Downgrade puts pressure on listed property

[Thabang Mokopanele] The downgrading of South Africa's sovereign credit rating by Moody's last month and an escalation in labour unrest sent bond yields higher‚ placing pressure on unit prices in the listed property sector. Read more >>

RMB Westport says West is best

RMB Westport recently raised US$250-million for its Real Estate Development Fund aimed at developing real estate assets in west Africa. Read more >>

How to ensure that you avoid common property ownership pitfalls

[JP Farinha] So you've scraped together enough money for a deposit, carefully worked out your monthly repayments and found a dream property in which you intend to invest. But before signing on the dotted line, it's vital to make sure that you've done your homework thoroughly, as there is far more to consider before taking the plunge into property ownership. Read more >>

Tyson Properties opens franchise in Pietermaritzburg

Tyson Properties has recently opened its 20th franchise with the appointment of Myandrhra Chetty as the principal of Tyson Pietermaritzburg. It is Tyson Properties' sixth office outside the eThekwini municipal boundary. Tyson Pietermaritzburg has ten professionals with combined experience of more than 20 years - all well positioned to optimise the cautious recovery within the property sector. Read more >>

Interest in Vaal Dam properties is growing - Pam Golding

Economic factors such as rising fuel costs coupled with a general need for convenient access is seeing Vaal Dam leisure properties receiving renewed interest from leisure home buyers, says Phil Medlock, area principal for Pam Golding Properties. Read more >>

Summer is a good time to sell residential property - Rawson

The widely held view that spring and summer are the best times to sell a home is true, says Tony Clarke, managing director of the Rawson Property Group, and most estate agents do experience an upturn in sales from October onwards. Read more >>

Lightstone survey shows house prices are rising

It is encouraging that South African homes are now rising steadily in value on average by some 6.5% per annum - according to the latest Lightstone survey - says Tony Clarke, managing director of the Rawson Property Group. Read more >>

Should you buy a property that's been on the market for a year?

[Richard Gray] At the height of South Africa's property boom, houses were selling within weeks, if not days, of being listed and it was only the most problematical properties that remained unsold month after month. Read more >>

The decline in the number of bonds is drastic, but their size continues to rise

[Tony Clarke] The August 2012 residential market overview, compiled by the highly respected analysts Lightstone, reveals clearly that the four major banks in South Africa, as well as Investec and SA Homeloans, have by-and-large come to terms with and solved the unpaid mortgage loan crisis that hit them in 2008/2009. Read more >>

Over 900 applications for Aid is Working. Tell the World challenge

The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, who together launched the Aid is Working. Tell the World challenge in February 2012, received over 900 applications from 85 countries. The global communications challenge invited entrants to find innovative new ways to tell the story of overseas aid. Read more >>