Under ideal circumstances, renting a property should be a smooth and hassle-free process.

Rawson Property Group agents in Cape Town’s Southern Suburbs have been reporting increasing interest in the area’s luxury market, with sales continuing to heat up in spite of the ongoing economic pressure being experienced in South Africa.

Named after a particularly verdant valley in the hills to the west of Johannesburg, the suburb of Florida started life as a mining camp just after the discovery of gold in the 1880s and, like many parts of the city, has had quite a chequered history.

The recent opening of the R330 million Carletonville Mall on the West Rand has re-ignited interest in the residential property market in Carletonville itself, which has, like many mining towns, gone through some challenging times over the past few years.

With stands that average only 495sqm, Parkhurst is rapidly becoming home to some of the most expensive real estate in Johannesburg, according to local Rawson Property Group franchisee Justin Smith.

What is the role that the commercial property broker plays in the due diligence process between the purchaser and seller?  

It is widely accepted in the residential property world that property values will always be favourably affected by the advent in their area of a top-of-the-range retail centre – and this ‘basic rule’ applies just as much to the upgrading of retail property when this is thoroughly and comprehensively undertaken.

Rawson Auctions Western Cape will on Wednesday 19th August be auctioning two commercial units and a plot at Mitchells Plain.

As far as buzzwords go, “green” has been having a pretty good run, with the world becoming more and more aware of climate change and the impact we’re having on our planet.

Location is still of prime importance in real estate – and these days that can be as much about proximity to reliable public transport as it is about the safety and security of the area, easy access to shops and good schools, and the steady appreciation of home values.