Budget 2026: How Much Will the Increased CGT Primary Residence Exclusion Save You?
Phew! No major tax increases are planned, and taxpayers will benefit from zero “bracket creep” across a range of taxes. While property sellers and buyers will be disappointed that transfer duty thresholds have not increased, there’s reason to get very excited about the 50% increase in the primary residence CGT exclusion from R2m to R3m.
Read on for an illustrative calculation of CGT savings, some of the more important tax tables, and a calculator to show you how much more or less you will be paying in taxes.
Choose Your Conveyancer with Care! A Cautionary Tale of “Fraud Unravels All”
Buying and selling a house is probably one of the most important financial transactions you will ever be involved in. Not to mention the emotional aspect of acquiring or letting go of your “home sweet home”.
This is why it’s vital to choose the right conveyancer. Case in point, a recent court battle which saw a couple losing ownership of what they had fondly believed to be their new house. A crooked attorney, in cahoots with her trustee husband, had defrauded both the original owner and the buyers at the end of the transfer chain. And in law, “fraud unravels all.”
Love and the Law: Cohabiting? Get Your House in Order Now
“All you need is love… and a good lawyer.” (Anonymous) February, with its Valentine’s Day chocolates, roses and declarations of undying love, should be a month for romance, not legal niceties. But in the real world, love and the law are inextricably linked because any relationship’s structure and consequences are inevitably governed by legal principles. […]
Parking Disputes and the “Reasonable Neighbour” Test
“Wouldn’t it be nice to get on with me neighbours?” (from “Lazy Sunday” by Small Faces) Maintaining friendly relations with the neighbours, or at least an “I’ll ignore you if you ignore me” sort of neutrality, has probably been a primary aim of homeowners since the dawn of history. No doubt even our cave dwelling […]
Property Sales and Side Deals: Verbal Agreements Don’t Cut it!
“With a verbal agreement you have nothing but air.” (Author and entrepreneur Robert Ringer) 2026 opens with positive signals for our property market after last year’s encouraging GDP forecasts, a credit-rating upgrade, and a series of interest rate cuts boosting access to bond finance. All the signs point to a promising year for buyers, sellers, […]
Can You Airbnb Your House or Apartment in a Residential Complex?
“Landlords grow rich in their sleep.” (John Stuart Mill, economist) If you are thinking of buying (or already own) a house or apartment in a residential complex with the idea of renting it out as an Airbnb (whether permanently or on an “I can make a fortune this Christmas” basis), tread carefully. A recent High […]
Selling Your House This Summer? Get Your Ducks in a Row With This Checklist
“In the summertime, when the weather is high, you can stretch right up and touch the sky.” (Mungo Jerry) Summer’s here with its blue skies, happy holidaymakers from around the country and the world, and, as always, an upsurge in demand for houses. If you’re going to capitalise on this seasonal upswing, start planning your […]
The Transfer Process in a Nutshell
“Don’t wait to buy real estate. Buy real estate and wait.” (Will Rogers) Spring is in the air and, as the annual uptick in property sales kicks in, let’s address two questions commonly asked by both sellers and buyers who are unsure about exactly what happens after they sign their sale agreement: Let’s begin with […]
Don’t Let Cybercriminals Haunt You this Halloween — Verify, Verify, Verify!
“If you suspect deceit, hit delete!” (Online cybersecurity slogan) October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, a good time to note that as cybercrime continues to grow, more and more businesses and individuals are falling victim to the dreaded “BEC” or “Business Email Compromise” fraud. The million-dollar question: Who takes the hit? Typically in a BEC fraud, […]
Panhandle Access to Properties – The Mistakes to Avoid
“You aren’t buying a house, you’re buying a lifestyle.” (Anon) As more and more residential properties are subdivided and developed, an increasing number of homes are effectively cut off from direct access to the nearest public street or road. That’s where the “panhandle” comes into play, a narrow strip of land (looking on diagrams very […]