How will the POPI Act affect the real estate industry?
On 1 July 2020, the enactment of the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPI Act) commenced, which will come into full effect on 1 July 2021. As its name states, the POPI Act aims to promote the safeguarding of personal information by putting in place the necessary regulations and legislation needed to realise this. Since […]
How the repo rate affects your home loan
It was announced on 19 November 2020 that the national repo rate would remain unchanged at the historically low 3,5 %. While many were expecting an increase after a slightly strengthening economy, the unaffected rate is a welcome announcement to those repaying home loans. The primary benefit of a reduced repo rate lies in the […]
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 […]
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, […]
What is a Title Deed?
If you are planning to buy a new property, you will need to get the title deed transferred into your name to prove that you are the owner of the property. You will need the assistance of a lawyer specialising in property transfers (also known as a conveyancer) to help you transfer the title deed […]
Fast forward your property transfer
Buying a house is a big decision, one in which the buyer will have invested numerous hours of research, planning and careful consideration. It makes sense then that a buyer would want their property transfer to be finalised as quickly as possible. But while property transfers are of nature a time-consuming process, there are steps buyers can take to make sure the […]
Understanding the “Voetstoots” Clause
Most sale agreements of immovable property contain a clause in terms whereof the purchaser agrees to buy the property voetstoots. The voetstoots clause is a common law principle which stipulates that the purchaser buys the property from the seller as is and thereby frees the seller from any liability for patent or latent defects. Patent […]
Casting the line in the right place
If you want to catch more fish, you cast a wider net. It’s simple logistics. But if we are talking about selling your property, the answer may be the exact opposite. While you do want the highest possible number of prospective buyers to see your property, you only want to catch one. The best way to catch the right fish may prove to be the casting of […]
What should a conveyancer do?
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. Conveyancing in South Africa can only be carried out by […]
Buying a property on auction
Properties sold on auction is not necessarily the bargain buy everyone seems to think it is. This is because the property on auction isn’t necessarily being sold due to financial distress. In today’s times, homeowners have turned to auction as a means of selling their property as soon as possible and for as a high […]