Challenges of Home Ownership as (African) Americans in S. Africa - Ep. 16

[@DrAntoinetteLloydMD]

I’m very interested in relocating to The Motherland. I’m seriously considering South Africa and Botswana. I love the modern conveniences of South Africa. I love the peace & safety in Botswana. Love seeing my friendly melanated brothers and sisters, everywhere I look in both countries!

[@MelAndMe]

Yes. We actually spoke in more detail about what went into our decision-making in choosing our specific country in Episode 2 - “Doing BIG Things in SA”. We will of course over time be able to visit the neighboring countries here and there as we settle into our SA experience (at least… that is our hope).☺️

[@sunelelujabe8075]

You are welcome to South Africa. This country is yours too. Can I ask in which city you prefer to settle in in South Africa? Cape Town, Johannesburg, Durban, Port Elizabeth, East London and more.

[@DrAntoinetteLloydMD]

@@sunelelujabe8075 I liked all the 3 cities I stayed in: Durban, Cape Town, and Joburg. I need more info and more time spent in each city, to determine where I would prefer to settle.

[@Gaogakwe_M]

Enjoyed this podcast so much family.👌❤️

[@ThomasThatelo]

Once you made a purchase, your property needa to be registered at the deeds office, which can take up to three or six months at max. This is usually a case with cash deal purchase properties. After it has been registered at the deeds office, it has to go to the attorney, so that, you can be issued with a title deed. Even with the purchase of a vacant land, same process, three to six months of finalising your purchase property.

[@MelAndMe]

Yes. Thank you for the info. You are absolutely correct. We are finally, FINALLY through the process 🥵 with deed IN HAND!🤗 It was a great learning experience that we can now carry with us, going forward with in future endeavors here.

[@ThomasThatelo]

@@MelAndMe congratulations 🎉👏. You are an official owner of the propery.

[@DrAntoinetteLloydMD]

Thks for the info!

[@suitelife1781]

Thanks so much for the additional information you guys.👊🏾👊🏾 Valerie

[@MelAndMe]

Definitely much more we can and will share. Some things are forefront of mind though due to going through in the present.😏

[@DrAntoinetteLloydMD]

Appreciate your explaining the processes in detail. Very informative and helpful👍🏽

[@southafricaismyhome814]

For black Americans Whatsapp is big in Southafrica 🇿🇦🇿🇦

[@alkebulanafricanconversati1728]

I'm South Africa living in New Zealand for the past 6years, my wife and kids are went back to SA and I will be joining them in a few months. Living overseas only offered us a stronger currency but the standard of our life dropped, back home one lives a much better life than overseas, properties that many in New Zealand can only dream of living in, middle class South Africans live in.....and many other things. I can't wait to be back home and live, see my people, enjoy great food. I hope we will one day bump into each other in mall of Africa, Sandton, or Rosebank. Inform more of our brothers and sister to come home and build their own and stop being bullied.

[@MelAndMe]

Interesting and sober perspective there! I guess the crux of your point is…it all comes down to what’s most important to you in life, and being able to accept trade-offs and being strategic goes a long way. Life can be one of “seasons”. You make moves, position yourself and live things out to your best benefit and that of others. You can leverage the advantage of that stronger currency you have enjoyed and the ingenuity to contribute to and hopefully bring SA forward - doing YOUR part. 🤗 Imagine if that sentiment continues to spread and become embraced by the collective??🤷🏾‍♂️ We believe it is slowly catching on. As long as the people of SA take the reins in electing effective leadership and holding them accountable (which I of course cannot do as a foreigner), the conditions and environment in SA can become such where SA truly steps into its glory, and all of the wonderful potential can be harnessed with natives, expats, repats, etc. That’s our view. 😊🇿🇦

[@DrAntoinetteLloydMD]

I wish you two a successful and happy transition to SA!

[@MelAndMe]

Thank you and hope the same for you as you continue to explore your possibilities. May we all represent well - those of us who choose embark on the various levels.💪🏾 We think that makes all the difference in the world.

[@ricardoargudin973]

My property just transferred in December. The patience part is key!! Through out the process there were so many times I thought I was going to have to get on a flight. But received a WhatsApp from my conveyancer that calmed me down.

[@MelAndMe]

We definitely FEEL you! 😄 Coincidentally, just got our first rates and taxes bill yesterday. That took about 6 weeks after transfer complete through our agent on the ground there. The good thing is now we can simply manage the (monthly) tax payment online through the website. Can also identify with being in constant mode of pre-planning for that impromptu trip to address issue that absolutely requires your physical presence. 🤑 Very important to have good working relationship with conveyance attorneys and other agents acting on your behalf. WhatsApp, emails, early phone calls on my end made all the difference in the world. Congratulations 🥂and best wishes.

[@malusingubane8621]

Regarding the key for your house, you dont have to send it to whoever is checking in on your property. You just havebto send them the key number which is usually found on the key. They'll benable to make copies and gain entry to your house.

[@MelAndMe]

Good info. Didn’t know that. I kinda don’t like that though, as if one ever leaves his or her keys laying around the next person could snoop, take that number and have a key made to your residence. To be honest, I did have that concern about that when we received keys from the developer when we took occupancy. Realistically if someone was less than trustworthy (let’s just say random tradesperson working in property while under construction) they could copy number and then have key reproduced. Could even be less than honest employee who supervises development of the various units. I will certainly change locks next time we are there to mitigate that risk. While I desire the ideal situation of unquestionable integrity, we do live in the “real” world, and given my somewhat unique situation (at least for now), must operate with a little more caution. Appreciate your input on this. 😊

[@eddieives378]

Another great informative video. I sent an email this morning to ask if their levy was the same as our HOA. Once I got an address I was planning on opening a bank account

[@MelAndMe]

I unfortunately do not see an email from you in our gmail account. I even checked the trash and spam - nothing. Please check email address. To answer your question here though, levies may vary by community, and yes…they work pretty much the same as HOA/POA dues in the U.S. As for bank account, you can open a NON-Resident bank account, that will utilize your “foreign” address of record and passport number.

[@eddieives378]

@MelAndMe I wasn't going to message back until tomorrow and remembered you're in the states. Sorry for the misunderstanding. I should have been more clear. I was a real estate agent I emailed with the question about the levy. He didn't get back but I got the answer from your video. In my purchase the seller is paying the levy the first year. I was making sure it was the same as an HOA.

[@kennedytsokodibane3058]

The transfer process is handled by the attorneys. The only thing that the property owner handles is the rates & taxes registration at the municipalities.

[@MelAndMe]

Yes. We await that transfer process, which the attorneys will then pass off to our agents on the ground there to handle the tax piece. I can’t wait until that’s is done because it takes us off the hook for “occupational rent” (which fortunately we have been able to avoid so far) 😮‍💨

[@kennedytsokodibane3058]

@@MelAndMe Please ensure you receive a C.O.C (Certificate of Compliance) that declares that all the wiring & appliances are safe from the transfer lawyers. This is part of the transfer process & the cost of it is included in the lawyer's fees. I recently bought a property myself in a gated complex & the lawyer's didn't give me this certificate. They then tried to get me to pay for it. Fortunately it got sorted out amicably with the previous owner & I received the C.O.C.

[@MelAndMe]

Appreciate that information!👏🏾 I wonder if that applies to new construction? That is our purchase. Sounds like your purchase was from an existing owner.

[@kennedytsokodibane3058]

@@MelAndMe It applies to every property that gets transferred in SA. It is a requirement that the electrical wiring & appliances must be declared safe & compliant with South Africa's wiring code, before being transferred to a new owner.

[@MelAndMe]

Yo, wanted to come back here and thank you again. Got this reply from attorneys im response to my follow-up on status: “We will further provide you with a copy of the Electrical Compliance certificate on registration.” You made me look like a genius! Good l👀king out! 😄🤙🏾 Stuff like this is what makes online internet exchange enjoyable.

[@ssenah61]

You can always your levy in bulk, for example a full 3-6 months in advance

[@MelAndMe]

Yes, definitely. Thankful since that time to have gotten past getting our levy taken care of via electronic debit. Now that we have a means to accomplish we can find tune the process.☺️

[@AfricOnPoint]

+27 is South African International number

[@MelAndMe]

Yes, that is the “country code”. That is however different from the “local area” code. In the case of “087”, it substitutes the area code and is known as a “VAS” number. It can be assigned anywhere across the country and is used for things like my prepaid phone.

[@MelAndMe]

I would like to correct myself. My prepaid is not 087. Some of the numbers I was attempting to call (from my US phone) were 087…like my Insurance company over there. Sorry for confusion. ☺️

[@Phila-zd3ps]

Hi family❤

[@MelAndMe]

Thanks for peeking in on us again fam. Appreciate it and wish you the best.😊

[@charlescharles6191]

When they say first world it's not meant to describe the people it another way of saying industrialized nation. The is refers to a country that relies on manufacturing as its economic engine. It also does not mean that SA is a third world nation. They are considered a Second world nation. I would argue that being a third world nation economically is better for the environment than being industrialized. Most if not all industrialized nations use more natural resources than others and because of this are horrible actors that disrupt the stability of third world nations.

[@MelAndMe]

Well aware it denotes industrialized, and more accurately also encompasses standard of living and infrastructure development. It stands to reason that to support all of those things requires advancements in processes, whether logistical, administrative, etc. I personally prefer not to slap labels onto societies such as “___world”, because I recognize there can be implied stigma. I will however draw irony in cases where my own country does not live up to its “first world” perception. In one of my videos I spoke of SA in the context of repeating something a S. African (Afrikaaner) actually stated to me that was really unsolicited. It honestly made me a bit uncomfortable because my expectations were properly set. I felt no need to be catered to and no apology made for the specific inefficiency that was spoken to. The last part of your post I am in agreement with also.