Property Investments

Investing in property is often one of the best investments you can make. This is especially true for young professionals who haven’t invested yet. There are a couple of things you need to keep in mind when you decide to invest in property. Firstly, pay attention to the property markets. People who bought houses around 2005/2006 may have lost a significant amount of value due to the markets going through the terrible recession we currently find ourselves in. On the flip side, the markets will most definitely recover and if you buy now, or at least in the near future, you are almost guaranteed to get a decent return on your investment.

You also need to pay attention to the terms of sale. Many people will warn you against sectional title purchases due to the fact that you need to pay all sorts of levies while you own the property and due to the rules and regulations that go together with ownership. You also need to do a little research into the area that you are purchasing in. Not only the socio-economic situation of the area, but also geological implications. There are many unscrupulous developers that will build on earth that may not be perfectly suited for housing. Sinkholes and cracked walls may very well be the result! Finally, from personal experience, I can give this very valuable nugget of advice. Wherever possible, try and buy a property off plans. The developers would want to get the properties sold as soon as possible to keep their funding and as such, these properties are often very well priced. In addition, the developers will be responsible for any problems that may exist with the building, such as plumbing and masonry issues for a period of time.

Below is a list of estate agents that operate in South Africa that will be able to advise you on property investments:

Seeff Properties
Pam Golding Properties
Aida
Genesis Properties
LeapFrog
Acutts Properties

You can also view property listings online at many different websites such as property24.com and privateproperty.co.za.