Residential Guidebook Residential Guidebook 2013 | Page 25

You can judge their business practice and past successes and then make a decision whether they are a good fit for you. Map it out If you are not sure about the type of neighbourhood you want to buy in, it’s a good idea to use a local site, and Google Map the surrounding area to see how far they are from public transport, schools or shops. You can even go one step further and Google Map the street view and the properties in that street, before you set up a viewing. Test the town website Once you have decided on a town or suburb you can go online and see what to expect all year round, by searching for calendar events. A look through the local newspapers online will give you an idea of the neighbourhood in terms of crime and police presence. Scope out the neighbourhood A lot of online sites will give you the ten best suburbs and even give you mortgage rates and home values, www.reimag.co.za allowing you to decide not just if you want to buy the property but also what house values in that area are, and what you can expect your home value to be, a very important factor when deciding to buy a property. Touch and feel W hile online sites are great for helping you narrow down what types of properties you want to buy. You need to see the propert y. Online shopping will get you to the front door and from then on you need to physically see property and it’s surrounds. THE TOP THREE SITES 1 2 www.property24.com 3 www.iolproperty.co.za www.privateproperty.co.za RESOURCES Property24 Private Property Residential Handbook 2013 23