Advice on homes is priceless

Oh, but he would say that… property expert Herschel Jawitz should expect that reaction after his advice to our readers that there is no time like the present for either buying or selling a house.

How can that be? Fair question… and one which Jawitz deals with in a thought-provoking way.

ALSO READ: Now is a great time to buy or sell your property

True, house prices are depressed in most areas at the moment. The economy is not looking good and not looking to improve much, either.

Therefore, it’s a good time to buy, especially if it’s a first-time purchase. But selling? Jawitz points out that if you’re selling to move or downsize, then the upside of getting less than you’d expect for the current house is that whatever you replace it with is likely to be cheaper, too.

He’s also got some words of warning for those who are considering “semi-grating” to the better-run places, like the Western Cape.

ALSO READ: Too pricey to stay: When keeping your house hurts your pockets

House prices there are, like for like, higher than those in the rest of the country. And if you hang on to your upcountry property hoping it will rise in value, the Cape places will be going up even quicker.

You’ll lose more. Jawitz’s best point, though, is that property is a longterm investment… so keep your nerve.