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Residential property prices are perking up
RealEstateWeb - South Africa
So why don't we all feel cheerful?
A property sales' consultant in a foul mood phoned me this week to vent some spleen. Why, he demanded to know, do people visit show houses that are hopelessly beyond their financial reach, presumably wasting time for themselves and the estate agency person on duty in the home for sale?

Of the eight people who popped through his assigned Bedfordview home at the weekend, seven hadn't bothered to even get a ball park figure from a bank or mortgage originator about what their shopping price range might be, and one had a deposit that would never come close to securing the upmarket property. Adding insult to injury, the consultant spotted some visitors throwing his business card and marketing brochure out of the car window as they drove on to the next open home that afternoon.

These weren't the only matters troubling him. The Bedfordview property man was fairly miffed that some economists and estate agents have suggested the worst is over for the residential property market. After all, the mass of "for sale" boards in his area alone suggest it is a buyers' market, though there are few buyers who qualify for mortgages these days.
RealEstateWeb

Land claim purchases on hold
Business Day - South Africa
The Land Claims Commission has placed a moratorium on buying land under claim until money can be found to bail it out.

"There will be no new sale agreements signed until the money comes," chief land claims commissioner Blessing Mphela told Business Day yesterday.

"Willing sellers who want quick decisions need to know there is no money to pay them."

The commission's cash crunch comes as a recession is forcing the government to scale down spending while facing often violent demands to ramp up service delivery. Restitution for apartheid forced removals, though guaranteed by the constitution, appears to have slipped down the priority list.
Business Day

Conveyancing fees - know the facts says Nathan Jones at Cheapconveyancingquotes.co.uk
pr-inside.com - UK
When researching for conveyancing on the internet you have to ask yourself why are some conveyancing quotes so cheap?
Nathan Jones, spokesman for the web site www.cheapconveyancingquotes.co.uk explains why some quotes are so cheap and how to avoid the pitfalls when it comes to arranging your own conveyancing.

For years people have not challenged the cost of conveyancing but instead have paid legal fees and disbursements to whichever firm their mortgage lender preferred.

Every conveyancing quote has two constituent parts:
1. The solicitor's basic fee
2. The disbursements
pr-inside.com

Huge vote of confidence for conveyancing solicitors
LawGazette - UK
Conveyancing solicitors were given a resounding vote of confidence by the public this week as unpublished research seen by the Gazette revealed 'stratospheric' levels of satisfaction among consumers.

Some 93% of clients said they were happy with their solicitor's performance. This comprised 65% who were 'very satisfied', and 28% who were 'satisfied'. Only 5% said they were 'dissatisfied'.

The survey of public attitudes to conveyancing services, which was based on interviews with more than 1,000 consumers, was conducted by independent polling company ComRes on behalf of the Solicitors Regulation Authority last December.
Law Gazette