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If you are looking to sell your property in the New Year, December is the perfect time to start preparing, says Debbie Justus-Ferns, manager of Renprop Residential Resales. “There are so many things that homeowners who are looking to sell their property need to take into account and plan for, which is why being prepared is essential,” she says. Justus-Ferns provides would-be sellers with five key areas to think about and plan for in the months ahead: 1. See the big picture Sellers need to forget that they are sellers and view their home from a buyer’s perspective. “This requires a critical eye,” says Justus-Ferns, who notes that sellers must look at what strong features their home has and determine which ones they would like to accentuate to create a good impression. “Sellers must feel like they would want to buy their own home back,” she says. 2. Knowledge is key Due diligence is always advised when buying or selling a home and potential sellers should research the estate agents who work in their area before making contact for a valuation or signing a mandate, says Justus-Ferns. Sellers need to be confident that the estate agent they appoint is professional and will be able to achieve the best possible price the market will pay for their home in the least amount of time. “Estate agents who cut their commission are not professional,” she says. “If they cannot negotiate their commission, how can they negotiate the best possible price for your home?” she asks. It is the seller who appoints the transferring attorney and should therefore also research which conveyancing attorneys they think would be the best candidates to work on the transfer of their property. 3. Master your money matters It cannot be emphasised enough that sellers must consider a market-related price. “Pricing a property should not be an emotional decision, but a purely financial one. Sellers undoubtedly have an emotional attachment to their home, which is why it is often . . .

While it may never have been your intention to become a landlord and rent out your home, there are certain situations where the need may arise, especially if the goal is to hold on to the property and not sell it, says Adrian Goslett, CEO of RE/MAX of Southern Africa. He notes that these situations could include relocating for work or dealing with some financial issues that may have come to light. “Whatever the reason, renting out your home has both its advantages and disadvantages, but depending on the circumstances it could work to your overall benefit,” says Goslett. Advantages of renting out your home: 1. A double house payment will be eliminated The money received as rental income can be used to pay the bond repayment and other expenses related to the home. This is provided of course that the rental income is enough to cover these costs, but even if it doesn’t, the rental income will provide some financial relief to a homeowner who needs to pay for a bond and possibly a rental on another property as well. 2. Sometimes it’s better to have someone in the property If no-one is staying in the property, the house could become a target for thieves, vandals or squatters. This is more likely if the owner has relocated to another city or province and is unable to keep an eye on the property on a regular basis. If the property is occupied by a tenant, the risk of anything like this happening is largely mitigated. The right tenant could also assist with maintaining the property. 3. The tenant could be the future buyer of the property In the case where the owner wants to sell their property, there is always the possibility that the tenant may decide to purchase it. The tenant may have been renting while they were saving for a deposit or to cover other costs associated with a property transaction, and could be the ideal buyer. The rental deposit could also be used as part of the purchase deposit. Disadvantages of renting your property: While there are . . .

Investing in a residency or citizenship programme is a big decision that also requires a substantial financial investment. “Investors into these programmes need to fully understand what they are buying into and what is required of them before making any kind of commitment,” says James Bowling, CEO of Monarch&Co, a company that facilitates global investment and citizenship programmes around the world. Bowling admits that there are so many elements to take into consideration when looking at a residency or citizenship programme it can be quite overwhelming. Here, he addresses the top five frequently asked questions regarding residency and citizenship by investment programmes: FAQ 1: What are the main advantages of a residency or citizenship? Residency or citizenship allows an immigrant to live, work and study in the country into which they invest. Residents and citizens will also have access to some of the country’s health and education facilities. One of the greatest advantages of investing into a residency or citizenship programme is that applicants don't have to emigrate to enjoy the lifestyle and financial benefits such as the travel benefits offered by some of the destinations. Bowling also points out that by gaining a second residence or citizenship, investors are also able to enjoy huge tax breaks. “The extent of these benefits would depend on the new jurisdiction’s offering and incentives as well as where the client makes their primary tax residence. The purposes of this planning could be either personal or corporate or both,” he says. Some investors are also attracted to residency and citizenship programmes for the opportunity to improve their lifestyles through better access to basic services such as health and education as well as more select criteria such as sporting facilities, natural environment etc. FAQ 2: What is the difference between residency and citizenship? Permanent residency means that the investor is allowed to reside for . . .

Infiniti Insurance is pleased to welcome Clive Sparks to their now growing team of experts. Clive heads up the new Infiniti Guarantees division to provide construction guarantees, a new venture for Infiniti Insurance. Clive comes with a wealth of experience and knowledge. He worked in the banking industry for 19 years before diversifying into Insurance in 2002. His progress in this sector saw him successfully launch and head up the Guarantee divisions of two major Insurance companies. His approach of fair treatment and high principles, coupled with innovative, yet conservative underwriting and tailor made products has been, and will continue to be, a winning combination for successfully meeting his high caliber clients’ needs. The introduction of the Infiniti Guarantees division complements Infiniti Insurance’s growing and diverse product offering, not least of which is the recently launched General, Environmental and Specialist Liability division of RisQ. For more information please contact Laura Hallam Infiniti Insurance 0845755127 or www.infinitiafrica.com Author: Laura Hallam from Infiniti Insurance. More Info link: Twitter: https://twitter.com/Infinitiafrica Facebook: https://facebook.com/Infinitiafrica Images: For high res version/s of One image/s please contact: Infiniti Insurance. Clive Sparks joins Infiniti Insurance CLICK HERE to submit your press release to MyPR.co.za. . . .