BUYING

In terms of buying property, before deciding which house to purchase, consider your lifestyle, your current and anticipated housing needs, and your budget. It’s a good idea to create a prioritised list of features you want in your next home – you'll soon discover that finding the right house involves striking a balance between your "must-haves" and your "nice-to-haves."
 
To start, consider your lifestyle. If you love to cook, you'll want a well-equipped kitchen. If you're into gardening, you'll want a garden. If you're planning your office at home, you may want a room for a separate library or work space. If you have several cars, you may require a larger garage. Use this list as your search guide. Next, think about what you might need in the future. As you consider your housing needs, it's important to consider how long you may live in your home.
 
If you're newly married, you might not be concerned with a school district right now, but you could be in a few years. When buying property in South Africa, there may be several other points to consider as well. If you have aging parents, you may want to look at homes that offer living arrangements for them as well as you. When purchasing property, it’s important to think about your new home’s location, just as carefully as you do about a house’s features. Location is a huge part of any move.
 
In addition to considering the distance to work, you need to evaluate the availability of shopping, police and fire protection, medical facilities, school and day-care, traffic and parking, rubbish collection and even recreational facilities. Perhaps the most important decision is determining the type of home you want. Do you want a full title or sectional title? A townhouse or a detached single-family home? Do you want brick, stone, granite, wood, tiled or something else? Do you prefer a new home or an older one? Through all of this, make sure to talk to your real estate professional about where you want to live.
 
While more buyers now use the internet to gain access to listings or available properties for sale, it is still a good idea to use an agent. The agent brings value and protection to the process of purchasing property: he or she is available to analyse data, answer questions, share their professional expertise and handle all the paperwork and legwork that is involved in the real estate transaction. Century 21 professionals have the expertise to help their clients narrow down their choices by sharing market trends and local information.
 
This ensures that, although buying property will most likely be your most serious financial obligation, it will also be your most rewarding.