Over the past few years, women have made remarkable strides in various industries, including property investment. While traditionally underrepresented in this space, women are increasingly recognizing property investment as a powerful means to achieve financial independence and long-term wealth. Data from Lightstone reveals that women-only homeowners now account for 38% of the South African property...
Property is a good investment option as it offers both the potential for long-term growth and the security of owning a tangible assetHowever, it can also be a costly mistake that is not easily rectified.According to Yael Geffen, chief executive, Lew Geffen Sotheby’s International Realty, real estate can provide stability and financial benefits that other investments like stocks or bonds may lack.Geffen...
EARLIER this month, Gauteng High Court, Johannesburg, Acting Judge WJ du Plessis made a painful decision over the customary law definition of marriage and how this affected where someone, who died without a will, would be buried. Dying intestate generally leaves a mess behind for loved ones, who then must sort out what happens with your estate. In this case, it was even more tragic. Without...
One could argue that the law and the administration of ‘life’ lag far behind the evolution of humankind, resulting in a society governed by outdated laws and rules. A client of mine was recently left in a predicament after losing his partner of 22 years. The red tape and legal complexities surrounding the administration of a deceased estate, especially for an unmarried partner as opposed to a legal...
House flipping, the practice of buying, renovating, and selling a property for a profit, has become a popular investment strategy, offering the potential for substantial returns, however, it also comes with its own set of challenges and risks and might not be for everyone. Claude McKirby, Co-Principal of Lew Geffen Sotheby’s International Realty in Cape Town’s Southern Suburbs says that there are a...
There was muted growth in the housing market in the second quarter as owners awaited the outcome of the national election, but listing prices as measured by one large estate agency were up 7%, indicating improved confidence in the market. RE/MAX of Southern Africa CEO and regional director Adrian Goslett said it was no surprise that the housing market would remain subdued until there was greater...
From declines in home and vehicle ownership to global inflation and government spending, many of the trends of modern life reveal a new world that is emerging – one in which Western citizens by choice or by circumstance, increasingly do not own possessions or accumulate wealth. It’s the perfect economic environment for the rich and powerful to solidify their positions and prevent anyone else from...
August 2024 The second quarter of 2024 was filled with anticipation as South Africans cast their votes on 29 May and celebrated the outcome of the Government of National Unity announced on 19 June. “With so much going on this quarter, it can be expected that growth within the local housing market would remain subdued until there was greater clarity on the way forward,” says Adrian Goslett, Regional...
The latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) figures released by Stats SA show a positive turn for South Africa's economy, with inflation slowing to 4.6% in July, down from the anticipated 4.9%. Core inflation also decreased to 4.3%, defying expectations that it would hold steady at 4.5%. This unexpected decline brings renewed hope for a more stable economic environment, particularly as it relates to the housing...
Property buyers are flocking to Cape Town’s Atlantic Seaboard and City Bowl area, and they are coming from all over. Six of the highest sales in Cape Town concluded this year were to buyers from Gauteng who paid between R26 million and R66 million for houses on the exclusive Atlantic Seaboard, says Ross Levin, licensee for Seeff Atlantic Seaboard and City Bowl. Buyers from KZN paid between R28 million...