Why Buyers Should Ask for Building Plans (and Why Sellers Should Supply Them)
“No person shall without the prior approval in writing of the local authority in question, erect any building in respect of which plans and specifications are to be drawn and submitted in terms of this Act.” (National Building Regulations and Building Standards Act)...
A Valentine’s Day Thought for Life Partners: What is a “Universal Partnership”?
“Marriage is the chief cause of divorce” (Groucho Marx) This Valentine’s Day, think about the legal aspects of your romantic relationship. They’re a lot less exciting than the traditional declarations of love backed up by chocolates and flowers, but they’re just as...
Estate Planning: Remember your Pets!
“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” (Mahatma Gandhi) For many of us our pets are a central part of our lives, our much loved “fur babies”, our companions, exercise partners, even therapists through the...
How to Avoid Getting Burnt by the Next Investment Bubble in 2024
“We cannot reason ourselves out of our basic irrationality. All we can do is learn the art of being irrational in a reasonable way.” (Aldous Huxley). The madness of crowds None of us are rational investors. We’re humans – fuelled by fear, overconfidence, and sometimes...
Did 2017 Change the Way You Invest?
“What we believe is heavily influenced by what we think others believe.” (Thomas Gilovich) Do you remember 2017? It wasn’t that long ago, but few of us can probably recall what markets did that year. For the record, it was a great year for stock markets. The JSE All...
Plan Your Estate to Protect Your Family – Two End-of-Year Questions to Ask Yourself
“It’s the most wonderful time of the year!” (Songwriters Pola & Wyle) As the end of another year approaches, with its family celebrations and holidays, take the time to check that your estate plan really does ensure that your loved ones will be looked after when you...
Should you be an Optimist or a Pessimist With Your Money?
“Both optimists and pessimists contribute to society. The optimist invents the aeroplane, the pessimist the parachute.” (George Bernard Shaw) Cast your mind back to the middle of March 2020, when fears around Covid-19 sent the JSE into a spiral. The All Share Index...
The Differences Between Life and Living Annuities
New beginnings After working for forty years, the time has come to make really important decisions about how you’ll manage your retirement funds to ensure that your golden years are all you’d hoped for. When you retire, you must transfer two-thirds of your retirement...
How to Give Meaningful Gifts This Festive Season
“We are living in a material world, and I am a material girl.” (Madonna) Why not take this festive season as an opportunity to begin a tradition of truly meaningful gifting in your family? In today’s world, more and more people are realising that things bring only...
Retirement Planning: The ins and Outs of Nominating Beneficiaries
“Two main categories of people are needed in your circle; those who give you the necessary support to accomplish your dreams and those who become beneficiaries of what you achieve.” (Unattributed) Pension and provident funds and retirement annuities All retirement...
Why do People Invest in Property?
Wealth buckets Property is one of several asset classes, the others being equity (shares or unit trusts), cash-related products (like money market products), and bonds. Here are some of the most important benefits of investing in property: It can provide a passive...
A Costly Case of Buyer’s Remorse
“Caveat subscriptor” – old legal maxim meaning “Let the signer beware!’ A recent High Court decision once again highlights the dangers of signing anything without reading, understanding and fully considering it. A “Renovator’s Dream” and a case of buyer’s remorse A...