Welcome to Brickdeals
Are you buying or selling property in South Africa?
This website helps you:
- understand the contract;
- know how to negotiate to gain advantage and save costs;
- understand what you need to know about the property;
- find information available to you about the property; and
- find help, if you need it.
This site is handy for buyers, sellers and agents.
How this website works
This is not legal advice. By using this site, you accept the terms and conditions set out on the terms and conditions tab. For legal advice tailored to your deal, we can point you to attorneys who will need to see the contract you are negotiating and understand your circumstances to be able to advise you.
This website empowers you to be alive to dangers and opportunities common in many such agreements in general terms, and points you to the right source of help if you need it.
This website is not intended to replace a selling agent. The role of the agent is to introduce willing and able buyers and sellers, and the agent may well offer you a blank agreement to start the process if you are the buyer and have chosen not to use your own attorney. This site helps you understand how the content of each clause can affect the outcome of the transaction.
Get Started
DO IT YOURSELF
Read the seven golden rules and the information in the clauses. In this option, you can use this website as a source of information.
CONTACT US
Would you like more detailed help? Book an appointment with us. Depending on what you have picked for us to do, we will recommend the amount of time you need to book. The cost will depend on the estimated time of the job. Head to the diary and book the time slot that suits you. Let us have payment within 20 minutes if you want to keep the time slot. Stand by and we will contact you at the booked time using the contact information you have provided.
Alternatively, on the page called “How can we help you?” complete the online questionnaire to help us prepare for the job, or simply email ronel@straughaninc.com.
We look forward to working with you.
The 7 Golden Rules
1. “Don’t worry, its a standard form agreement”
There is no such thing as a standard form agreement...
2. “We don’t need to write that down, we have agreed.”
Leave nothing unwritten. Any fact relied on by you must be in the agreement...
3. “This is just an offer. We can confirm later by email…”
Property deals in South Africa must be in writing and signed by both parties...
Typical Clauses
The parties (buyer, seller and possibly the agent)
This is the first post dealing with typical clauses. We suggest you read the content of the 7 golden rules before you read the content of the typical clauses.
The property description – not as obvious as you may think
Avoid uncertainty. Don't be vague. To describe the property being bought and sold, follow the full description according to the seller's title deed. A useful way to make sure you have described the property correctly [...]
The purchase price and payment
If there is an agent involved, the buyer and seller should ask what sales have taken place in the area recently. Compare those prices and properties with the property being sold now. Again, this [...]