Residential Authority
Residential Property Guides
Authoritative guides on every part of the South African residential property journey: bond pre-approval, transfer process, sectional title rules, body corporate levies, first-time buyer steps, transfer duty. Authored by Africa Estate PPRA-registered residential specialists.
How to Buy a House in South Africa
The full residential buyer journey: affordability, bond pre-approval, offer to purchase, transfer process, occupation, registration. What every South African buyer needs to know before signing an OTP.
How to Sell a House in South Africa
The sale-side process: choosing an agent, mandate types, pricing the property, marketing, viewings, offer negotiation, capital gains, and the seller side of the transfer process.
The Residential Transfer Process Explained
From offer acceptance to deeds office registration: who does what, conveyancer roles, deposit handling, bond cancellation, rates clearance, occupation rental, and typical timelines.
Sectional Title vs Freehold: Which Is Right for You
The legal, financial and lifestyle differences between sectional title and freehold ownership. Levies, body corporate rules, exclusive use areas, transfer duty implications, and resale value.
Body Corporate and Levies Explained
How sectional title schemes are governed. Trustees, AGMs, conduct rules, the management rules under the Sectional Titles Schemes Management Act, levy calculation, special levies, and arrears.
Bond Pre-Approval for South African Home Buyers
Pre-approval explained for residential buyers: which bank to approach, documents required, what the bank checks, how long pre-approval lasts, and how it strengthens your offer.
First-Time Buyer Guide for South African Residential Property
The first-time buyer playbook: affordability calculation, deposit savings, FLISP subsidy, bond pre-approval, transfer duty exemption under R1.21M, and the questions every first-time buyer should ask.
Transfer Duty for Residential Property
How SARS transfer duty works on residential property: the 2025 sliding scale, primary residence exclusion, VAT-versus-transfer-duty position, and who pays what at the deeds office.
About these guides
Every guide is written and reviewed by an Africa Estate residential specialist registered with the Property Practitioners Regulatory Authority (PPRA). The content references the current governing legislation (Property Practitioners Act 22 of 2019, Sectional Titles Schemes Management Act 8 of 2011, Transfer Duty Act 40 of 1949 as amended, Alienation of Land Act 68 of 1981, Deeds Registries Act 47 of 1937) and the current SARS transfer duty scale.
The guides cover the full South African residential market: Bloemfontein, Kroonstad, Gauteng and the surrounding provincial corridors. For Gauteng new developments specifically, see the dedicated Gauteng new-developments guides authored alongside Dewald Kleyn.
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Speak to a named residential specialist
Every suburb authority page on this site links to the specific Africa Estate residential agent covering that suburb. Start with the area page, or contact the office.