Home Buyers Handbook 2023

home buyer’s handbook

Preparingtomove

Moving house? Youll need this checklist

PLANNINGYOURMOVE

● Contact Pickfords Removals to arrange for a site visit to your home and a pre-move survey. Take this opportunity to discuss any concerns you may have. Will you be moving your car, pets or plants? How will your goods be sent, by air or road? Will you need to put any items into storage?

● Travel light: consider which of your belongings you no longer wish to keep.

● Decide on a move date, book this with Pickfords Removals, and start putting together a plan for your move. Confirm the date closer to the time and alert them if you need to change the date.

● If you have already organised your new home, spend some time thinking about how you would like to arrange your belongings. Where would you like all your furniture to be placed on arrival?

● Finalise your familys accommodation requirements.

● Contact your insurance agent to transfer or discontinue household, medical and motor vehicle policies.

● Notify your utility providers of your move.

● Change your recorded address or discontinue services with the following service providers: magazine, newspaper and gym subscriptions, cellphone, internet and satellite TV providers.

● Gather all important documents such as your drivers licences, birth certificates, leasing or purchase contracts, and all medical, dental and school records. Never pack any important documentation into your cartons.

● Put together a file with all your receipts to keep track of your moving expenses. Some business moving expenses are tax deductible.

● Discuss your insurance in transit needs with Pickfords Removal

● Decide on the personal items youre taking with you

● Advise friends and family of your change of address.

LEADINGUPTOYOURMOVE

● Empty, defrost and clean your fridge and freezer and ensure that they are completely dry before your move.

● Empty petrol from your lawnmower or any other garden appliances

● Return any items on loan such as videos, library books or your friends recipe book.

● Back up data on your personal computer before your move, label and pack in a safe and accessible place.

● Pack a bag with all the items you will need to see you through your first evening in your new home. Ensure that youve packed pyjamas, toiletries and goodies to entertain your children during the move.

MOVINGDAY

● Accompany the supervisor while

Theimportanceof homeinspections

Buying and selling a house is a serious business. Whether a house is newly built or an old one, home inspection is of paramount importance to both. Nowadays, homebuyers vigorously inspect houses.

In fact, there are home buyers who not only examine the house, but they conduct various types of home inspections every month to keep a check on the maintenance. Keeping a check like this can help you save thousands of rands. Maintenanceappreciatesthevalueofthe property Neglected maintenance can really trouble you with expensive headaches. In fact, you can expect a decrease in property value if a house is in a worn-out condition. First impression of the house is strongly related to the price, and this would mean a lot to an interested buyer. Looking after your property will slow down the rate of depreciation of the property.

Economicagematters

Economic age really matters to the buyers. In fact, it is one of the chief factors that help determine devaluation and valuation of the property.

The improvements and upgrades in the house increase the home’s worth. A well-maintained home with a healthy and long economic age will depreciate slowly than a poorly maintained home.

Whatdohomeinspectorslookfor?

General home inspections look for defects. But there are some specific common types of home inspections that you can look over.

Heatingandairconditioning

In this form of inspection, you need to determine whether the heat exchanger is

he is taking an inventory of your possessions.

DELIVERYDAY

● Provide your movers with a floor plan of where you would like them to place your furniture and appliances.

● Use the inventory or packing list to mark off the items and their condition as they are being brought in.

in proper working condition. If you hire an inspector to do this job, they will see how much cost it requires and if it requires replacement or not.

Wooddestroyingpests

Wood destroying pests can be found in warm climates. If your country is warm then you need to see to this. This inspection will help you in disclosing whether there are beetles, termites or dry rot in your home.

Electricalfaults

Electronic faults can be best detected by professional home inspectors. There can be chances that an electrical box can be so old that it does not comply with the city code. If it does not, then the inspector will help by informing the most appropriate and best brands to replace it.

Chimneys

The brick inside the chimney may be crumbling or if the chimney is older, then it may not have flue liners. No matter what, a home inspector can help in inspecting everything, guaranteeing that nothing is missed.

Roofinspection

What if the seller does not pay for the older roof or a roof certification? Then it is obvious that you need to get your own. A home inspector would ensure that the company you buy from must be reputable and credible to do the business later and help you in the case of any claims.

Plumbingissues

There are some pipes which are so clogged that they can hardly fit the lead of the pencil through them. So, if you find any plumbing issues, then you need to get the pipes replaced immediately.

Buying or selling your home is always an emotional experience, whether it’s the excitement of buying your dream home or the sober selling of a family home. Selling or buying a home involves a legal change of ownership, which is a process that involves several steps and includes multiple people. A professional needs to be appointed to deal with issues pertaining to the law. A conveyancing attorney must be appointed and will interact with the buyer, the seller, the agent and the bank, to make the transfer of ownership possible. They ensure that all the terms of the Offer to Purchase are carried out, protecting the interests of all the parties involved. They also play an important role in mediating disputes by giving legal interpretation to the clauses of the Offer to Purchase and managing the transaction towards registration. They fulfill various roles, which include the drafting of all necessary documentation, the continuous communication between the parties involved in the registration process, registration at the deeds office as well as the financial aspects of the transaction. The fulfillment of these roles is necessary to have a secure and sure change of ownership.

DOCUMENTATION

Once the conveyancing attorney has received a deed of sale or an offer to purchase has been signed, they make sure that it meets all legal requirements. Necessary documentation is then requested by the attorney from all parties involved to correctly draft the deed of transfer and supporting documentation. They also have the responsibility to ensure all

documentation is signed correctly by all parties involved, so that transfer in the deeds office can take place in a timely manner after documents have been lodged.

COMMUNICATION

They also keep the buyer and seller fully informed on the progress of the property transaction right up to the day that the property transaction is finalised and the property is registered in the buyer’s name.

REGISTRATION

The attorney ensures that the parties comply with their obligations to assist a swift transfer and is also responsible for lodging the title deeds at the deeds office. They endeavour to get the transfer to go through on the date stated in the deed of sale or as close to it as possible.

FINANCIALTRANSACTIONS

The attorney is responsible for the financial aspects of a property transfer. They need to ensure that the purchase price is paid, whether by way of cash or by bank guarantees, as well as obtain all transfer costs from the purchaser. The attorney deposits all the money collected into an interest-bearing account. A rates clearance certificate is also obtained from the local municipality stating that all rates and taxes are paid to date.

“At PBK Attorneys we pride ourselves with the slogan: ‘Every deal is unique!’ We give personalised yet professional service to every seller and buyer. By professionally managing every property transfer, we ensure this is an emotionally stress-free experience when it comes to the legal aspects of selling or buying a property.”

BUYING or SELLING PROPERTY?

How to go off-grid, and what it entails

Everyone has an opinion or assumption about what going off-grid means. Unfortunately many of these opinions are wrong which can lead to unrealistic expectations. The definition of ‘off grid’ refers to disconnecting from the electrical grid and relying on self-sustaining, renewable energy sources.

Going off-grid can reduce your reliance on fossil fuels and potentially lower your carbon footprint. This requires significant planning and investment to establish a reliable off-grid system for powering your home. Going off-grid can also offer greater independence and self-sufficiency, particularly in remote locations or in a situation such as ours where we are subject to frequent power outages.

A common misconception is that going off-grid is cheaper. While you may save money in the long run, the initial investment and ongoing maintenance costs can be significant

Another misconception about going off grid is that it translates into complete selfsufficiency. Depending on your location, your budget and the size of your system, you may still need to rely on the grid or backup power sources at times. One can either go completely off-grid or semi off-grid.

On a completely off-grid system, the connection from the national power provider is completely disconnected and the account with the energy provider cancelled, saving on monthly connection costs. Semi off-grid systems can keep the national power provider connection in case of very long outages or smaller battery banks, using grid power to power appliances when or if necessary. These inverters can be set to use

solar power as first option, battery to assist or provide power when the solar energy is insufficient or non-existent (such as in the evening) as second option and use utilityEskom or generator as a third option in case of prolonged rain or in the case of smaller battery banks.

Despite the often considerable investment in going completely off-grid, which may take several years to see a return on investment, the installation of your solar system will save you money on your energy bills over time and give you peace of mind in a time where energy provision is inconsistent. Your installation can increase the value of your home

If you’re considering going off-grid, it’s important to evaluate your energy needs, location, and budget to determine the best approach. This may involve a combination of renewable energy sources, energy-efficient appliances, and lifestyle changes to reduce your overall energy consumption. Consulting with a professional company in the renewable energy industry can help you make an informed decision

With over 20 years’ experience, Rentech provides expert advice to assist its customers in achieving long-life performance solutions while optimising energy delivery of products on a daily basis.

Rentech’s products are of the highest quality and certified according to European standardisation specifications. We always prioritise high performance product options that come with specified warranties.

Established within the AutoX battery group, Rentech has a robust track record as one of the leading suppliers of solar batteries and back-up power solutions.

Buying or selling, contact us today

Take the stress out of buying property with Ž ŶĞ

Our experienced conveyancers are here to guide you every step of the

we ensure everything is ŚĂŶĚůĞĚ ŽĨĞ ŝŽŶĂůů ĞĸĐŝĞŶ ů

What role does a conveyancing attorney play in a property transaction?

Buyingorsellingahome?

Get to know the process involved in the transferring of your property

The transfer process is synonymous with building a house. The foundation must be laid and certain parts are built simultaneously in order for the process to be completed as one cannot be done without the other. There are many parties involved in a transfer process and each one has an important role to play.

The following are the steps involved in the transfer of property:

Contractofsale

The nominated transferring attorney, usually appointed by the seller, acknowledges receipt of the instruction to all parties involved, being the seller, purchaser, and estate agent, if one was used.

The transferring attorney peruses the agreement to familiarise themselves with the terms and conditions. The attorney makes a point of mentioning any suspensive conditions that may be listed in the contract sale, for example, the date of when the purchaser shall confirm whether he/she has obtained a bond, should the sale be subject to the purchaser obtaining a bond.

Attorney

Once the purchaser’s bond has been approved by the financial

institution and the attorney is informed of this, the attorney shall request all supporting documents from the seller and the purchaser,

such as FICA documents and any other necessary documents to proceed with the transaction. Furthermore, the attorney

conducts a deeds office search to verify the property details that is being sold/purchased. The attorney shall, as soon as possible, contact the sellers financial institution, who has an existing mortgage bond over the property, to advise that the property is being sold.

Collectionofdocumentsand figures

This step follows from the abovementioned, whereby the transferring attorney continues to gather all required figures, such as rates clearance figures and certificates issued by a municipality, and clearance figures from the body corporate or homeowners association, should the property be a sectional title or in an estate.

Bond cancellation figures are requested from the bond holder, being the existing financial institution.

The title deed is requested from the bond holder. The seller must be informed to start obtaining the electrical compliance and beetle certificates, which are all required to transfer the property.

The attorney must ensure the collection of the deposit, transfer duty, and conveyancers costs from the purchaser and clearance costs from the seller. The collection of documents and figures as well as the collection of costs run concurrently.

The attorney commences drafting the transfer documents, which is the new deed of transfer, power of attorney, and any other supporting documents that may be required to be lodged to pass transfer. The draft transfer documents are forwarded to the attorney that is registering the new bond. The seller and purchaser will sign the transfer documents at the attorneys office.

Payments

Upon receipt of the monies from the purchaser as stated above, the attorney will pay the transfer duty to SARS in order to obtain a transfer duty receipt. The attorney shall pay the municipality and/or the body

corporate or the homeowners association in order to obtain the clearance certificates. It is important to note that transfer will take place should these clearance certificates not be obtained from the appropriate body.

Preparingforlodgement

The conveyancer shall ensure that he/she signs the documents at the top right hand side of the first page of the deed of transfer, confirming that the conveyancer accepts responsibility for the correctness of the facts set out therein.

A final check of all information required, all costs collected, and purchase price is secured and all transfer documents are prepared

If another transaction is involved, such as the new bond, the attorney is informed that you are ready to lodge at the Deeds Office in order for both transactions to be registered simultaneously.

Lodgementandregistration

If all requirements are met, the necessary transfer documents are lodged in the Deeds Office for the examiners to review the documents to ensure all legal requirements have been met to transfer the property. If the examiners are satisfied and the conveyancer is certain that transfer is ready to take place, he/she may register the transfer, meaning the conveyancer will sign the deed of transfer in the presence of the Registrar of Deeds and the Registrar will also sign the deed. This process from lodgement to registration takes seven to fourteen days.

Windingup

Once the transfer is registered, the conveyancer will notify the seller, the purchaser, the agent, and any other relevant parties in writing that the transfer has taken place.

The transferring attorney must now call up guarantees from the financial institutions or from the bond attorney to have the balance of the purchase price paid into the trust account, so that the attorney may proceed to effect payment to the relevant parties, such as the seller and the agent.

CCBSA Water Case Study

CCBSA’s commitment to assist water-distressed communities in Nelson Mandela Bay

“Water is an important capital for the Coca-Cola company,