Author name: Sipho Mahayi

In a property negotiation, a seller who knows the comparable sales can answer a low offer calmly, and calm keeps the deal alive.

Body corporate minutes will be read years later by buyers who know nobody in the room, so clear minutes protect future prices.

Extra bond payments work best as one decision built into the debit order, rather than a choice that has to be won again every month.

Paying off a bond is a milestone, but insurance, maintenance and the formal bond cancellation still need attention once the bank steps away.

The first owners in a new estate are lonely for a while, but it passes as the street fills and owners take over from the developer.

Buyers discount what they cannot understand, so a seller who has plans, levies, rates and certificates ready tends to get offers closer to price.

In a sectional title scheme, loyalty belongs to the owners’ money and rules first, and a managing agent earns it by doing the job well.

Volunteer trustees last longer when they treat complaints as information rather than attacks, and their schemes keep a memory.

A house on show day is a performance, so a second visit and a read of the plans and title deed show a buyer what they are really buying.