Recent content by mellow_loft

I think 7% is slightly aggressive after only 27 days when the comparable asking prices are close. Asking prices are imperfect, but they still tell the seller what alternatives buyers are seeing. If you would be disappointed to lose the flat, decide your next figure before submitting the first...

Before deciding, put three figures side by side: the extra annual rent from a permitted increase, the likely cost of even a short vacancy, and any work needed before reletting. Then speak to the tenant only after confirming the formal process. Keep the conversation simple: acknowledge their...

A concise request to the adviser could be: “Please provide the purchase price, every one-off charge, every recurring charge, the party receiving each payment, when it is due, and whether the estimate is fixed. Please also flag any ownership, residency, tax-reporting or succession issue that...

If a decision must be made from the May figures now, I would use them only to choose what to investigate next, not to declare a stronger Johannesburg market. The split between renovated stock and homes needing work may be real, and even a rough 38-day measure can signal that buyers are becoming...

One missing fact: do you know whether the seller has already reduced the price or rejected other offers? That would say more about motivation than the 36 days alone. I’d also give the offer a reasonable response deadline so it cannot sit indefinitely while being used to draw out another buyer.

Five percent below does not sound inherently aggressive after 36 days, particularly if the updating costs are real. Keep the rationale short: limited completed-sale evidence, current condition and the certainty you can offer. Provide credible proof of financing and avoid an itemised attack on...