Christmas Sunday Open Thread

I'm somewhere in the Garden Route dodging for sale signs on golf estates, but it's still time for the open thread - Christmas edition!

Sunday Open Thread

It's the Sunday Open Thread!!

The Orangerie: Will The Bloodbath Stop?

It was barely a month ago when we discovered 2 bed apartments at The Orangerie, which had initially been on the market for +R3million were now being sold off for R2.5million.

Now Pam Golding has two more 2 bed units with an asking price of R2 395 000. And there is no transfer duty as it's direct from the developer, which means that if you bought in the Orangerie and you're trying to sell you are competing with the developer, who can probably cut prices again if required, and the buyer has to pay transfer.

Good luck!

Sunday Open Thread

It's the Sunday Open Thread. This weeks topic, with the selling season in high gear are things worse, better or the same for agents and sellers?

Sunday Open Thread

It's time for the Sunday Open Thread!

The Orangerie: The Bloodbath Continues

Back in January we wrote how apartments in The Orangerie, which had been initially sold for well over R3 million were being sold by the developer for R2 850 000. It seems since then time has not helped those prices recover.

This ad is a new listing for a 2 bed apartment in The Orangerie.

The asking price? Now down to R2 500 000.

Rare Sale In Execution In Sea Point Spotted

Sea Point Reader-in-Chief PJ writes:

Spotted a rare notice of a Sale In Execution on an apartment in Sea Point in a block called Oakholm. Usually the process never gets that far because a buyer usually steps in beforehand. Not this time...

Sunday Open Thread

It's time for the belated Sunday Open Thread!

Well This Is A First

Just received a spam SMS from Burgundy Estates.

Guess no one is walking into the sales office anymore...

ABSA: House Prices Growth Lagging Behind Inflation

Houses hurting as inflation outpaces property prices

House prices are not growing in line with inflation, according to Absa's latest property price indices released on Monday.

"The average real price [at constant 2008 prices] of houses in the middle-segment of the market was in September this year about 13% below its peak of mid-2007," Absa Home Loans property analyst Jacques du Toit said in a statement.

"This was the result of average nominal house price growth being below the average headline consumer price inflation rate during this period."

In nominal growth, the effects of inflation are not taken into account, while real prices factor in the effect of inflation.

Your Architecture Is Sad: Sea Point

There's bad architecture... and then there's sad architecture. This 3 bed house in Sea Point sent in by reader PJ is a prime example of that. PJ writes:

Sea Point is home to a fantastic mixture of architecture. But look at this POS. It's two concrete boxes stacked on top of each other. They'll call it "modern", I call it cheap.

Lew Geffen Atlantic Seaboard Dust Up

Trust me being out the country when some truly juicy stuff starts going down. It seems Lew Geffen is getting into some dirty dealings with his Atlantic Seaboard franchisees. Reader KS sent me a link to a blog covering all the news: Lew Geffen Sothebys Scandals.

Epic 4 Week Open Thread

Been shipped off to the UK for 2 weeks followed by another 2 weeks holiday touring around Europa. See you in a bit.

Sunday Open Thread

It's the Saturday..err... Sunday Open Thread!

Mandela Rhodes Place Liquidated

When we first wrote about Mandela Rhodes Pace back in February 2007, it was literally underwater.

Then in July 2011 we heard that even though it had been completed years earlier it was still releasing unsold apartments onto the market.

And now, it's being liquidated with supposedly 62(!) unsold apartments hitting the market. If you bought into MRP and are trying to sell... my condolences.

Saturday Open Thread

It's the Saturday Open Thread!

Ugliest House in Cape Town on Auction!

Reader DM wrote in to tell us that the ugliest house in Cape Town, last seen on sale for 10 bar in April 2011, is now up for auction.

Just read this opening sentence: 'Buy the plot and get the house for free'. It's so ugly it's nearly worthless!

Sunday Open Thread

It's the Sunday Open Thread.

Folks I'm being absolutely smashed at work at the moment and there's a very good chance I'm going to be sent to Ol' Blighty for a month or so, so posting might be light till then...

Saturday Open Thread

It's the Saturday Open Thread!

Saturday Open Thread

It's the Saturday open thread!