Transfer duty – no surprises – Part 2
The Transfer Duty Act 40/1949 (“the Act”) states that transfer duty (duty) is to be levied on any property acquired by any person by way of a transaction. The Act is clear as to whom and by when the duty is to be paid. It states that the duty shall be payable by the person […]
Fireproofing your home against wildfires
With the recent fire on Table Mountain razing a Cabinet minister’s home as well as the UCT Jagger Library (which housed historic documents and books) and Mostert’s Mill (the oldest surviving windmill in SA), the devastation that a wildfire can cause has been brought to the forefront of many property owners’ attention. This comes just 4 years after the devastating wildfires that spread over Knysna […]
Real estate – the smart investment
Buying real estate is more than finding the right home or location for your business – owning property is an investment that holds more benefits than you might know. Income Predictability While interest rates may alter mortgage repayments at first, real estate offers a somewhat constant financial investment. Once home loans are repaid in full, real estate offers the owner a constant income that does […]
Revamp your rental home
Living in a rented apartment doesn’t mean you can’t make your living space your own. There are many ways in which you can make your rented property feel more like home, and it all begins with adding a bit of your own individuality and character to the aesthetics of your home. Switch out a light fixture Chances are that you’re […]
How many animals are allowed on my property?
During the lockdown, many people were fortunate enough to be quarantined with their families and friends, while others got the short end of the stick and had to go full Tom Hanks and create a Wilson of their own to get some company. But somewhere in the middle there were those who had their cuddly counterparts to keep the […]
How to make a single income household work
The COVID-19 pandemic has left many households questioning the future of their families, especially when it comes to living arrangements when one of the family’s sources of income have fallen away. Single income homes are no longer in vogue as families struggle to keep up with the financial demands of modern living. Having one parent stay at home to raise a […]
The right price at the right time
Finding the best pricing strategy has always been a vital part of selling a property, but it may be more difficult than before thanks to the events of the past year. A market in distress As the country continues to adapt to the events of 2020, the market remains volatile at best. When real estate […]
Buying and selling: Avoid the potential nightmare
Buying a new home is always an adventure – but what if you’re still trying to bring a previous adventure to a close? Facilitating the transition of homeownership comes with an array of concerns that are unavoidable when the purchase of a new home and the sale of an old one occur simultaneously. The two primary concerns for buyers who are sellers at the same time are finances and logistics. If the transition is to be facilitated successfully, […]
The benefits of creating a trust
Trusts are well-known to facilitate effective estate planning and continuity planning strategies. That said, setting up a trust – whether an inter vivos (between the living) or a testamentary (created in a will) − should be carefully considered and not just implemented blindly. The difference between testamentary and inter vivos trusts A testamentary trust is […]
What a good conveyancing attorney does for you
Since property transfers are some of the highest-value transactions that you may make in your lifetime, it naturally follows that you need to ensure that you don’t let your money go to waste – especially when choosing someone to handle the process for you. Choosing the right conveyancing attorney can save you a lot of headaches down the […]