Question 1

Is it legal to sell my home privately in South Africa?

Accepted Answer

Yes — completely. You're not required to use an estate agent to sell property in South Africa. The sale is legally completed by a conveyancing attorney who registers the transfer at the Deeds Office, exactly as they would for an agent-led sale.

Question 2

How does PrivateHomeSale charge nothing on a successful sale?

Accepted Answer

We work directly with the conveyancing attorney handling your transfer. Our involvement is built into the standard transfer process — there's no separate fee added for buyer or seller when the sale registers successfully.

Question 3

What if the sale falls through?

Accepted Answer

If the deal collapses after we've done the work — buyer can't get bond approval, parties pull out, suspensive conditions fail — there's a flat R5,000 fee. That covers our time on the paperwork. No fee applies if you decide not to proceed before we've started.

Question 4

Can I use my own conveyancer?

Accepted Answer

Yes. In South Africa it's the seller's right to nominate the conveyancer. If you have one you've worked with before, we'll brief and coordinate with them. If not, we can recommend one.

Question 5

What is FICA and do I need it?

Accepted Answer

FICA (Financial Intelligence Centre Act) requires both buyer and seller to provide proof of identity and address before a property sale. It's mandatory. We handle the FICA process for you as part of our service.

Question 6

What about compliance certificates?

Accepted Answer

Depending on the property and the municipality, you may need certificates for electrical, gas, plumbing, beetle, and electric fence. We tell you exactly which apply to your sale and help you arrange them through accredited contractors.

Question 7

How long does a private sale take?

Accepted Answer

From signed Offer to Purchase to registration is typically 8–12 weeks if the buyer is paying cash, or 10–14 weeks with bond approval. Timing is essentially the same as an agent-led sale — the conveyancer drives the timeline, not us.

Question 8

How is the deposit handled?

Accepted Answer

The buyer's deposit is paid into the conveyancer's trust account — not to you, and not to us. It's held safely until registration and then released to you with the balance of the purchase price.

Question 9

Do you cover the whole country?

Accepted Answer

Yes. PrivateHomeSale works with sellers across all nine provinces of South Africa. The conveyancing process is national, so we can coordinate from anywhere.

Question 10

What if I haven't found a buyer yet?

Accepted Answer

That's fine — get in touch anyway. We can advise on pricing, marketing your property privately (online platforms, signage, social media), and what to put in place before a buyer appears.

Questions, answered