Rental and Sales Agents needed

Property Sales and Rentals Agents needed in the North and North West suburbs of Johannesburg

 

Must have: Own car, laptop, cellphone and a valid FFC

RENTAL AGENT POSITION:

• Etchells & Young  is the Rental & Management Leader in acquiring new complexes where we are assigned as the primary agents by the developers.
• Established Commission structure: Earn on Rentals + Management + Renewals + Sales Bonus Incentive Scheme
• Very supportive infrastructure: Established Systems & Procedures Dedicated Admin staff Sophisticated IT rental management system Agent’s own workstation Office utilities and facilities
• Leading Edge Technology Advertising: Very strong marketing and advertising in-house team Tweak marketing strategies on a daily basis Weekly -14 strong websites + E & Y website Flyers Billboards Boards Teardrops Promotion team E-notices Big tenant database (up to 10 000 calls/month) Client Competition Prizes Trailer Advertising
• Brilliant Training: We develop our people to their full potential Quality In-house as well as field training Continuous training in business and personal development
• Updated information in accordance to the EAAB Recognition: An Annual Awards Evening Ongoing Agent Competition Prizes
• The whole package: Our Rental Management Services is very comprehensive and therefore attract owners to use the E&Y Agents for rentals. Our Business Practices run parallel with the SA Property & Labour Legislation. We Conduct our business with high levels of Trust, Fairness and Honesty.

SALES AGENT POSITION:

Why Sellers choose Etchells and Young?

• We have unlimited potential buyers from our large Tenant Database ( from the Rental advertising )
• We have potential buyers from our large Investor Database ( from the Rental Management )
• We do aggressive marketing and advertising, including Virtual Tours We provide professional marketing material
• We have a unique in-house multi listing system within Etchells & Young Our Agents are motivated by a higher commission structure for the top achievers Professional training is provided for the Sales Agents

Contact: Odie 083 554 7670 odie@etchellsandyoung.co.za OR Tanja 082 922 9008 tanja@etchellsandyoung.co.za

Property Trends 2012

 Property Trends 2012 

There is reason to believe that 2012 will be a good year for the property market in South Africa especially in comparison to other countries which were harder hit by the recession.

Buying Property 2012

House prices and interest rates are at an all time low increasing affordability and in some areas making it even more affordable to own property than to rent, with homes prices declining and residential rentals rising. With interest rates at 9%, if a buyer has a 10% deposit and the property is under R750 000, it will be cheaper to buy than to rent. This is great news for potential first time home owners. The lending volumes however will remain the same as in 2011. making it difficult to obtain finance. Most banks are currently credit-scoring potential borrowers to make provision for a 1 or 2% interest rate increase in the future. This is a good thing for those who are approved for loans as it creates financial resilience to stay afloat should such an increase occur.

Renting Your Property 2012

Rental prices are steadily rising due to demand for quality properties especially in the northern suburbs of Johannesburg. However owners must still be cautious not to over price their rental properties.  Area plays a big role in market related rental prices, if the price of your rental property in Morningside for example is priced the same as a similar property in Hyde Park, you are overpricing. If you are using a reputable rental agent, it is their responsibility to price counsel you and ensure that the price of your rental property is market related and easily achievable. Quality rental homes offered at the right price will move quickly.

Selling Your Property 2012 

There is renewed stability in the market as sellers are starting to accept current price realities in the South African property market. If you are considering selling your property in 2012 it is recommended that you seek the services of a qualified professional agent who will be able to guide you in terms of  a realistic market related price. In 2012 estate agencies will become reluctant to take on overpriced sales. Reasonable demand remains in the property market and sellers who accept price realities and utilise the services of a professional agent, should have no problem to sell within a reasonable time at a reasonable price.

Holiday Safety Tips

 

 

 

 

Holiday safety tips for your home

 

statistics clearly show that criminal activity increases during the holiday period and it is therefore imperative to take the right precautions and not let your guard down, “says Richard McGhee, Sales and Marketing Director of ADT Security, South Africa.

• Ensure that your alarm is in working order, test your alarms at least 2 weeks before going away
• Be discreet when preparing to go away, park cars behind closed doors, if possible in the garage
• Never leave a message on the answering machine stating that you are out of town
• Advise your security company if you are going away and ensure that you supply all the necessary information regarding nearby key holders, in case of an emergency
• Inform you neighbours of your holiday plans so that they can keep an eye on your property
• Stop all newspaper deliveries and ask a neighbour or friend to collect your post, a bulging post box is a dead giveaway that you are not at home
• If hiring a house sitter, ensure that you teach them how to use your alarm correctly
• Double check that you have locked and secured all windows and doors before leaving home
• Ensure that all your outside locks are a minimum of four lever locks or double cylinder security locks 
• Never leave a key on the inside of an outer door which has glass panels or glass near the door lock 
• Having security gates  fitted on outer doors is a highly effective security measure 
• Sliding doors can be secured simply by placing a piece of timber cut to size in the sliding rail, make sure that sliding doors cannot be lifted vertically
• Full fencing and a sturdy gate are good deterrents
• Have good exterior lighting, preferably on a timer
• Do not leave tools like ladders or spades outside, as they can be used to break into your house
• Clear signage indicating that you have security also helps to discourage burglars

 

Travelling Safety Tips 

Travelling at Christmas time, particularly by car can be stressful. But there are several safety precautions you can take that will ward off potential problems.

• Take a look at your car, make sure that you have a spare tyre that is properly inflated to the correct pressure
• Check that you have a wheel spanner and jack in your tool kit
• Check all your tyres for sufficient tread and pressure
• Make sure your windows are clean
• Make sure your battery is properly charged
• Find a quiet stretch of road to test your brakes before you take the trip
• Make sure you get plenty of sleep the night before a long journey
• remember that a few drinks the night before can remain in your bloodstream for several hours and can affect your driving ability
• Make sure you have blankets and a first aid kit in the car
• A flashlight if you are travelling in the dark
• Ensure that your cellphone is fully charged, even better to invest in a car charger

We hope these tips are useful, have a safe journey and a festive holday season!!!

Top 10 new years resolutions….. that never happen

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Well…… it’s that time of year again!!!

Can you believe it’s almost December? I certainly can’t, but there are signs all around us telling us that it’s time to unwind and get into holiday spirit, some examples of these below:

• Gareth Cliff is running his B-Map programme on radio
• Bony -M  in every store, shopping mall, restaurant and take out shop you walk into
• Corporate Christmas functions EVERYWHERE
• Television and media ads telling you what you absolutely cannot do without this festive season
• Highveld radio is doing Christmas wishlist
• Slow service – everyone already got that holiday “spirit”
• Christmas trees and decorations EVERYWHERE
• Happy children and drunk students
• We start eating and drinking (more than usual)
• We daydream at work (more than usual)
• Movies like the Nutcracker and Home Alone run on a DAILY basis

So that is all I could think of that usually gets me feeling that Holiday/Christmas vibe…. But I am not the most creative person, so I plead with you to comment on this post with some more “signs it’s nearly Christmas” so that mine don’t look as lame, oh and……

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A fabulous festive season and new year to all!!!!

 

Do you know the CPA?

Do you know your obligations as a Landlord in

 terms of the new CPA?

A property owner’s goal to accumulate wealth through his investment is achievable provided a quality tenant was sourced, the tenant pays the rent on time and treats the property with respect, and the investor understands the tenant’s rights. If the investor is not 100% informed and fully compliant with the laws and regulations that govern this industry, he is not protected from potentially unscrupulous claim from disgruntled tenants, contractors and other bodies. Property Owners who want to manage their own investment property should consider the following questions:

• Do you know your obligations and your tenant’s rights according to the new Consumer Protection Act?
• Are you operating within the regulations of the Rental Housing Act?
• Do you provide your tenant with monthly statements and invoices?
• Do you keep your tenant’s deposit in a separate interest bearing account?
• Do you have the time to monitor and manage the repairs and maintenance of your property?
• Do you know how to respond if you are called to appear before the Rental Housing Tribunal?

Wise investors know that it is less expensive to hire a fully compliant professional rental agent who has the expertise and experience to manage their properties, especially in this complex industry with many potential pitfalls. Quality tenants prefer to rent properties that are managed by professional rental agents. Follow this link to read more about the Etchells & Young Rental Management Services  http://www.etchellsandyoung.co.za/static/rental-management

 

Facebook Competition

“LIKE” our Facebook page and stand a chance to Win free rental management for one year up to the value of R12 000!

http://www.facebook.com/EtchellsYoung#!/EtchellsYoung?sk=app_190322544333196

Increasing Rental Rates

Increasing Rental Rates

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Currently 51% of homeowners who sell their properties because of increasing financial pressure, would rather rent than buy cheaper property. Undersupply of rental stock is ever-increasing and this is going to put active property investors in a favourable position in the next few years. Rental growth has moved from 6% in June 2010 to 8.3% in June 2011, this is according to the Stats SA Quarterly survey. Joburg rentals in the middle house segment have been considerably strong with high demand for 1 and 3 bedrooms and slightly less for 2 bedroom units.

The corporate rental market however, is not doing as well as a result of corporate organisations cutting their budgets and being reluctant to spend more than R25 000 per month on high-end furnished properties. An oversupply of furnished properties in the Northern suburbs is a direct result of the 2010 Soccer World Cup which was hosted in SA last year.

Advice to owners of furnished high-end properties is to ask market related rental prices. Overpricing can be dangerous as you run the risk of the property being vacant for weeks if not months. Owners should calculate the cost of the unit being vacant VS the monthly cost of storage to ascertain whether it would be more financially viable to rent the property without furniture at a lower rental but also with less risk involved.

Are your tenants paying?

Are your tenants paying – On time? In full? At all?

There has been a 2% decline of tenants in good standing in Q1 of 2011 from 81% to 79% on Q2 of 2011.   15% of tenants in Gauteng defaulted on their rental payments in the 2Q. The breakdown of these figures as follows:

Paid on time: 66%
Paid late: 13%
Did not pay: 12%

The increased percentages are more than likely as a result of the mounting financial pressure on households brought about by debt, increased unemployment, price hikes in food, electricity and fuel affecting monthly expenses and thus decreasing the ability to pay rent on time/in full/or at all. The most affected price bracket are rentals under R3000 p/m with only 72% of the tenants in good standing, 58% paid on time and 18% did not pay at all.

Similarly properties priced at R12 000 p/m and up were also performing badly at 74% in good standing, 57% paid on time and 16% not paying at all.

Properties priced between R3000 and R7000 were performing much better at 83% in good standing. 70% paid on time and only 8% did not pay.

These figures are an indication that owners need to be more vigilant when selecting tenants, the safest route would be to appoint a Professional Rental Management Agent to source a quality tenant and manage the property and the tenant on a monthly basis. For more information contact: michelle@etchellsandyoung.co.za

 

The advantages of appointing a professional Rental Management Agent

Quality tenants prefer to rent properties which are managed

by professional rental agents

A Professional rental agent will :

Apply strict screening criteria to ensure quality tenants who will respect the owners’ property and adhere to Estate and Conduct rules.

• Have the resources to advertise your property aggressively which will give you the “advantage of choice” choosing the best tenant from many applicants.
  Stay abreast of new legislation in SA to fully understand the owners’ rights and obligations in terms of the Rental Housing Act.
• Have well trained agents and established rental systems and procedures to prevent any unnecessary legal risks.
• Have a lease agreement that will protect the clients’ rights in full, and has been used for thousands of rental placements successfully.
• Have a team of portfolio managers who run a professional Property Management System to invoice the tenant for monthly rental and utilities, do payment of utilities and levies, send statements to the owners, and follow up on defaulting tenants.
• Have a 24 hour maintenance division to do the management, administration, coordination and payment of authorized repairs and maintenance on behalf of the owner.

A Professional Rental Management Agent should offer the following services:

Tenant Placement Services

• Establishment of an on-site rentals team.
• Sourcing of tenants via an appropriate advertising campaign.
• Showing the available units.
• Administering tenant applications.
• Screening prospective tenants.
• Signing lease agreements with successful applicants.
• Collection of deposit and 1st month’s rent from tenant and holding the deposit in a Trust Account.
• Conducting an inspection of the unit with the tenant, drawing up a ‘snag list’ and key handover to the tenant.
• On-going communication with the owner.
• Signing of renewal agreement with the tenant (if applicable)
• All related administration.

Rental Management Services

• Management of the Lease Agreement.
  All tenant communication.
• Liaison with the Body Corporate or Managing Agent.
• Handling all correspondence on behalf of the owner with the tenant.
• Invoice the tenant for monthly for rental and utilities.
• Collection of monthly rental and other fees from the tenant.
• Payment of water, electricity and levies on behalf of the owner (as applicable).
• Payment to owner of the balance of the rental and fees collected.
• Management and follow up of defaulting tenants until payment has been made.
• Management, administration, coordination and payment of authorised repairs and maintenance on behalf of the owner.
• Attend to emergency and after hours maintenance issues.
• Monthly Statements sent to owners for each property managed.
• Assistance and advice with regards to Legal Processes and Evictions (if necessary).

Visit www.etchellsandyoung.co.za for more information on Rentals and Rental Management.