Property in the vicinity of Rosebank, Park and Sandton Railway Stations will be the first to be expropriated to make way for the Gautrain line, the Gauteng government said on Tuesday.

Land in Midrand will also be expropriated for the construction of the maintenance depot and land in Marlboro for the tunnel portal.

Gautrain spokeswoman Barbara Jensen said land would be expropriated in areas where construction would begin first...

President Thabo Mbeki’s recent announcement that restrictions will be introduced on foreigner’s property ownership this year sparked fresh debate around the possible impact they could have on the South African economy, especially general foreign investment.

At first glance, this proposal may appear investor-unfriendly, but such restrictions are actually relatively common globally...

Supplied by Dave Welmans www.thepropertygame.co.za

A home is a home is a home. Right? Or so you would think but a home isn't a home without essential services. Up until recently this meant roads, water, sewerage and electricity but connectivity to the online world is starting to become one of these essential services. The primary need for telephones in homes has been replaced by cellular technology but people are finding that they are still largely dependant on Telkom to be connected to the World Wide Web...

First-time buyers and new investors need to be careful not to buy an overpriced property, just to save on transfer duty.

That's the warning sounded this week by Lew Geffen, chairman of Sotheby's International Realty in SA, who notes that a large percentage of the newly-built homes currently for sale are not being sold by the original developers but by owners who bought 'off plan', hoping to make a quick profit on a quick resale...

IF THERE is to be government regulation of foreign land ownership in SA, an option would be to look at 99-year leaseholds, says Cape Town-based international remortgaging firm Bond Busters.

Briton Richard Pembroke, joint MD of Bond Busters, which is part of the Cape & Country group, says a 99-year leasehold option for foreigners would not put off property investors from investing in SA. “In London, for example, hundreds of thousands of properties are bought by property investors on leasehold — and it’s their first property.”...

Only twenty years ago, Sandton, north of Johannesburg, was an open strip of highveld inhabited by estate owners and used largely for horse riding.

It is now the Gauteng property of choice, a sophisticated, upmarket suburb featuring expensive shops, world-class hotels and Johannesburg's most illustrious corporate addresses...

View Properties in Gauteng | View Properties in Sandton

Gauteng, Sandton, Bryanston Bedrooms: 5 Bathrooms: 4 Garages: 4 Set on over 6000 sqm of the most manicured grounds, with views forever, this palatial mansion boasts superlative accommodation and uncompromised attention to detail...

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If a room in your house lacks character, by simply placing some fine art prints on the walls can actually make quite an impact. Wall pictures are a necessary accessory in your home and are great to tie in with the room's style and color accent. Before you go off to buy some new pictures for your walls there are a few things you need to plan and decide upon. Here is a home interior design guide on how to decorate your space with wall art...

DOING THEIR HOMEWORK

Banks flood the market with good news about a fast-changing market

Competition among banks for the R500bn mortgage market has potential investors and developers swimming in a sea of research data. And most of it is good news.

For instance, last week's Standard Bank "Residential property gauge" provides a detailed picture of South Africans migrating from country districts to cities - and up the economic ladder...

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

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To Rent Property:
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