Buying property privately in South Africa

If you decide to buy property privately without the help of a real estate agent, you need to understand how the process works in the South African real estate market. In this concise, but informative, buyer’s guide, we explain each step of the way to reaching your dream – to put you on the right track and hopefully make you realise that buying real estate privately is neither very different from using an agent, nor as complicated as it may seem.

Step 1: Work out the price bracket you can afford (Affordability Calculator)

This may sound obvious, but you would be surprised how many people actually overstretch their budget when buying a property, only to find it difficult to keep up with mortgage payments or realise that they have no money left over for any necessary property renovations.

Work out carefully the total amount that you can afford based on the cash you have in hand and on a proper mortgage evaluation from a couple of banks or lending institutions. By being pre-approved for a loan through Mortgage Plus Bond Originators, you will know where you stand and minimise the chance of being disappointed by the financial institutions “banks” at a later stage.

Keep in mind that this total sum will have to cover the purchase price, transaction fees and any immediate work you will have to do on the property before you can move in.

Step 2: Find out which areas you are interested in

Do some homework on the areas available. Browse the Internet for information on those areas that catch your interest. The websites of the Town Councils in the region you want are a good place to start. Also, use the Internet to make a quick search for property for sale online, to get an idea of what properties are available in your price bracket and where they are located.

Eventually, you’ll have to make the trip and visit the areas you are interested in for yourself. It’s best to get in your car, a good map and drive around so that you can get a better feel of the areas and their surroundings. On your way, keep a lookout for services such as shops, schools, medical facilities etc. It is also a good idea to visit at different times of the day and on different days to get a better idea of traffic conditions, weather and so on.

Step 3: Search for properties in your areas of interest

The best – and most convenient – place to start searching for your property is the Internet of course. If you don’t find what you are looking for online, you could check the classified adverts in local newspapers and magazines or even drive around the area looking out for ‘For Sale’ signs. Moreover, if you still cannot seem to find the right property for you on the private market, or if you would like to search concurrently among real estate agents in South Africa we recommend you look at our list of trusted real estate partners.

Step 4: Schedule viewing appointments with the property owners

Once you have identified one or more interesting properties, call the owners and get as much information about the property as possible over the phone. Choose the ones you want to visit and arrange a time with the owners for a viewing. Before your property inspection visit, you should come up with a checklist of points to look out for. This property inspection checklist we have prepared is a good place to start.

When you visit a property in the presence of its owner, it is common to feel like you are intruding into someone else’s life, especially if the property is being lived in. However, remember that as a buyer it is your job to inspect the property thoroughly and that the owner actually expects you to do this. Naturally, politeness and common courtesy will go a long way in this situation.

Most importantly, do not shy away from asking the owner any questions you may have.

Be sure to find out:

• the age of the property
• how long the seller has owned it
• why the house is being put up for sale
• how much community fees are (if applicable)
• the statutes and laws of the home owner’s community (if applicable)
• the location of and distance to nearby services
• evidence of planning permission for any alterations/extensions, etc.
• which furniture or fittings will be sold with the house (though remember you are buying a house, so don’t be swayed by fancy extras)

Step 5: Get an independent evaluation of the property (optional)

Although this is really an optional step, it is highly recommended that once you are very interested in a property, you have it inspected by a qualified real estate surveyor. The surveyor will be able to give you an objective appraisal of the property, tell you if the property is overpriced, and even point out any important things you might have missed.

If you are going to ask for a mortgage, you might want to coordinate with the bank on the property inspection since they will send their own surveyor anyway (whose fees you will have to pay) prior to considering your mortgage (home loan) application.

Step 6: Negotiate the price and terms of the sale

There is no reason to shy away from negotiating when you buy property. In fact, it is usually an integral part of the process.

How much you can negotiate price-wise will largely depend on three things:

• how long the property has been on the market
• how urgently the seller wants to sell
• and how much interest the property is attracting from prospective buyers

On the other hand, as a buyer, you must stick to your budget and discard a property if the seller is unwilling to drop the price to something that you can realistically afford.

Keep in mind that by selling privately, the seller is saving thousands of Rands in real estate agent fees, so, in a private sale, there is that much more leeway for negotiating a price below the actual market value of the property. The seller may also be more willing to drop the price a bit if they have demanding sales terms that you can accommodate (for example either a very short or more drawn out transaction period).

Once you have agreed upon a price and upon a date when the sale will take place, you will sign an Offer to Purchase / Sale Agreement laying out all the terms of the Offer to Purchase you can start arranging your new home loan or mortgage finance with Mortgage Plus Bond Originators.

If you would like to speak to a Professional Mortgage Specialist about your lending requirements, please phone Mortgage Plus Bond Originators on:

Complete this short form online

011.327.4489 / 0861 1111 93

morne@mortgagepluscc.co.za

www.mortgagepluscc.co.za

Home Loan Application Form

When looking for a home loan, we have found 3 things matter to home buyers above all – getting a bond approved, getting the best rate and getting great service… and that’s what we focus on.

We have a relationship with all the major banks in South Africa, meaning that we will not only advise you on what loans are available and best suit your needs, but we’ll also be able to shop around to try and get the best deal possible…all with the minimum effort from you and best of all our service is 100% free.

We’re here to help you through the whole process, from pre-qualification to final registration of the bond.

What Our Customers Say:

Mortgage Plus “Morne Prinsloo”  has proven himself as an incredibly competent and a knowledgeable bond originator. He performed above and beyond expectations in what was a complicated mortgage application, and made the process straight forward and as comfortable as possible. My family and I owe a great deal to Morne’s professionalism and patience.

Again

THANK YOU.

Jason Hiddlestone

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Hi Morne. Thank you for your assistance with our home loan application and your swift response to our needs. Your services were greatly appreciated and we would highly recommend you to future clients. We look forward to working with you in the future regarding all our finance needs.

Regards,

Peter Simon

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I was very fortunate in being introduced to Morne Prinsloo, as he provided me with sound and professional home loan advice. He was always readily available to contact and capable of answering ALL the questions I threw at him (and there were many!!!). Thanks again for your help

Anne-Marie Andrews

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We have recently had dealings with Morne through Mortgage Plus Bond Originators in arranging a building finance for our new house in Krugersdorp. We would have no hesitation in recommending Morne to anyone requiring the services of a mortgage originator. Morne’s knowledge was good and all queries were promptly answered. Once finance was organized, there were follow-up calls to make sure everything was progressing smoothly. Even after making our third progress payment to the builder, Morne still rang to see if everything was going smoothly.

Sandra Douglass

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Hello Morne,

Thank you very much for all your help in getting the loan, in fact two loans. You selected the right package and you made us feel as if we are your only customers. We appreciate your following up on every aspect of document collection and completion of all necessary documentation in order to get loan approval without delays. Thank you for keeping us informed every step of the way and explaining the many issues that we avoided thanks to your expertise and commitment to succeed the first time.

Thank you again and kindest regards,

Tresia Du Plessis

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Being first home buyers, the process of finding the right home loan and bank was a very daunting prospect. We were recommended the services of Mr Morne Prinsloo from Mortgage Plus. Morne made himself available at times that suited us and explained our options in an easy to understand fashion. From our initial meeting all the way through the application and registration process, and even once we had moved into our home, Morne was always happy to help. He was available to answer any questions we had and ensured we were comfortable with every aspect of our new home loan. It is no exaggeration to say that without Morne we could not have done this ourselves. We would highly recommend utilizing his services to take the stress and pressure out of finding and applying for a home loan.

Thank you Morne!

Amelia Williams

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Dear Morne,

I am normally a very busy person and do not have much time to search through various finance organizations to find out which one could offer me best finance options. With your help, I was able to do just that within the comfort of my home. We accessed many different options easily by utilizing your website ( www.mortgagepluscc.co.za ) and comparing them to decide which one would suit me best.

But my appreciation did not stop there. After locating the right Home Loan for me, you followed up all the steps leading up to the registration, reminding me some steps that I forgot to follow. You also had a discussion with my financing organization and convinced them to waive the early payment fee of my existing loan (which saved me R7800).

It was your professionalism, attention to detail, and very friendly manners that helped the whole process turn into an easy and manageable experience for us.

I would not hesitate to recommend your services to anyone who is in the process of buying a property and trying to arrange suitable finance. Thanks again for your excellent support and the time you dedicated to us.

Ms. Johanna Setlhogole

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The purchase of our first home was made possible thanks to Mortgage Plus “Morne” and his hard work. Purchasing your first home can be quite daunting, however Morne explained the whole process thoroughly (and many times) to ensure we were well educated and equipped to handle all that came with this process. He was always available to help with any enquiries and promptly addressed any issues that arose. Everything was completed in a timely manner and with great diligence. We are now living the great South African dream thanks to all his hard work!!!

Craig and Pauline

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Morne was very prompt in getting back to me after my initial website inquiry about a reverse mortgage. I was acting on behalf of my aged father in trying to secure a bond. I found Morne to be very knowledgeable in the subject of reverse mortgages, and prompt in his follow up of my subsequent enquiries once I decided to apply. Morne made sure I understood all the detail of the loan and advised all the documentation and processes required to ensure prompt loan approval from First National Bank.

Regards,

Kevin Koen

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Hello Mr Prinsloo. I have just returned from the bank, and everything is now organised and under control.

Thank you so much for being so available, and so willing to give wise advice.

I could not have gone through this experience without you.

My funds will be available for access by Thursday, and the credit card will be the first victim!!!

Kind regards

Adrienne Smalberger

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I found you via Remax Real estate when I was looking for a house to call my own.

You have been very courteous, helpful & prompt in your service all along, thanks heaps.

I will definitely recommend you to anyone I know who requires help with their loan application.

Wishing that you are happy, healthy, & prosperous always.

Dr Dorfling

Please contact us if you require any further information or would like to apply for finance:

Complete this short form online

011.327.4489 / 0861 1111 93

morne@mortgagepluscc.co.za

www.mortgagepluscc.co.za