In addition, digital sales tools are more targeted, can be done in real-time, are more measurable than print and generate leads.
Does this mean that print will become obsolete? Not necessarily, says Maughin Lord, national marketing manager at Jawitz Properties.
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What you must know about home loan applications
Currently in South Africa, around four out of every five people who want to purchase a property will require a financial institution to provide the necessary finance for the transaction.
“Essentially what this means is that the majority of property transactions in this country are financed in one way or another,” says Broker Manager of RE/MAX Central, Cameron Jansen.
“Most buyers and sellers would like to have the finance sorted out and the transaction to go through as quickly as possible. In order to expedite the process, it is important for buyers to be prepared and have all their documentation in order before they submit a bond application for approval.”
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