Link: http://www.property24.com

You may know in your own mind when you decide to sell your home, but do you know your own market?

“One thing that is absolutely certain in real estate is that nothing stays the same,” says Tjaart van der Walt, CEO of the RealNet estate agency group.

“When one part of the country booms, another could quite well be losing population and real estate demand. And even very popular suburbs can suddenly be perceived as too pricey, causing buyers to focus their attention on more affordable areas that then become revitalised and rejuvenated in their turn.

“So what is up may go down and what is down may go up and no matter what the market conditions were when you bought your property, they are very unlikely to be the same when you sell.”

However, he says, even if your local market is currently depressed, there will be a buyer for your home – provided that it is presented and priced right. “Now everyone knows that your best move in any market is to keep your home in good condition, but getting the asking price just right for current conditions is much more difficult.

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Link: http://www.property24.com

In view of planning for retirement, it is advisable for older people to downscale as soon as possible and not wait until a better price for your current property can be achieved.

Not only is it cheaper to buy and maintain a smaller property, but properties in retirement villages are also not getting cheaper.

“It is true that there has as yet been only a small rise in prices, but the number of houses sold has now risen year-on-year (y/y) by 20%,” said Lanice Steward, MD of the Cape agency Anne Porter Knight Frank (APKF).

“As the latest FNB survey has shown, in the second quarter of 2010 Western Cape house price inflation accelerated to 13,8% y/y – up from 8,7% in the first quarter, with a quarter-on-quarter (q/q) growth rate accelerating marginally from 3,9% in quarter one to 4,2% in quarter two.”

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Link: http://www.property24.com

Although the growth in SA house prices is not stellar, it has exhibited some recovery signs since 2009 and affordability is on a good path again.

But it is still a lot cheaper to buy an existing house than build a new one.

Based on the outlook for nominal house price growth and a projected average consumer price inflation rate of about 5% in 2010, real price growth of between 5% and 5,5% is forecast for this year and 10,5% in nominal terms.

So says Jacques du Toit, property strategist at Absa, who adds that this will occur after house prices dropped by a real 6,9% in 2009 and declined by 6,3% in real terms in 2008.

“House price growth has improved markedly in the first half of 2010, based on the better economic conditions since the second half of 2009, low interest rates, banks’ less tight lending criteria as well as base effects.”

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Link: http://www.property24.com

Residential landlords who want to keep their tenants may have to forego any further rental increases this year as the new Eskom electricity tariffs start to eat into disposable incomes.

That’s the word from RentalsDOTCom, the rental property management division of Harcourts Africa, which notes that the average electricity is price in most areas has now risen from around 33c/kWh to 41,5c/kWh.

“But on the other hand, the tariff hikes are going to make it more difficult for many people to qualify for home loans because the banks take household expenditure into account when evaluating affordability. This means they will have to stay in rental accommodation, which is positive for landlords from the demand perspective,” says CEO Martin Schultheiss.

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Link: http://www.sthelenahospice.co.za

HOSPICE & PALLIATIVE CARE WEEK

Palliative care awareness week 2-9 May 2010.
We had tables with bookmarks and tins at Pick and Pay and at the Weskus Mall on designated times during the week.

The aims of Hospice Week
To share our vision of increasing the availability of hospice and palliative care throughout the world by strengthening the network with our strategic partners to enable us to share the provision of holistic care to patients and families.

To raise awareness and understanding of medical, social, practical, spiritual needs of people living with life threatening illness.
To raise funds to support and develop hospice and palliative care services around the world.

The theme.
“Sharing the care”
This theme highlights the role of partnership to support care for people with life threatening illnesses.

The activities on this week seek to recognize, share and celebrate the achievements of hospice and palliative care programs with their partners throughout the nation. Hospice week will also highlight how good working partnership between family members, carers, service providers, funders, government departments and other stake holders are vital to the provision of quality care.

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