Cyprus is a popular vacation destination, especially for Europeans who come from the dreary corners of the continent. The island boasts over 300 days of sunshine, a Mediterranean lifestyle, and a friendly population that speaks adequate levels of English to facilitate communication with visitors. Tourists can hang out at the beach, climb Mount Olympus, hideaway in quaint mountain villages, check out byzantine churches, and visit monasteries...

Zambia’s first fully-integrated lifestyle development, Heart of Africa, has now been officially launched – and is being very well received.

That’s the news from Mike Rowley of Legacy Holdings, the developer behind the project, which was also responsible for projects such as The Lost City and Nelson Mandela Square.

Indeed, says Janet Irwin, principal of Harcourts Zambia, which has been mandated to market Heart of Africa, more than 30 homes in the development were reserved prior to launch.

The June oobarometer price index recorded a nominal increase in year-on-year house prices of 1.2 percent.

"The latest oobarometer shows a very slight improvement in year-on-year house prices," says Saul Geffen, chief executive of ooba. "Rather than suggesting a recovery in the market place, this may be attributed to a shift to higher priced properties in June, given affluent homebuyers’ ability to better adapt to strict bank lending practices...

The global recession has not affected South Africa as badly as Europe or the US, but it has led to the significant lowering of housing prices, mortgage origination company Bond Choice said on Thursday.

Managing director for sales Kevin Mountjoy said this had brought new home ownership within the reach of a new band of potential first time investors.

Average home loan applications, he said, had dropped to between R550 000 and R600 000 with the top-end segment the most significantly affected in terms of volumes.

The SA property market has recently seen the biggest decline in prices since 1986, and this together with a 450 basis point decline in interest rates since December has significantly improved home affordability.

Colleen Gray, MD of CENTURY 21 South Africa, says the average house price to average income ratio as calculated by First National Bank has moved strongly in favour of buyers as a result of a decline in sale prices of more than 10% in the year to end-June...

Those who remain sceptical about the possibilities of a property revival are also inclined to query the repeated reports in the press claiming that investors and speculators are returning to the residential property market – but this is happening, says Mike Greeff, CEO of Greeff Properties, and the reasons for this, he believes, are not hard to find.

“Right now,” said Greeff, “the number of distressed homeowners is at an all time high. This is creating bargains for those with cash or with the ability to get a bond...

Empty-nesters – parents whose children have left home to study, travel or move to their own homes – often find it difficult to sell their family homes because of the memories and emotions attached to these properties.

Many also put off the decision because they feel that downscaling will be accompanied by a dramatic decline in their lifestyle...

Buyers, sellers, estate agents could do more to clinch deals.

These days much of the blame for tough market conditions being experienced in the residential property sector is being place on banks.

Critics reason that banks have raised deposit requirements and discounts to the prime rate of interest for buyers, offsetting any potential benefits from the South African Reserve Bank rapidly lowering the guiding repo rate since December. It's become common knowledge that most home loan applications are rejected...

Most upmarkert properties are on auction for "convenience, not distress" - sellers.

In the current market, trying to sell a property is hard enough as potential buyers cannot get home loans from banks.

As a result, many properties sit on the market for longer and at times, the sellers resort to renting them out rather than settling for less than their asking price.

Auctions it would seem are becoming the trendiest and quickest method of selling property...

HOME is where the heart is…

There has been a large increase in queries regarding local property from expats living abroad which indicates that South Africa is seeing an increase in the number of expats returning home. Is this because of the current economic climate in countries abroad — or is South Africa becoming increasingly appealing to those who originally left for greener pastures..

Tenants often labour under a misconception that their personal belongings are covered under their landlord’s insurance cover for the property.

So says Berry Everitt, CEO of the Chas Everitt International property group, who notes that the confusion usually arises because the insurance policy on the property owner’s bricks-and-mortar may well cover damage to a tenant’s belongings if that damage is caused by something that went wrong with the building itself – a burst geyser, for example...

Dear Mr Thorne,

It has come to our attention through complaints by other tenants at the building that you have a dog at your premises. Under the agreement you signed as part of the Strata, animals are not permitted.

Please call or email me to discuss this matter as soon as possible...

If you were to ask any visitor to the Shelley Point security estate 160km north of Cape Town (by road) what he remembers best about the estate, the chances are that he would mention four things: the impressive adherence by all homes and the communal buildings to the Cape Vernacular white walled, black roofed, architectural style, the high standard of the golf course, the whales and dolphins of St Helena Bay – and the palm trees...

FORMER big game hunter, who tracked lion and leopard over vast tracts of land across Zimbabwe, turned his skills to real estate in one of South Africa’s premier franchises – and recently won a national award.

Anton Coetzee , who works in partnership with the Pam Golding East London area principal Hanlie Bassingthwaighte , was judged the National Franchise Agent of the Year...

Share your comments with us by sending it to news@cyberprop.com

The areas we are going to take a closer look at this week are;

• Alberton
  
• Melkbosstrand

Rental demand rockets in Alberton

Rental demand in Alberton is outstripping supply as prospective homebuyers continue to be turned away by the banks.

So says Ronell van Niekerk, principal of the local Chas Everitt International franchise, who notes that any type of rental property priced at R5000pm or less is being snapped up as soon as it comes on to the market.

Building slowdown boosts Melkbos prices

Development constraints are giving a lift to home prices in and around beautiful Melkbosstrand on the Cape’s western seaboard.

Willie Steinmann, principal of the new Chas Everitt International franchise in the village, says that while the area offers an enviable lifestyle and has great appeal, very few new homes are being built here, a fact that strongly underpins the value of existing homes...

Knysna, as a tourist destination, offers an eclectic mix of attractions and activities - something for everyone. Diverse in its mix of people and its surroundings, this diversity is reflected in a range of choices of eco-tourism, cultural-tourism and heritage-tourism.

Knysna is situated on South Africa's only National Lake, which is also the country's largest permanent estuary. The waters of the Indian Ocean channel through two large sandstone cliffs, The Heads, forming the gateway to the old harbour (Thesens Jetty) from where ships carried timber to the far corners of the globe, into the wide lagoon basin...

>> View Properties in the Garden Route
>> View Properties in Knysna

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The Green Building Council of South Africa (GBCSA) presents this 3 hour seminar to provide energy modelers, Green Star SA Accredited Professionals and others involved in Green Star SA projects with information and resources regarding the support documentation expected for Green Star SA submissions, for those credits in which simulation can be used to demonstrate compliance.

The following credits will be covered:

• Ene-0/1: Energy Conditional Requirement and Greenhouse Gas Emissions
  
• IEQ-2: Air change effectiveness
  
• IEQ-9: Thermal comfort
  
• IEQ-4: Daylight
  
• IEQ-5: Daylight glare control

This course takes the format of a 3 hour afternoon seminar, run by the GBCSA Technical Team in conjunction with with Paul Carew of PJ Carew consulting. Guidance will be provided on the individual credits and their intent, the requisite documentation for both “Design” and “As Built” projects will be clarified, with demonstrations if how a building meets these, and energy modeling reports will be used as examples of what should be included in documentation to demonstrate credit compliance to the assessors.

The GBCSA strongly encourages anyone working with Green Star SA modeling credits to attend this seminar, which should clarify the documentation requirements and answer many of your questions.

Course Fee

• Members- R 750 ex VAT
  
• Non members- R 1250 ex VAT

Dates:

• Wednesday 19 August 2009~ The Forum , Bryanston, Johannesburg
  
• Wednesday 25 August 2009 ~ The Vineyard, Newlands, Cape Town

BOOK NOW to avoid disappointment! Registrations are done online and are taken on a first come first serve basis.

For more information please consult our website at www.gbcsa.org.za

Cell Phone enquiries from the public

Buyers driving past your advertising boards will be able to see an unique Internet Number allocated to the specific property. They will then SMS that number to 35476 and will receive an SMS back with all the details of the property. At the same time the agent / agency will also be informed of a potential buyer. How's that for technology working for you! The cost - mahala! Free to all CyberAgent subscribers.

Here's a diagram on the way this process will work...

1. Agent captures the details of the property and pictures into CyberAgent
   
2. Agent updates the property to the Internet
   
3. The Internet server sends back a unique number for that property
   
4. Agent puts up his "For Sale" board together with our SMS board
   
5. Potential buyer sees the "SMS" board and SMS's the unique number to the Internet server
   
6. The Internet server sends back an SMS with all the property details and a link to the website where he/she can view pictures on the property

If you would like to know more about the above features and benefits that CyberAgent offer, visit: www.cyberagent.co.za or email: sales@cyberprop.com

For Sale Property:
Eastern Cape Freestate Gauteng Kwazulu Natal Mpumalanga North West Northern Cape Limpopo
Western Cape

To Rent Property:
Eastern Cape Gauteng Kwazulu Natal North West Western Cape

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