In die foto onder hou Tommy Bosch, finansi? bestuurder by die wynlandgoed, 'n wakende ogie oor die nuuskierige besoeker wat oor sy lessenaar trippel.

Kyk dié manewales!
Thys Lombard van Lourensford Landgoed op Somerset-Wes vertel dat hulle deesdae heelwat kantoorbesoeke van oorsese gaste kry, wat wyn wil koop en saketransaksies wil sluit vir die toekoms.

Debt tightens screws
The April rate hike is causing panic amongst homeowners caught up in debt, with many now wanting to sell.

'Understand commissions before signing that deal'
As the property market continues to cool, sellers battle to get the high prices achieved in the past and buyers, who are at an advantage, offer as little a price as possible. The first to suffer in this tug of war of negotiation is often the estate agent's commission.

Industrial property on auction
An industrial site adjoining the N2 highway between Strand and Somerset West is to be auctioned on site at 7 Industria Street, Gants Plaza at 11:00 on Thursday April 24.

Property valuers take to the streets of Helderberg
THE City of Cape Town says it is making "good progress" with the valuation objection process and assures ratepayers it is doing "everything possible" to ensure that objections are resolved within the shortest possible time, according to City valuations director Christopher Gavor.

'SW property sales down by 30%'
The interest rate increase last week has made it even harder for people to afford their own property in the Helderberg with real costs rocketing, by one calculation, up by 50% since June 2006.

Salary of R43k buys an average house
The SA Reserve Bank's decision to hike interest rates yet again means that South Africans now have to earn at least R43 000/month to afford the average priced, middle-sized house.

'Stompers' celebrate Croydon Estate's first harvest
Residents of a gated village, which is situated near Faure and has its own vineyards and cellar, were in a festive mood last week. They celebrated completion of the first harvest at Croydon Vineyard Estate.

Avoid fights between tenant, landlord over repairs
Maintenance and repairs of a property can become a very contentious issue between landlords and tenants, so be fully aware of your rights and obligations.

'Bargain houses may not be'
Tough market conditions are resulting in more properties being repossessed. Although PiPs (Properties in Possession) may seem like bargains, potential buyers should watch out for the pitfalls.

New extension to Strand village
A new extension consisting of 17 homes is to be added to the Duckpond Village residential complex, situated off Altena Road in Strand.

Cost of new houses rises
While latest property data indicates that prices of existing houses have already started to drop, the cost of new sectional-title developments is likely to continue to rise at double-digit rates in 2008.

Scores await housing
Close on half a million people are waiting for houses from the City of Cape Town, according to local authority estimates.

SW rentals 'soar'
Residential rentals for some estate agencies in the Helderberg have increased dramatically in the face of decreased property sales, says Xinglo Estates principal Monica du Toit, whose business celebrated its fourth anniversary at the end of February.

'Board must go,' says RE/MAX
A leading South African real estate group has called for the unbundling of the Estate Agency Affairs Board (EAAB) and for the real estate industry to be allowed to "revert to self-regulation", reports property website Property24.

Listed property returns up in 2007, but declining
South African listed property returned 27,7% last year, slightly higher than 27,1% in 2006, but yields continued to fall across all sectors, a new survey showed on Monday.

Building plans passed up 18,6%
The real value of recorded building plans passed by larger municipalities (at constant 2000 prices) during January 2008 increased by 18,6% (R570,6-million) compared with January 2007, Statistics SA reported last week.

Property buyers look off-shore
Recent rand weakness, higher interest rates and the rather dim outlook for house price growth in SA have prompted a new wave of buying property offshore.

'Residential property is offering very little value'
In the past, I've spoken about the subtle everyday signs that an investor should recognise in their investment decision-making criteria. One of those signs was the amount of "junk mail" distributed at the height of the consumer boom.

Tough challenge for city to balance housing, environment
Build houses for the Cape's poor or save species on the brink of extinction? Sometimes the local authority can do both, but often its limited budget and resources force it to pick one. Finding the optimal balance between the often conflicting needs of rapid urbanisation while, at the same time, protecting biodiversity is a major challenge, says Cape Town mayor Helen Zille.

'Perk up your house to ensure an easy sale'
With the current property market favouring buyers, sellers need to ensure their house is in the best possible condition, says Steve Caradoc-Davies, principal of Homenet Platinum in Somerset West.

Grabouw gets its 'first' lockup-and-go complex
A new residential develoment was launched in Grabouw last week. Developer Johan Combrinck says as far as he knows, The Oaks is the first lockup-and-go security complex in the town.

'Buying an average house has become less affordable'
Surging house prices, coupled with higher interest rates, mean South Africans must now earn nearly R42 000 per month to afford the average-priced, middle-sized house, says a report on financial news website Fin24.

New apartments in Grabouw
A new residential development - The Oaks - was launched in Grabouw last week.

Spanish Farm land 'not quite sold'
THE R30-million sale of a 50-hectare swathe of land in January might have been the biggest residential property deal in recent history - had it actually happened. As it turns out, the claim by Seeff Somerset West never materialised.

Are you tough enough?
YOU'RE thinking of selling your house without an agent. But can you really pull it off?