South Africa Guide: Property

Buying a house is time-consuming, difficult and very expensive - especially if something goes wrong! Get your house search off to a good start with our property guide. Make sure you find out about the property market and understand how the system of buying a home works as it might be very different from your home country.

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  Introduction

  An introduction to buying property in South Africa

  South Africa is one of the most beautiful and diverse countries in the world, with far more than its fair share of ravishing landscapes.

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  Advantages & Disadvantages

  What to take into account

  There are both advantages and disadvantages to buying a home in South Africa, although for most people the benefits far outweigh the drawbacks.

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  Buying for investment

  What you should know

  In recent years, South African property has been an excellent investment, particularly in the most sought-after coastal regions, where prices have risen fastest.

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  Land & Title

  What the law says

  The right to property is enshrined under section 25 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa Act, 1996. It states (somewhat evasively) that nobody may be deprived of property except in terms of law of general application, and no law may permit arbitrary deprivation of property.

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  Legal Advice

  Why you need a lawyer

  It cannot be emphasised too strongly that anyone planning to buy property in South Africa must take expert, independent legal advice.

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  Cost of Property

  Can you afford to buy property in South Africa?

  One of the major considerations for anyone contemplating buying a home in South Africa is whether they can afford to buy there and, if so, what kind of home can they afford and where?

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  House Hunting

  How to find your dream home in South Africa

  There are many ways of finding homes for sale in South Africa, including the following:

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  Estate Agents

  All you need to know to deal with estate agents

  There are around 36,000 registered estate agents in South Africa – no doubt attracted by the average commission of between 4 and 8 per cent – ranging from huge national and international chains to small, local operations.

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  Garages & Parking Bays

  What you need to know

  The cost of parking is an important consideration when buying in a town or resort in South Africa, particularly if you have a number of cars.

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  Community Properties

  All you need to know about Community Properties

  In South Africa, apartments and townhouses are sometimes part of what are known as sectional title schemes or sectional title development schemes, in accordance with the Sectional Titles Act No 95 of 1986.

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  Fees

  Extra costs when buying property in South Africa

  A variety of fees (also called closing or completion costs) are payable when you buy a property in South Africa, including those detailed below.

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  Negotiating The Price

  How to get the best price possible

  When buying a property in South Africa it pays to haggle over the price, even if you think it’s a bargain.

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  Renovation & Restoration

  All you need to know to restore an old house

  There are some older properties purchased by foreigners in South Africa that are in need of restoration, renovation and modernisation.

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  Inspections & Surveys

  What you need to know

  When you have found a property that you like, you should make a close inspection of its condition.

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  Legal Check

  What to look out for

  Before buying a property, you or your lawyer should do the following:

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  Agreement of Sale

  What it should include

  Once you’ve agreed a price with the vendor, you must make an ‘agreement of sale’, which is normally done through an estate agent.

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  Conveyance

  What is it and what does it entail

  Conveyancing (or conveyance) is the legal term for the process whereby a person, company, close corporation or trust becomes the registered and legal owner of immovable property and ensures that this ownership cannot be challenged. It also covers the process of the registration of mortgages.

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  Final Checks

  The final step

  Property is sold subject to the condition that it’s accepted in the state it is in (‘voetstoots’) at the time of completion, so you should be aware of anything that occurs between signing the agreement of sale and the transfer of ownership.

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  Letting your property

  What you need to know

  If you let a property in South Africa, you’re required by law to pay tax on your rental income in South Africa and not in the country where the income is received.

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  Letting Rates

  Rental rates in South Africa

  Letting rates vary considerably with the time of year, area and size and quality of a property but are generally low compared with those in countries such as France and Spain.

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  Using an agent

  All you need to know about letting agents

  Agents can provide help with advertising, maintenance, etc. Make sure to know what is included in their service.

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  Doing your own letting

  All you need to know to do it yourself

  Some owners prefer to let a property to family, friends, colleagues and acquaintances, which allows them more control – and with luck the property will also be better looked after.

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  Information Packs

  What they should contain

  After accepting a booking, you should provide guests with information packs containing helpful information about the house and the area they will be visiting.

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