Once you have decided to take the plunge and swap renting for home ownership, your first stop in finding a home should be a reputable property portal like Private Property.
Property portals’ sophisticated search parameters enable you to find locations you are interested in as well as price ranges and types of property – for example, townhouses, houses, apartments and farms. You can also narrow your search down to details such as the number of bedrooms, bathrooms, garages, parking, security features and properties that are pet friendly.
Most portals enable you to sign up for alerts that will notify you when new properties in your desired area and price range are added. This means you won’t miss out on new listings.
Keep in mind that online scams are very common, so it's important to look for well-regulated sites where the chance of scams occurring is minimised. On any site, though, it’s important to keep your wits about you and look out for telltale signs of dishonest advertisers. Bad grammar and misspelt words are a dead giveaway. Also, you should avoid any advert that requires you to pay upfront for viewings or lists of properties for sale.
If anything in an advert sounds suspicious or too good to be true, rather click on the next one.
Steps
Before you start looking for a property, you should be very sure of your budget. Knowing how much you can afford will make browsing properties far easier. Private Property’s affordability calculator will help you determine your bond amount, and the bond calculator will enable you to determine how much your monthly repayments will be on the bond you qualify for.
The Private Property site also has a Neighbourhoods section with information on various neighbourhoods in South Africa so that you can learn more about the areas you are interested in. Find out about sport and recreation amenities, shopping centres, schools, medical facilities and a host of other details that will help you decide whether an area is right for you.
The next step is to make a list of your requirements to narrow down your search. For example:
- How many bedrooms and bathrooms do you need?
- Do you want a garden and a garage?
- How about a swimming pool?
Note which items are essential and which are nice to have. For example, a property that looks perfect may be too far from shops and schools to meet your needs.
Once you have a good idea of what is on offer, it’s time to narrow down your options and make a list of five or so possible properties that you want to view in person.
Additional costs
Although viewing properties online isn’t the same as seeing them in person, you should still be able to judge the condition of a property from the photos. Examine fixtures like cupboards, sanitaryware, carpets and tiles to see whether they need to be replaced.
If you are buying an older property, you may have to renovate it before moving in. Consider carefully whether you can afford this, and factor the cost into your offer.
Remember that swimming pools and gardens require maintenance which means additional work - and money.
Agents
Once you have a list of properties to view, you need to verify that the estate agents marketing them are operating legally. Look for the estate agent or agency’s name on the Property Practitioners Regulatory Authority website to see if they are registered and have current fidelity fund certificates (FFCs). Property practitioners may not legally operate without FFCs. If they do, they are not entitled to earn a commission - and may be prosecuted.
Viewing
Although some properties have been sold online without buyers seeing them in person, it is always best to view the property yourself before making an offer. Online photos and virtual tours are an excellent way to get an idea of what a property is like, but it is all too easy to be misled by beautiful on-screen images.
Make sure you consider the practical aspects of the property you are viewing in addition to aesthetics.
Using the tips listed above will improve your online property search experience and results.
Writer: Sarah-Jane Meyer
