South Africa: Real Estate

A South African High Court examined whether a woman's name was fraudulently added to a property title deed, with the applicant seeking sole ownership of subsidized housing.

The sale of a tenanted property often creates uncertainty regarding the handling of tenant deposits, lease agreements, and the responsibilities of managing agents. One recurring dispute arises when ownership of a property changes and the tenant remains in occupation under a new lease agreement with the purchaser.

Instalment sale agreements offer flexibility in South African property transactions, but many purchasers misunderstand when transfer duty becomes payable. Under Section 20 of the Alienation of Land Act, transfer duty liability may arise at the date of agreement signature—long before ownership actually transfers—creating unexpected financial obligations that require careful legal and tax planning from the outset.

In the recent judgment in Els v Venter and Another, the Supreme Court of Appeal ("SCA") had to decide whether a residential lease agreement of a family home falls within the ambit...

Sterea Digital CC ("Sterea") purchased a residential property at 1 Basson Street, Durbanville, intending to convert it into offices for Sandenbergh Nel Haggard...

Buying or selling property is one of the largest financial transactions most people will ever make. At the centre of every successful property transfer stands a professional who ensures that the process is lawful, transparent and secure, the Conveyancer.

Imagine coming home after a long day, only to find the lights out and the water switched off. This unsettling scenario – where landlords cut off a tenant's...

If you are selling your property and this condition is in the Offer To Purchase (OTP), or you want to (or need to) sell your existing property simultaneously with purchasing a new one, this article is for you.

Every property within the boundaries of the City of Cape Town municipality has a specific zoning assigned to it based on the City of Cape Town's Land Use Management System and Development Management Scheme (DMS).