Popular Articles
WHAT DOES LIVING “OFF-THE-GRID” MEAN?
The concept of living off-the-grid is used a lot, but what exactly does it mean? While technically referring to the concept of having the ability to live completely self-sufficiently and to be disconnected from the main electric and water grids, to many, living off-the-grid also means moving to the countryside, having a simpler life by reducing the number of resources consumed, and participating m
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CAN SOUTH AFRICANS BUY PROPERTY IN OTHER COUNTRIES?
Have you ever asked yourself “can I buy property outside of South Africa”? If yes, then you’ve stumbled across the right blog post. There are many reasons why South Africans might seek offshore real estate opportunities. They may want to diversify their investment portfolios or possibly are seeking offshore investments that offer alternative residency (or even citizenship) benefits. Whatever the r
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REAL ESTATE AGENT SAFETY TIPS: SHOW HOUSES
Hosting a show house is one of the best tools in an estate agent's arsenal. It brings out the competitor in any buyer, boosts sales prices, and grows the buyer database. But, unfortunately, this perk comes with some level of security risk and both sellers and agents need to be extra vigilant when hosting walk-ins to a property. Here are a few safety and security tips so that you can equip y
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HOW TO DEAL WITH REAL ESTATE AGENTS WHEN BUYING PROPERTY
It is a common misconception that a real estate agent solely works for the seller. In fact, they are a great asset to home buyers as well. A skilled agent will not only help you find your dream home, but they will also deal with the negotiations and the paperwork involved in securing the property you desire. While it is not impossible for you to arrange viewings yourself, using an agent will save
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7 SUSTAINABLE HOME IMPROVEMENT IDEAS FOR MANDELA DAY
It’s that super special time of year again – on 18 July, we celebrate Mandela Day! What is the significance of Mandela day? In short, this is a date reserved for South Africans nationwide who honour the 67 years that Nelson Mandela sacrificed to improve human rights in our country and around the world. For many, donating at least 67 minutes of their time to give back to their communities is one of
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PROPERTY TRANSFER COSTS IN SOUTH AFRICA
It is very exciting buying a home, whether it’s your first or your next. However, buying a property and signing the Offer To Purchase can also be stressful. To avoid causing any unnecessary additional stress, it’s important to know what costs you’ll incur when you buy a house, above and beyond its asking price. As a rule of thumb, you should allow for between 8% and 10% of the purchase price of th
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