Most Recent Living Articles
PROPERTY ADVICE FOR NEWLYWEDS
The notion that newly-wed couples will move from their childhood home into their first home together is as outdated as dial-up-internet. According to the 2015 Stats SA report, the average marriage age for men is 34-years-old and 30-years-old for women. Chances are high that both individuals in the couple will be living in their own place long before the question gets popped. The next question newl
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3 FEATURES YOU NEED TO UPDATE TODAY
While certain décor features are timeless, others are very time specific and, much like the perm and aerobic videos, need to be left behind to make room for updated trends. Below are just three of the outdated home décor features that need to time warp themselves into the 21st Century... 1. Wave Bye-bye to Wooden Walls A popular décor trend in the 1960s and '70s,
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HOW TO PREPARE YOUR HOME FOR TODDLERS
Accidents can happen so quickly – especially when you have a toddler in the house. Though it is beyond anyone’s control to prevent all mishaps, there are certain steps homeowners can take to lower the risks of accidents in their household: KITCHEN Remove: dials on the gas stove when not in use (if possible), switch off electric stoves by the wall when not in use, and store detergen
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ARE ELECTRIC CAR GARAGES THE WAY OF THE FUTURE?
With the ever-rising costs of fuel prices, the thought of trading in your powerful gas-gussler for an eco-friendly electric car is becoming all the more enticing – and property developers are beginning to make this decision even more of a no-brainer. As popularity and demand for electric vehicles in South Africa rise, so too will the demand for properties with built-in charging facilities
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TIPS FOR BIRD-OWNING HOMEOWNERS
Able to do the one thing we all wish our cats and dogs could do, birds offer all the companionship value of our furry friends with the bonus of being able to respond to us in a language we can actually understand. Here’s a few ways homeowners can ensure the health and happiness of the feathery friend in their home: Check the local animal by-laws According to the Western Cape Gover
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WHY IT’S A GOOD IDEA TO BUY IN HOUT BAY
While there has been a general cooling down in prices in the Cape Town market, there are still certain pockets that continue to do well despite the current economic climate. The suburb of Hout Bay is one of them. The suburb continues to grow in terms of value largely because it offers so many appealing features for permanent residence. Here are just some of the reasons the area remains so popul
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THE UPS TO DOWNSIZING
It can be difficult to adjust to a smaller home. But, if it’s any consolation, most South Africans who have bought new properties are living in much smaller homes than the ones they grew up in. According to data from FNB, the average size of a full title stand in 2017 measured just 552 square metres. That is almost half the average size of homes built in the early-70s (1,063 square metres).
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RULES FOR UPSTAIRS LIVING
Though there are no legal requirements governing behaviour for upstairs neighbours (though there really ought to be), we encourage you not to be that neighbour everyone loves to hate. Life has a funny way of returning what you put into it. You will have to leave your apartment from time-to-time, and the angry stares from the rest of your complex are going to make your life equally as uncomfortable
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WHICH PAINT COLOUR HELPS ME SELL?
Curb appeal might be subjective, but it’s not difficult to imagine that the listing of the bright blue home with a yellow roof gets less attention than other more neutral homes. Colour can have an exceptional impact on buyers. Understanding the costly and labour-intensive effort it would take to repaint a home, most buyers simply choose not to look passed the fact that a home is not painted
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HOW TO SURVIVE THE SCHOOL HOLIDAYS
The third term break is upon us and, whether you’ve planned for it or not, your children are going to be at home for the next week. Why not take a few days leave and enjoy a mini staycation with them? Treating yourself to a short ‘staycation’ might also be a great way to revel in the reasons why you love your home without breaking the bank. Here’s how to make the most of
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UNPACKING THE CONTAINER HOME TREND
The container home is a trend developed as an affordable housing option that originated in Australia. However, rather than being regularly implemented in low-income areas in SA, the trend seems to have gained more traction in the affluent market that make use of the container to create multi-million rand examples of innovative architecture instead of affordable housing. The question is, why? Th
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GARAGE RENOVATION MISTAKES TO AVOID
Garages, particularly in sectional units, are a great value-add – more so if the owner has renovated it into a space that holds additional value apart from keeping a car cosy at night. A neatly renovated garage with clever storage solutions can do a great deal towards making a property more sellable. But, only if homeowners are able to avoid these common mistakes… Create multifunct
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