Preparing your property for market

As the winter recedes, along with the dark mornings and evenings, the cold and damp weather and the need to hunker down and do nothing, we often want to declutter, spring clean and re-organise. Not surprisingly, this is an excellent moment to consider putting your property on the market to sell, if that is something you have been considering.

General:

• carry out a thorough spring clean (see additional advice in this newsletter)
• complete necessary repairs, such as fixing dripping taps; replace defunct globes in lights
• tidy the outdoor areas - sweep paths and driveways, balconies and terraces. Weed the garden, rake up leaves. Plant some flowers, and even repaint the front door and replace tired-looking house numbers
• before your house is photographed, make sure all beds are made, dirty dishes washed and stored, laundry folded and stored, general clutter tidied up/removed, straighten pictures hanging on the walls. This should also be the case for any scheduled viewings
• think about reducing the number of ‘personal’ items on view, e.g. family photos and so on,  so that potential buyers can imagine themselves in the space
• think about having some gentle lighting on for viewings, and about which curtains and blinds are open, half-open, closed

Compliance:

• in terms of the South African Property Practitioners Act, the owner of a property must disclose to their agent and any potential purchaser, (or tenant), everything in or o the property that is defective, not approved or causing issues. To that end the property needs to be professionally inspected to determine the status. These 'latent and patent defects' as they are known, need to be listed on a mandatory disclosure form, to be signed by all parties. Seller and purchaser can then agree which items on the form should be rectified.

Any sale agreement may provide for UP TO five different compliance certificates to be obtained by the seller. Whichever certificates are agreed must be provided by the seller prior to the transfer being registered.

The five are...

• Electrical

This MANDATORY certificate states that the electrical installation on the property complies with the required safety standards. Reparations may need to be carried out in order to guarantee this. Certificate is valid for two years.

• Beetle

This certifies that the accessible wood of any permanent structures on the property does not contain any wood destroying beetles. It is not governed by law but has become standard practice. If parties both agree that no certificate is necessary but it is required for purchaser's bond, it is for the purchaser's expense. Usually valid for 3 to 6 months.

• Gas

This MANDATORY inspection has to certify that the gas installation on the property complies with the Occupational Health and Safety Act and required safety standards. This certificate has no specified period of validity, but has to be reissued each time the property changes hands.

• Plumbing

This only applies to transfers within the jurisdiction of the City of Cape Town and certifies only that the water installation at the property is in line with the City of Cape Town Water By-laws, and include:

the water installation conforms to national building regulations; the property's water meter is in working order; there are no defects that can cause water to run to waste; and that there are no rainwater leaks into the sewerage system. IT DOES NOT CONFIRM THAT ALL PLUMBING WORKS ARE IN PERFECT CONDITION. A new certificate must be obtained upon every change of ownership.

• Electric fence

Obviously only relevant if the property has an electric fence but is mandatory if it does. It certifies that the electric fence installation complies with the required safety standards in terms of the Occupational Health and Safety Act. An existing certificate may be transferred by the seller to the purchaser and a seller only needs to provide a new certificate was issued. If the property is sectional title, it can be obtained from the body corporate.

Engel & Volkers can assist you every step of the way, and can recommend experienced and fully accredited companies to carry out compliance inspections.