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Interpret property info the right way

Jacques du Toit, property strategist at Absa, says in order to understand information about price growth, a good grasp of the factors that drive it is necessary. “Many factors can influence price growth. These factors relate to the property market and the household sector, which may include demand and supply conditions, initially driven by economic growth, inflation, interest rates, employment, household income, debt, the affordability of housing, etc.” He says the average price of houses in certain segments is calculated by dividing the total value of properties sold in a specific period in a specific segment by the number of those properties. “The overall average of middle-segment housing as defined by Absa – small, medium and large – is calculated by using the samples of each segment. It is thus a weighted average that is calculated.” Read the whole article
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Home: Tips to greening your home

1. Be conscious and aware of your energy usage. Instead use gas heaters rather than oil or electric heaters. 2. Install a solar geyser or heat pump for long-term benefits. 3. Look at your window dressings like curtains and/or blinds to maximise internal insulation. 4. Install insulation on the roof where applicable. 5. Landscape home gardens according to the orientation of the building and existing window schedules. Plant evergreen or deciduous according to winter and summer months to create shade in areas where there are big windows that receive full sun in summer and in the winter months the leaves fall to allow the sunshine in; this will give you natural heating and cooling of the building. 6. Fit carpeting where there are tiles or use a rug to create warmth in cold areas. Recycle organic waste and use it in the garden instead of using fertilisers. These can be stored in summer to keep the temperature down. 7. Recycle waste. Recycleable waste that goes in...
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My Dream Home

Looking for your dream house? Is it a fantasy or a nightmare? Oh no, I said the ‘n’ word. Does it happen? Hansel and Gretel come to mind. They were wandering through the forest and unexpectedly discovered this house that was made out of candy all over. Hansel, who thoroughly appreciated the roof, tore down a big bit of it, while Gretel pushed out a whole round window-pane, and sat down the better to enjoy it. We know in the story that the friendly lady turned out to be a witch and in the end we might feel like when the witch told the children: "I've got them now; they shan't escape me!" Looking for you dream house is something we all want. We remember a time when we were content, happy, fulfilled and cozy in our homes but due to our circumstances that has changed- we feel empty inside, a longing. What does it take to recoup that image, the house vs. a home? Our concepts of a dream home all differ. Some want the quiet countryside home, some love the buzz of the big con...
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