Property and real estate can be daunting for first-time buyers, and even for people who have been in the industry for years. With so many different factors, including tax, property structures, investment strategies and calculations – why not dig into this big list of real estate resources?
This is an excellent starting place if you’re looking for something!
Buying Property
First-time buyers and research
- Frugallocal – First-time buyers property course (FREE course! with videos!)
- Ooba – The complete first-time home buyer’s guide
- PrivateProperty – A step by step guide for first time home buyers
- Lightstone – Once off reports, sectional title scheme reports, transfer reports, estate reports, live deed searches etc.
Property regulation
- Estate Agency Affairs Board – Regulation of estate agents, lodging of complaints against estate agents
- NHBRC – National Home Builders Registration Council
- NPPC – National Property Practitioners Council: represents the interests over 40 000 agents, brokers, professionals, consultants, developers, managing agents, and financing institutions falling within the ambit of the Property Practitioners Act, which is replacing the old Estate Agents Affairs Act of 1936.
- Lightstone – Once off reports, sectional title scheme reports, transfer reports, estate reports, live deed searches etc.
Mortgage originators
Mortgage originators submit your offer to purchase to multiple banks so that you can get the best interest rate. Some submit to all banks and other loan providers, some have algorithms that determine which one will be the best.
Home loan providers
- ABSA home loans
- Investec home loans
- FNB home loans
- Standard Bank home loans
- Nedbank home loans
- SA Home Loans
Property calculators
- StealthyWealth – Property investment and homeloan repayment calculators
- Ooba – How much do you qualify for?
- Ooba – Bond repayment calculator
- Ooba – Bond and transfer cost calculator
- Ooba – Extra payments calculator
- Ooba – The impact of paying a deposit calculator
Insurance
- Naked insurance – Home content insurance, building insurance, car insurance
- hippo.co.za – building and other insurance quote comparisons. Note most of the companies used is part of the same group – Telesure
Sectional Title and legal resources
- South African Government website – Sectional Titles Act 95 of 1986
- Frugallocal – What Are Sectional Title Schemes And How Does It Work?
Property Investing
Credit bureaus and tenants screening
Note that in South Africa, all credit bureaus need to give you the first report for free each year. Some of these companies offer a free service, with value added products.
- Clearscore – credit bureau (free)
- TransUnion – credit bureau (1 x year free)
- Experian – credit bureau: many of the banks use this one if you want to get a loan
- Credit Ombudsman – disputes and issues with credit bureaus information, if they are not willing to ratify something
- FrugalLocal – Finding good tenants
- TPN – credit bureau and all-round tenant checks, rental reports and deeds checks
Property investing – resources
- Property Geek – International property website
- SA Property Insider – Analysis, news and lifestyle
- Property Wheel – Property news and articles
Property clubs/membership sites in South Africa
- P3 – Mentoring, consulting, legal structures, selling property. P3 uses a membership business model
- iGrow Wealth Investments – Section 13 SEX specialist, owns the whole chain from mortgage origination to managing tenants and rental property
- The Property coach – Carlo (Paid for courses, some free content)
- Property Academy (Paid courses)
- SAPIN – SA Property Investors Network – membership site with content, software, deal analysis, coaching and more.
Investment property strategies
- FrugalLocal – Auctions
- FrugalLocal – Short term rentals (Airbnb and guesthouses)
- FrugalLocal – Short term rentals (Holiday homes)
- FrugalLocal – Flipping properties
- FrugalLocal – long term rentals (Buy to let)
- FrugalLocal – Student accommodation
Investment property tax breaks and incentives
- FrugalLocal – Section 13sex
- FrugalLocal – Section 13quat/quin/flisp
- FrugalLocal – Finance Linked Individual Subsidy Programme (FLISP)
Investment property legal structures
- FrugalLocal – Should I buy my property in a trust, company or in my own name?
- PrivateProperty – The ideal structure for investment property
- Intergen – specialising in legal and tax for property investments to preserve generational wealth.
General property related links
Big corporates and property
- Property24 – buying properties and articles
- PrivateProperty – buy, rent, articles and podcast
- MyProperty – property resources for buying, selling, renting, attorneys etc.
Innovation in the property sphere
Property REITs in South Africa
This is in no way an endorsement of any of the below, but it’s just a starting point to do more research.
Conclusion
Whether you’re looking to restructure your property portfolio or first-time buyers help – this list of real estate resources is for you. I’ve tried to make it as concise and exhaustive as possible.
If you have any other resources that I can add, please send me a message through the contact me page.
Happy investing!
