Episode 1

Selling your home in a buyer’s market; The Leonardo; How to better your chances of getting approved for a home loan

Before Covid-19, we were already in a buyer’s market, and now, with hugely reduced interest rates, and declining house prices, one cannot ask for more favourable conditions to buy a property. But, where does this leave sellers? And, will they have any bargaining power when it comes to selling their properties? We explore how to sell your home successfully in a buyer’s market.

The Leonardo, a brand new 57-storey, mixed-use development in Sandton, is officially the tallest building on the African continent. Well, it recently opened its doors, and we popped in to see what this luxury development has to offer its residents.

Many home buyers seem to think, that applying for a home loan with their own bank, will better their chances, of getting approved, but the opposite is actually true. The more applications you submit, to different banks, the more likely you are, to be approved by one of those banks, and possibly, under more favourable, lending conditions. We aim to shed some light on the matter.

Guest details for episode 1

Episode 2

Buy-to-let property investment; The property market in Heidelberg in Gauteng; Cost involved with selling

You might have heard that this is the best time to invest, in residential, rental properties, and, that the current property investment opportunities, may not present itself, very soon, again. We investigate a couple of ground to consider, before you rush out, and just buy the first property that you see.

If lockdown has forced you to work from home, and, all your meetings are taking place via Zoom, there really is, no more reason, to live near the office. You can live further away, have a more peaceful existence, and properties on the outskirts, tend to offer more house, for your money. Well, with all of that said, we thought we’ll have a look at what the residential property market in Heidelberg, in Gauteng, has to offer.

We all know there is no such thing as a free lunch. And this is also true when it comes to selling your home. But, many homeowners, are selling, because of financial constraints. We look at what the solution is for these homeowners.

Guest details for episode 2

Episode 3

Sectional title insurance; Africa’s first green neighbourhood; And, Investing in property with little to no money down

Not many homeowners, who own properties in sectional title schemes, know what insurances, their scheme is covered for. As a homeowner, you are automatically a member of the body corporate, and any losses or damages, that the scheme suffers, as a result of not being properly insured, are losses that affects you, the homeowner. We look at how to be sure that your sectional title scheme is properly insured.

Menlyn Maine, a mixed-use development, in Pretoria is South Africa’s first green city, and, is one of 16 cities, globally, participating in the Clinton Climate Positive Development Programme – the only city in Africa to participate in this initiative. We popped in to see what it was all about.

Money should never be the reason why we don’t follow our dreams, because, where there’s a will, there’s a way. And when it comes to property investment, this statement could not be truer. And to proof that, we’re looking at three ways, how you can make loads of money in property, with little, to no money down.

Guest details for episode 3

Episode 4

The Offer to Purchase; How to view a property; Eviction Process

Buying a home should be a pleasurable experience. Instead, for some people, it can turn into a long, and costly dispute, only because they were not clear on what they were signing. And even if it’s not a dispute, not being clear, on the terms and conditions in an offer to purchase can delay the transfer of the property. We shed light on this very important piece of legal documentation.

Very often, when we, as home buyers, go house hunting. We look on the surface, and we fall in love with the seller’s furniture, but there’s more to viewing a property. You want to be 100% sure, of what you are buying. Well, we met up with a home inspector to share some tips on how to view a property when you are out house hunting.

Regardless of whether your tenant defaults on payments, or whether he causes damage to your property, you cannot just evict a tenant without following a legal process, and failing to do so, may cause you, the landlord, more harm than you think. We get insight into the legal eviction process.

Guest details for episode 4

Episode 5

Flipping properties; Luxury retirement; Choosing the right real estate agent to sell our home

There are many ways to grow your wealth in property, and one such way is through flipping properties, for a profit. But, this is a strategy, that requires skill, education, and the right mindset, in order to be successful. We chat to two property investors who shared their insights.

Retirement accommodation does not have to mean scaling down, or compromising on a lifestyle, that you are accustomed to. In fact, you want a better quality of life, where you can feel safe, taken care of, and live in peace and tranquillity. Well, the newly developed, Waterkloof Marina Retirement Estate, in Pretoria, offers just that, and we popped in to see what it is all about.

Just like we get good doctors and bad doctors, and good lawyers and bad lawyers, we also get good real estate agents, and, not so good real estate agents. And, if you want to market, and sell your property, successfully, you want the best person for the job. We get insights on how to choose the right real estate agent to market our homes.

Guest details for episode 5

Episode 6 

Becoming a real estate agent; Waterfall Estate; Buyer’s checklist before signing the OTP

We often receive e-mails from viewers, wanting to know, how they can go about, pursuing a career in real estate. So in this week’s episode, we’ve invited two intern real estate agents, who have recently joined the industry, to help us understand how to get started, and, what the job of a real estate agent, entails.

We visit Waterfall Estate in Midrand to see what your money can buy you in this luxury estate. This estate has been voted, the best, mixed-use estate in Africa, for five consecutive years.

So often we hear stories of people buying their dream homes, and, when the property registers in their name, there are still tenants in, and what’s more, they refuse to vacate the property. This means, the new owner can’t move in, but he has to start paying the bond, because the bank wants its money. Well, we shed some light on what the law says, and, what you can do to prevent, landing, in this sticky situation.

Guest details for episode 6

Episode 7

Quality Offers: Meyersdal Eco Estate; The lease agreement

Very often, a seller, unnecessarily, prolongs the negotiation process, or he ends up losing a good quality offer, because of unrealistic expectations. In this episode we’re going to shed some light on what a quality offer is, and when to know, not to let it slip through your fingers.

Only 10 minutes, south of Johannesburg, you’ll find an environmental paradise, with wide open, unspoiled, nature areas. We’re talking about the Meyersdal Eco Estate. Here, you can live a lifestyle, that enhances the relationship, between man and nature, while preserving, and protecting, endangered fauna and flora species.

It is so easy, for a dispute, to arise, between a landlord, and a tenant, because neither of them are 100% sure, on which side of the rental law they are sitting. We get some insight into key clauses in the lease agreement.

Guest details for episode 7

Episode 8

Buyer’s and Seller’s Market; Melville; Making money from buy-to-let properties

We are currently in a buyer’s market, and some experts predict that we might even be heading for a seller’s market, in the foreseeable future. But what does this mean, and, what do you and I do with this information? The experts share their insights around buyer’s and seller’s markets.

Melville is one of Johannesburg’s oldest suburbs, and here you’ll still find homes with pressed ceilings, and wooden floors, that dates back to the earlier years, of the previous century. Nestled between eclectic shops, and alternative coffee shops, Melville properties, attract the more free-spirited, homeowner. A local real estate agent showcases one of her listings.

We share five ways how one single buy-to-let property can create wealth for you and your family

Guest details for episode 8

Episode 9

FLISP; Due diligence and bond application when buying off plan

If you earn more than R3500 per month, but less than R22 000 per month, and you never owned a property before, or if you know someone with these specifications, you might want to tune in this week, because you could qualify for a Finance Linked Individual Subsidy Programme. Or FLISP for short. That is the name of the housing subsidy that you can get from the department of human settlements. We chat to two FLISP experts on how to apply online and hassle-free, for this subsidy.

Buying a property off-plan most certainly has its benefits. You pay slightly less for the property, and there are no transfer fees involved. But you don’t want to burn your fingers, by not doing proper due diligence, before you make the purchase. We explore the proper due diligence required before buying off plan. We also look into the home loan application process for such an off-plan purchase.

Guest details for episode 9

Episode 10

Checklist before buying in a sectional title scheme; New Braamfontein Lofts; And, Becoming a sourcing agent

In Afrikaans there is a saying that says “huis koop, is nie perde koop nie”. Loosely translated, it means you don’t just buy a home without doing proper due diligence. And, this is especially true when buying a unit in a sectional title scheme. We’ll to help us tick that checklist, before we buy, we’ve invited, attorney and co-author of the book, Demystifying Sectional Title, Marina Constas.

In downtown Johannesburg, a father and daughter architect, slash, developer duo, realized their dream, by converting an old warehouse, a factory, a vehicle repair shop, and an office block, into the trendiest, New York style loft apartments. I’m talking about New Braamfontein Lofts. And off course, we had to pay this development a visit

Many people want to invest in property but are money rich and time poor. In other words, they have the money, but they don’t have the time to go out and look for deals. This is where sourcing agents come in. They source the deals on the investor’s behalf and can earn a great commission in the process. This is also a great way to become a property investor. We look closely at the job of a sourcing agent.

Guest details for episode 10

Episode 11

Risk of over-capitalizing; South Hills Lifestyle Estate; and Equity

Many homeowners renovate their properties with the best kitchen, imported bathrooms, and an entertainment area that would give the Kardashians a run for their money. Now there is nothing wrong with that. But there is a huge risk in over-capitalizing. In other words, spending more than what the property will ever be worth. In this episode we shed some light on these risks and we look at how to rather add value to the property when renovating.

We’ve recently visited South Hills Lifestyle Estate, south of Johannesburg, This is not just any estate. It is aimed at the affordable housing market, but with all the amenities of a luxury estate.

When you purchase a buy-to-let property, you would normally bond that property with the bank, but you’ll have to have some cash for transfer fees, transfer duty, a deposit, and perhaps a sourcing agent’s commission. And the more money you put into a deal, the lower the return on your investment. But there is a way to take all that money out of the deal, shortly after the property has registered in your name. So now you own an investment, where you literally have no money in the deal, that means, the return on that investment, is infinite. We find out exactly how to do this.

Guest details for episode 11

Episode 12

Getting you home ready for the market; Bassonia Estate; Finding Property investment deals

Imagine walking into a car dealership to buy your next car, but all you find are cars with scratches, dents, chipped windows, and missing parts. Chances are you’ll walk right out, without making a purchase, or you’ll negotiate the dealer down to the bare minimum. Now that is exactly what a home buyer will do, when he walks into a home that is in a bad condition. And when that happens, you don’t want to be the seller of that home. We find out how to get a home ready to go to market before we even appoint a real estate agent.

We pay a visit to Bassonia Estate, South of Johannesburg, where we go on a tour of a million rand property listing.

Remember when you were a child, and you were out hunting for Easter Eggs. Initially, you wouldn’t find any. But then you mom would say, “just look, there are lots”. You’ll then find two or three, and your mom would say again, “there is even more”. And now you go back, and you find one more Easter Egg, and next you mom says to you, “I’ve hidden twenty Easter Eggs”. Now something changes in your mind. You now believe there are lots more out there. And what happens? You find all twenty Easter Eggs. So where are we going with this? It is exactly the same as looking for those property investment deals. You must believe that they’re out there, and then you need to know where to look. We chat to a sourcing agent who gives us advice on how to find those property investment deals.

Guest details for episode 12

Episode 13

Structuring investment property portfolios; the 72-hour clause in the OTP

Knowing how to structure your property investment portfolio will help you grow and protect your wealth and leave a legacy for your children. We get insight into whether we should buy our investment properties in our own name, a company, or in a trust.

Imagine accepting an offer from a buyer, subject to the buyer, selling his property first. This could take up to six months, or even more. But thanks to the 72-hour clause in the offer to purchase, the seller may continue marketing the property, even though he has accepted an offer already. We chat to a conveyancing attorney to help us shed some light on the matter.

Guest details for episode 13