Community involvement

Community involvement benefits society as a whole. That is why Engel & Völkers Potchefstroom has assisted the Potchefstroom Service Centre for the Aged for the past 13 years. Through the annual Engel & Völkers auction fundraiser, they have raised over R1.2 million for the Service Centre. The next auction will take place on 29 July 2022.

Advice when buying your first home

Engel & Völkers Potchefstroom does continuous market research to stay on top of trends, and the Engel & Völkers Advice Line for Property can therefore give buyers sound advice regarding suburbs, capital growth and financing.

The pressing questions

Some of the first questions that first-time home buyers ask involve costs.

The second round of questions is usually centered on timelines. When can I move in? When do I have to give notice on my rental contract?

Every process in the line takes time and can either delay or speed up the process. Here Engel & Völkers also offers a time saving solution that can save the buyer valuable time during the search phase.

The Engel & Völkers Click & Buy solution offers the client the opportunity to house hunt within an hour. With a fresh bean-to-cup coffee – all within the comfort of the Engel & Völkers boardroom. This offers the buyer the opportunity to view all properties in Potchefstroom within their price range that are currently available.

The time saving is significant – bearing in mind how long it would’ve taken to drive around doing physical property viewings.

 Budgeting for your home

On second hand homes, additional to the purchase price, transfer fees are also payable. If you take the example of a R1.5 million second hand home, Meyer van der Walt Attorneys estimates the transfer fees, transfer duties and bond costs will be an additional R80 000 – R85 000 approximately. This depends on various factors, but Meyer van der Walt provides excellent guidance to buyers during this process.

If you buy a home in a new development, the transfer fees are already included in the purchase price. Engel & Völkers Project Division have managed 70 successful projects and currently have 10 new developments that buyers can choose from.

Is cash really king?

Another frequently raised question: “Will I pay less if I buy the property in cash?” From the market research that the Engel & Völkers team does, they can see that the current norm is to offer 5 – 10% under the asking price for second hand homes. That’s when the negotiation phase starts. Cash buyers can also save on the bond costs.

Time lines

According to Meyer van der Walt’s research, property registration currently takes approximately 2 months. That does not necessarily mean that you have to wait 2-3 months before moving into your new home.

If the option is available – you can pay occupational rent and move into your new home prior to registration.

By making use of Engel & Völkers you get a 1-stop. By viewing all the (currently available) stock in Potchefstroom through the Engel & Völkers Click & Buy – you save approx 2 weeks at the start of the buying process.

 Get advice

For property advice on buying your first property (or on your entire property portfolio) – contact the Engel & Völkers Property Advice line on 0832910434.

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Mid-Morning Magic's Yolanda Maartens spoke to Helandi Moolman, Engel & Völkers marketing manager, about this topic. Listen here: