Questions buyers commonly ask

Frequently asked questions

Practical answers to the questions South African buyers ask most about the conveyancing steps and the documents a transfer needs, whether the property is a sectional title unit or a freehold home.

Speak to a conveyancer as soon as the Offer to Purchase is accepted, or before you sign it if the conditions look complicated. Early involvement means the suspensive conditions get realistic dates and the Deeds Office search and FICA verification start immediately.

A Deeds Office search confirms registered ownership and shows the existing bond, servitudes, conditions of title, endorsements and any interdict. For a sectional title unit it also covers the sectional plan, the participation quota and registered exclusive use areas.

Yes. The sectional plan, the conduct and management rules under the STSMA, the levy roll, the reserve fund position and the trustee minutes can all contain restrictions or a looming special levy that changes what the unit costs to own.

Transfer costs scale with the purchase price and typically include transfer duty to SARS, conveyancing fees, Deeds Office fees, search and FICA disbursements, bond registration costs and the CSOS levy for a sectional title unit. Transfer duty is nil below roughly R1.2 million and rises on a sliding scale above that. Ask for an itemised pro forma account in rand, VAT at 15% included, before work begins.

Six to twelve weeks from acceptance to registration is normal. It depends on how quickly the bond is granted, how long the municipality takes to issue the rates clearance figure, and whether the Deeds Office is running a backlog.
Additional resources

Further reading on the transfer process

Guide

Reading a title deed: servitudes, conditions and interdicts

A short guide to what a Deeds Office search turns up, how a servitude, a restrictive condition of title or an interdict affects ownership, and what a buyer can do when one surfaces. It works through the entries that appear most often on a South African title deed and what each means for the purchase.

Explore more articles 2026-02-16
Checklist

Registration checklist for property buyers

A practical checklist of the documents to gather, the people to contact and the steps to finish before lodgement: FICA papers, the rates and levy clearance certificates, the electrical compliance certificate, the municipal account transfer and the final inspection of the property.

Explore more articles 2026-02-16
Reference

Sectional title documents: what to look for

An overview of the body corporate records that matter to a prospective buyer: the sectional plan and participation quota, the conduct and management rules under the STSMA, common property maintenance, the reserve fund and any special levy on the horizon.

Explore more articles 2026-02-16