All About Property – Season 2

Episode 1 

Seller’s Requirements, FLISP & The Law on Noisy Neighbours  

In this premiere episode:
Are you planning on selling your home this year? Find out what you need to consider before, during and after the sale of your property.
And; If you’re a first time home buyer and a South African citizen, you might qualify for a government housing subsidy of up to R122 000. This is enough to cover your deposit and legal fees.

Also in this episode; disturbing your neighbour’s peace and quiet can be a punishable offence of up to two years in prison. We chat to a property lawyer who explains how to use the law to get your noisy neighbours to lower their noise levels.

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Episode 2

Four investment strategies; Buying versus renting; & Using your bond to create wealth

In South Africa there are fifteen different property investment strategies that work very well. In this episode we explore four of these strategies, namely multi-let, instalment sale, buying and selling distressed properties, and back-to-back deals.

Also in this episode… Many people are still not sure whether they should continue renting or buy a property? We’ve decided to explore the pros and cons of each. And as we imagined, one of these came out tops. We also share some tools for people who decide that this is their year for buying their own homes.

And… Did you know you can use your bond to pay for school fees, buy your next car cash, go on that dream holiday, save hundreds of thousands of rands in the process, and pay off your loan over a shorter period? Today we find out how to use your bond to create wealth for yourself.

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Episode 3

Commuting between the city and a small coastal town;

You don’t have to wait for retirement to live the dream and move to that small coastal town. We visited Gordon’s Bay, where we found out just how easy it has become to commute between your job in the city, and a quality lifestyle, in a small coastal town.

The 72-hour clause in an offer to purchase;

And…Even after sealing the deal with a purchaser, you can continue marketing your property, accept a more favourable offer from a second purchaser, and give the first buyer 72 hours to meet all the suspensive conditions, like securing his finance, otherwise you can legally go ahead with the second offer, provided you have one very important clause in your contract. We explore why it is so important to ensure you have this clause in your contract when you sell.

And, getting the most out of your bond originator

Also in this episode… When applying for a home loan, a bond originator will assess your individual situation, motivate your case to the bank, and apply on your behalf to all the major banks in order to secure the most favourable home loan. And best of all, this is a completely free service. We’ve explored how to get the most out of your bond originator.

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Episode 4

Home Staging, Township Properties & Renovations

When putting your home on the market, you want it to stand out between all the other properties that are also for sale, especially in a buyer’s market. One way of doing this is through a concept called ‘Home Staging’. We find out why staging your home can lead to a quicker sale.

And…Due to commercial and infrastructure developments in and around townships, township properties have started to increase in value. We found out why this has attracted many first time home buyers as well as property investors to the townships.
Also in this episode… Most people will tell you that renovating a home has been one of the most stressful experiences of their lives, but it does not have to be this way. We share some tips on choosing a reputable contractor for your renovations.

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Episode 5

Property Evaluations, The Installment Sale, & Successful buy-to-let property investments

Pricing your home incorrectly could lead to it not selling, or worse, you might end up having to reduce your price to below market value just to gain buyers interest again. This week on All About Property we look at how to go about pricing your home correctly for a quicker sale.

And… Not many South Africans qualify for a home loan and they end up renting for a very long time. This week we explore the Land Alienation Act. This piece of legislation allows for a home buyer to purchase a home directly from the seller, and pay him off over a period of time, without having to apply for a home loan.

Also in this episode… According to the experts, if you own one or more rental properties you have to have money left at the end of the month after you’ve paid the bond, levies, water and electricity and all other costs. If you have to pay in at the end of the month, then you are not doing it correctly. This week we look at the do’s and don’t’s of successful buy-to-let property investments. We are also giving away three one year subscriptions to Real Estate Investor Magazine

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Episode 6

The Home Application Process for Foreign Nationals; The Law on Latent and Patent Defects; Market Conditions

Many foreign nationals living in South Africa, especially those from neighbouring countries like Zimbabwe, Botswana, and Mozambique, are highly skilled, educated, and contributes towards the economy, but are often not aware that they do qualify to apply for a home loan, and they either continue renting or try to save for a cash purchase. We’ve decided to sheds some light on the home loan criteria for foreign nationals.

And… One of the biggest disputes between home buyers and sellers are those around defects to the property, where the seller fails to disclose a latent defect and the new owner only becomes aware of it after he has moved in. In this instance, the ‘Voetstoots’ clause does not protect the seller, and if found guilty, he can be held responsible for the defect. We get legal advice and insights into this matter.

There are many external market conditions like the interest rate, and the economy that may dictate property buying and selling behaviour. Yet, if you look at the deeds office data, thousands of property transactions are being concluded each month in South Africa, which means, regardless of what’s happening in the country, there are ways to mitigate market conditions when it comes to buying or selling a home. We investigate the options.

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Episode 7

Costs of Estate Living; Property Investment Stokvel; Bank Assisted Sales

When considering estate living there are monthly running costs within the estate that one should be aware off. These costs also differ from estate to estate. We find out what the costs are to consider when you decide on buying in an estate.

Not many people have the time, money, or know-how to invest in property, but with a property investment stokvel, you purchase a property with nineteen other people, you invest a small monthly amount, you don’t have to search for properties, and the returns are practically guaranteed. We find out exactly how it works.

The four big banks in South Africa now offer a service called bank assisted sales, where they help you with the sale of your property when you can no longer afford to pay your bond. They may also write off a portion or the full shortfall on the home loan, as well as other outstanding costs like rates and taxes and levies. We get all the facts on exactly how this service works.

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Episode 8

The Rental Deposit; Property Inspections and Flipping Properties

Very often disputes arise between tenants and landlords when it comes to refunding the rental deposit at the end of a rental contract. We explore exactly what does the law say about the rental deposit.

And… The Property Practitioner’s Bill suggests that home inspections among other things, become a standard step in the home buying process. We spoke to a home inspector to get his view on this bill.

A buy-to-flip property investment strategy is when you buy a property below market value, fix it up, and put it back on the market for a profit. Sounds easy, well flipping properties successfully is a bit more involved. We find out what are the secrets to flipping properties successfully.

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Episode 9

Interpreting the OTP; Property Investment Opportunities; Timber homes

When you receive an offer on your property from a buyer you can either accept, decline, or counter that offer. And a high offer is also not necessarily a strong offer. We loo at a couple of guidelines when it comes to interpreting an offer from a buyer.

South Africa is experiencing a housing backlog of between 60 000 and 70 000 units, while the government is only able to provide about 6000 units per year. Now it is not all doom and gloom, because for ordinary South Africans this is a great opportunity to start investing in the affordable housing market, and get great returns from day one. This week we explore some of these opportunities.

The story of the three little pigs might have taught us that a brick and mortar home is the way to go, but timber homes are just as durable, and have been in existence in other parts of the world for centuries. We find out why this form of building is becoming more and more popular in South Africa.

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Episode 10

Building your home from scratch; Capital Gains Tax; Inclusionary Housing

Many people dream of building their own home, however, it is important to know exactly what goes into the planning and architectural process of going this route. We’ve decided to explore this further.

And… Capital gains tax is not a separate tax, but forms part of income tax payable to SARS. Basically it is tax that is payable on the resale of an asset – in this instance a home. However, not many people understand exactly how it works. We got a tax adviser to shed some light on the topic.
Also in this episode…
The City of Johannesburg’s inclusionary housing policy has recently been approved by the council. This policy basically promotes accommodation opportunities for lower and middle income households who otherwise may not have afforded to live in well-located areas within the city. A City of Joburg representative gave us a bit more insight into this topic.

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Episode 11

OTP Checklist for sellers; Future Proofing your home; Access bonds

When most sellers receive an offer from a buyer they tend to just look at the price that was offered on that property, while in actual fact, if you as the seller do not follow a very strict checklist, this transaction could turn into your worst nightmare. We look at what to consider before you commit to the sale of your property.

Not far into the future, if you want to sell your home, you’ll be competing with homes that have the latest technologies in place in and around the home. We find out what it means to future proof your home.

When it comes to financial planning and building wealth, the bond on your home can be a very helpful tool when used creatively. We take a closer look at access bonds.

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Episode 12

Financing Investment Properties; Estate Planning: Effective Downscaling

Many property investors don’t get to grow their property portfolios beyond one or two properties, because normally at this point most of the main banks stop financing. We look at the many creative ways of financing those investment properties.

At All About Property we get many e-mails from viewers. And a topic that keeps on popping up is around deceased estates where very often a will is not in place. We spoke to an attorney to see if we can address some of these e-mails.

After the kids have left the home, there are many benefits to downscaling to a smaller home, earlier rather than later in life. We share some advice on the art of effective downscaling.

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Episode 13

Challenges faced by the affordable home buyer; Tips for first time home buyers; Off-Grid Homes

The home buyer in the affordable housing market is faced with many challenges like low income, being blacklisted, and not educated about their home buying options. We explore solutions to some of these challenges.

We look at what the first time home buyer and especially the millennial need to consider, when going out house hunting.

More and more people are looking for alternative home building solutions. In this episode we explore an off-grid home that generates its own electricity, has its own water purification system, and has zero wastage when constructed.

Guest Details for Episode 13 ^[1]