Selling your house?

🏡 So, You’re Selling Your House? Here’s What Happens (And What You Wish You Knew)
Congratulations! You’ve decided to sell your house. Whether you’re upgrading, downsizing, or just moving to escape that one neighbour who insists on mowing the lawn at 6am, you’re about to embark on a journey that involves excitement, a bit of admin, and—yes—a lot of paperwork.
But fear not! We’re here to walk you through the entire home-selling process, from the moment you say, “I think this place is worth a fortune,” to the glorious day it’s officially registered in the buyer’s name.
Spoiler: It helps to have a friendly, efficient, no-nonsense conveyancer on your side. (Hello from Wikus Strydom Attorneys 👋)
Let’s begin…

1. 📏 The Valuation: Putting a Price on Your Castle
   Before you pop the champagne, you need to find out what your house is worth. This isn’t the time to be sentimental. (“But we painted that wall together!”) A local estate agent or property valuer will look at your home, compare it to others in the area, and give you a market-related valuation.
   👉 Pro tip: Overpricing means your house will sit on the market like a guest no one invited to the braai.
2. 🏘 Appointing an Estate Agent (Or Going Solo)
   Most sellers choose to work with an estate agent, and for good reason—they market the property, handle viewings, and chase down buyers who mysteriously disappear after promising to “just chat to the bank.”
   But if you’re brave (and enjoy admin), you can go the private sale route. Just know that you’ll be doing the heavy lifting—and probably Googling things at 2am.
3. 📄 Offer to Purchase (OTP): The Legal Love Letter
   Once a buyer decides your home is the one, they’ll submit an Offer to Purchase. This is where things start getting official. Read it. Read it again. Then let your conveyancer read it (you do have a conveyancer, right? 👀).
   The OTP will include:
   Purchase price
   Suspensive conditions (like bond approval)
   Occupation date
   Who pays what (yes, the buyers should pay for their own champagne)
4. 🖋 Acceptance & Bond Approval
   If you’re happy with the offer, you sign on the dotted line. Now the ball is in the buyer’s court—they need to get bond approval, usually within a set number of days. This is often where sellers develop a nervous eye twitch, so stay calm. Or try yoga.
5. 🧾 Appointing a Conveyancer: Your Paperwork Warrior
   Once the OTP is signed and conditions are met, it’s time to bring in the big guns: the conveyancer. (That’s us, by the way. Hi again 👋)
   We handle:
   The transfer of ownership
   Liaising with the Deeds Office
   Drafting and lodging all those delightful legal documents
   Keeping you sane
   You have the right to choose the conveyancer, even if the agent tells you otherwise. Choose someone who picks up the phone when you call, explains things in plain English, and doesn’t charge extra for breathing.
6. 💰 Rates Clearance & Compliance Certificates
   No one wants to inherit your old plumbing problems or a secret electricity war zone. That’s why you’ll need:
   A Rates Clearance Certificate from the municipality (showing your rates are paid up)
   Certificates of compliance for electrical, water, beetles (yes, beetles), gas, and electric fencing (if applicable)
   Your conveyancer will help arrange this. And if you don’t know where your last water bill is? Don’t panic. We’ve seen worse.
7. 📦 Occupational Rent & Moving Out
   If the buyer moves in before registration, they’ll usually pay you occupational rent. That’s basically rent until the property legally transfers.
   Use this time to pack, cry a little, and wonder how you managed to accumulate so many Tupperware lids with no matching containers.
8. 📝 Lodging at the Deeds Office
   Your conveyancer (yes, still us 😎) will lodge all necessary documents at the Deeds Office. This process takes about 7–10 working days, give or take a public holiday or two.
   Then, on a beautiful, unsuspecting weekday—it’s official.
9. 🏁 Registration Day: Pop the Bubbly!
   The property is now officially registered in the buyer’s name, and you get paid out. Your house has a new owner. You did it!
   Go celebrate. Take a nap. Avoid online property listings for at least a month—you’ve earned it.
   Final Thoughts: The Secret Sauce? The Conveyancer
   Selling a house can be stressful—but with the right team, it doesn’t have to be. At Wikus Strydom Attorneys, we believe in making the legal stuff simple, the timelines clear, and the client experience personal. No runarounds, no ghosting, just solid legal support.