British home sellers and agents face jail for non-disclosure
British home sellers and agents face jail for non-disclosure John Graham CEO of South African home inspection company HouseCheck has called on the government to bring consumer protection for buyers of second hand houses in line with overseas best practice and with the South African Consumer Protection Act (CPA). At present the majority of South […]
Understanding damp
Understanding Damp Damp damage to South African houses is one of the most worrisome conditions for estate agents and potential buyers or sellers. A HouseCheck home inspector will usually be able to diagnose the cause of the damp and place the situation in a practical cost-context. Like most problems, once the situation has been faced […]
Understanding cracks
Understanding cracks Home Inspectors are trained to classify cracks Most buildings crack, but when should you become concerned? Most houses in South Africa will sooner or later develop wall cracks. Most of these cracks are not serious and can be ascribed to slight settlement of the foundations, mortar shrinkage, or slight roof movement. However, some […]
Home buyers need protection
Home buyers need protection Did you know that buyers of secondhand homes in South Africa effectively lose their consumer rights when signing an offer containing a voetstoots clause? Voetstoots says you accept the property “as is”. Without a home inspection to properly inform the buyer – voetstoots is dangerous! Both the buyer and seller need […]
Inspections: Agents have vital role to play
Inspections: Agents have vital role to play Home inspections are fast becoming the norm in the South African real estate sales process and estate agents should therefore be using the home inspection report as an important tool in successfully managing negotiations between seller and buyer, says John Graham CEO of property inspection company HouseCheck. Graham […]
Negotiating the repairs
Negotiating the repairs Many home sellers in South Africa are discovering that the days of unloading undisclosed problems onto unsuspecting buyers are past, says John Graham CEO of house inspection company, HouseCheck. Graham says savvy South African buyers are becoming much more aware of the potential risks which the standard voetstoots clause poses to buyers. […]
Black mould on ceilings and walls
HouseCheck home inspectors very often find black mould growing on the walls and ceilings of bathrooms and bedrooms. John Graham CEO of HouseCheck explains that mould is a fungus. Mould usually occurs in rooms such as bathrooms and bedrooms which are badly ventilated and which contain damp air (from shower steam or even from humans […]
Why sellers should have their home inspected before listing
Why sellers should have their home inspected before listing A seller should always consider paying to have a property inspected by a professional home inspector before putting the house on the market. A home inspection report gives the seller advance warning of any potential problems and also allows the seller to deal with these problems […]
Home inspection: What to expect
Home Inspection: What to expect If you’re buying a home, then you’re in one of the financially riskiest places of your life. After weeks, or months of searching, your new home is now becoming a reality and you’re getting set to make the biggest investment of your life. But before you can pick out the […]
Negotiating the deal
Negotiating the deal More and more South African home buyers are now making their offer to purchase (OTP) contingent on a “satisfactory” home inspection report – usually paid for by the buyer. This means that, while the signed OTP places seller and buyer “on the same page” and guarantees the deal, the buyer still has […]