Are estate agents qualified to give this opinion?
Are estate agents qualified to give this opinion? A brief five minute browse through the Private Property web pages this morning revealed some interesting claims made by estate agents about certain properties that they are marketing. When describing the properties they have used terms such as “Immaculate condition” and “sheer perfection”. From a buyers perspective […]
Buyers beware: Don’t skip the home inspection
Buyers beware: Don’t skip the home inspection Buying a house, especially if you are a first-time buyer, is both nerve-wracking and extremely expensive. Once you’ve added to the purchase price, transfer duty, legal fees and the cost of relocating (moving, curtains, schooling etc) the total cost of buying a new home can be huge, John […]
I am a victim, says Tobie
I am a victim, says Tobie Here is another sad story about a house buyer who bought voetstoots without the protection of a home inspection. Now neither the bank, which gave him the bond and which insured the house, the estate agent who pocketed the commission, nor the private seller can or will help Tobie. […]
HouseCheck wins accolades
Our Tableview franchisee Annelize McCarthy is a person who truly represents the HouseCheck spirit of customer service and attention to detail. Here are some recent accolades sent to Annelize by satisfied HouseCheck clients. I am including these as a blog because I think that the views of these clients really show why a home inspection […]
Conflict of interest
Below is email correspondence this week between HouseCheck inspector, Gerrie van Niekerk, and a satisfied client from Cape Town: Good morning Gerrie. Thank you for the detailed report, it is extremely professional and helpful. Is there a company you can refer us to for the waterproofing problem? Regards Janette. Gerrie replied: Hi Janette, Thanks for the […]
Latent defects are hard to spot
It is very important for buyers to fully understand the condition of a house before they buy it. While some defects such as damp stained ceilings, wall cracks and damp walls might be more obvious, latent (hidden) defects such as rotten roof beams or a leaking geyser are more difficult to spot. Yet potential buyers […]
Voetstoots – latent and patent defects and the home inspection report
What is the real effect of a voetstoots clause in a property sales contract if the buyer later discovers undisclosed defects in the house being bought? Because the authority of the Consumer Protection Act does not extend to private “once-off” sellers of real estate, most sellers and their agents still rely heavily on the insertion […]
Consumer Protection Act proving to be toothless
Leading SA consumer journalist Wendy Knowler says that the Consumer Protection Act, is proving to be largely toothless. Knowler writes: “Thanks to the Consumer Protection Act (CPA), South Africans are among the most protected consumers in the world. That’s wonderful – in theory. “Of course, for legislation to have any real meaning, for it to […]
Dangers of getting the cheapest quote
It often amazes me how property owners go about repairs, maintenance and renovations. In almost all cases it’s a case of: “Let’s get the cheapest quote”. And so the bakkie builder brigade are called in and very often grief follows. People who have spent at least one million (and often a lot more) on their […]
Here’s another happy client
Thanks John Just sent payment confirmation. Thanks to Gerrie for the chat earlier – look forward to reading the report but your services are 100% worth every cent – saved us from a potential financial disaster not to mention a whole lot of hassle in this house. So debating our next move but think the […]