It is that time of the year again when new leases are signed, and whether you are a property manager, homeowner or landlord, there are some common tips to help manage your property during 2010.

Michelle Dickens, managing director of TPN, a registered credit bureau, shares her top tips when it comes to property management.

1. Plan your year. By knowing your budget and setting up short-, medium- and long-term goals for the year. By breaking your action plan down into achievable monthly targets you will be able to ensure that your business reaches its full potential.

2. Look after your property. Quality properties attract quality tenants. All properties deteriorate over time. A smart investor understands the advantages of spending to maintain the property and remember the money spent is set off against the tax expense.

Read the full article with all 9 tips at:

http://www.property24.com/

Economic growth is picking up, interest rates are low and home prices are still reasonable, so many people have decided this is the best time for them to get into the property market by buying their first home.

However, says Berry Everitt, CEO of the Chas Everitt International property group, after they select an area they would like to live in and start looking at individual properties, first-time buyers often find themselves “freezing up” at the prospect of the huge commitment they are about to make.

What if they pick a property that turns out to need expensive repairs? What if the new neighbours turn out to be ghastly? What if something better comes up just after they’ve signed a sale agreement?

Read the full article at:

http://www.property24.com/

People all over the world are showing an increasing interest in SA property, as evidenced by a huge rise recently in the amount of international traffic to local property websites.

For example, international traffic has comprised 60% of the visits to www.realnet.co.za, the website of the national RealNet estate agency group, over the past six months, with enquiries coming from 1663 cities, mostly in the UK, Europe and the Middle East, but also in Africa, Australia, the Far East and the US.

“And this is not just because of the additional publicity the country is getting as the host of the Soccer World Cup, although that does play a role,” says RealNet marketing support manager Piet Olivier.

Read the full article at:

http://www.realestateweb.co.za/

For many home buyers, the intricacies of making an Offer to Purchase remain a mystery.

“Essentially, it is an agreement that contains the terms and conditions for the purchase and sale of a property. Both parties need to come to an agreement about all sorts of issues before the document is signed. Everything that is agreed upon must be listed in the Offer to Purchase document,” says Adrian Goslett, CEO of RE/MAX Southern Africa.

“The Offer to Purchase needs to contain all the terms on which the parties agreed, such as date of occupation, occupational rent, fixtures and fittings and the conditions of sale.”

Read the full article at:

http://www.property24.com/

Overpricing has been one of the biggest banes plaguing the property market over the last few months and virtually all experts have cautioned sellers against it.

Here we will attempt to highlight the importance of correct pricing, the reasons for and expected consequences of overpricing, the steps for setting the price and the role of the agent in the pricing process.

1. Why is pricing important?

This is probably the most important factor in a successful sale. Pricing your home correctly is essential in achieving the highest selling price in the shortest period of time. Your property has to be priced at a level that is competitive with other similar properties on the market, creating an impression of good value.

Correct pricing increases advertising response, stimulates buyer interest, compensates for property shortfalls and provides the seller with a negotiating advantage. By overpricing your property, you will attract buyers in a higher price range with higher expectations, leaving you with no realistic chance of selling your property.

Read the full article at:

http://www.property24.com/

Renting out assets to World Cup tourists will probably affect the owner’s insurance, BJM Insurance Brokers said on Tuesday.

“Failure to disclose a material change to your insurer could invalidate your cover, while proper disclosure may lead to increased premiums,” BJM said in a statement.

Insurance cover most likely to be affected included household contents, buildings, vehicles and public liability.

“Insurance protects you under a certain set of circumstances.

“When circumstances change so should your insurance,” BJM said.

Letting and hiring out insured assets constituted a material change in circumstances.

Cover for house contents insured the owner and family members not tenants and their belongings.

Read the full article at:

http://www.realestateweb.co.za/

Find the artists – they spot bargains just before prices move up.

Let the ‘trendies’ show you the way, says Chas Everitt International CEO Berry Everitt.

With interest rates low and economic prospects looking better, the number of first-time buyers is rising again. But most are still looking for “bargains” and in this respect they might want to take a tip from best-selling author and motivational speaker Harvey Mackay (Swim with the sharks without being eaten alive).

Read the full article at:

http://www.realestateweb.co.za

South Africa is the best performing housing market in the world over the longer term, latest figures from British news magazine The Economist reveal.

The magazine’s global house price index shows that SA house prices rose by a cumulative 418% over the past 12 years (1997 to 2009). Read the rest of this entry »

Large houses have shown the greatest resilience in the face of South Africa’s first recession in over a decade, according to data released on Monday.

According to Absa’s House Price Index the average large house (221m2 to 400m2) lost 3.7% of its price in December 2009, compared to the same period in 2008. Small- and medium-sized homes lost 6.6% and 6.9% of their value respectively, compared with December 2008. Read the rest of this entry »

The home buying process and especially your home loan, is a long-term commitment and not something you do every day. You need to be correctly informed before making any decisions.

It is always a good thing if you can put some money towards a deposit for your new home, but Standard Bank have some options available for those of you who don’t have the deposit available. The deposit is usually 20% of the cost of your home. Read the rest of this entry »