Jacques at Re/Max Address

05/06/2015

The one who gets up is so much stronger than the one who never fell

01/06/2015

Establish some privacy in your garden.

Townhouse living does offer some benefits, but privacy is definitely not one of them. Most townhouse gardens have hardly any privacy, and many are overlooked by units on higher levels. So how do you establish some privacy in your own garden?

While it depends on the Body Corporate rules that govern what you can and cannot do in your townhouse - and it pays to check by the way - you can add privacy without using brick and mortar.

Timber allows you to be creative in so many ways and, if you’re not allowed to attach a timber structure to the building, you can incorporate timber into the garden design to give you more privacy.

Mobile planters allow you move them around to create a private corner, and you don't need to spend a fortune on planter boxes if you make your own using shutterply. Shutterply is the commercial version of pine plywood, and has a much more rustic finish that can be stained and sealed. Or, go for marine plywood - much more expensive but has a beautiful finish.

Ornamental bamboo grows high without spreading and creates a wonderful dappled boundary that is perfect for planter boxes and for adding privacy to a small garden.

Source: http//www.home-dzine.co.za

27/05/2015

Property News: Holiday home buying seems on backburner
http://ow.ly/NrQBo

Expectation remains that major city markets will continue to outperform holiday markets for the foreseeable future, according to a new index.

25/05/2015

Things to remember when styling your coffee table.

The main focus in any living room will be your two most pre-dominant pieces - the sofas and the coffee table. Sofas can be easily decorated with scatter cushions and throws in accent colours and designs. When it comes to your coffee table, it is just as important to apply as much decor time and detail to this piece as you do to the rest of your home.

Always remember the below guide of elements when styling your coffee table:
1. Natural elements: Flowers / orchids add colour and give a feel of the outside
2. Candles: Create ambient lighting and, if scented, even better for the space
2. Books: Add interest and give your guest more insight as to who you are
4. Decor and artifacts: Always a great addition to conversation
5. Tray: The main grounding element of coffee table styling, like a carpet is to a room.

Like decorating any area of your home, take your time to find collectables that truly represent you as a person. Your coffee table design is your personal showcase!

Source: http//spice4life.co.za

18/05/2015

3 Essential tips for decorating a living room

Here are three practical tips to help you to plan or revamp the real heart of a home!

The living room is where many a movie night is enjoyed, games are played, workouts performed, guests entertained and, thanks to technology, it can even be an occasional home office. This room works hard – and even harder over the winter months when we prefer to cuddle up indoors rather than venture outside.

If your living room is looking more ‘lived in' than you’d like, or you simply want to start decorating it from scratch, here are three essential tips to bear in mind…

1. The drawing board
Before you buy a piece of furniture for your living room, draw up a floor plan that takes into account the size of the space and the various ways in which you want to use the room.
If your kids play in the living room and you would like to be able to follow workout DVDs in the space, you may prefer to keep the floor space open. In this case, instead of one heavy coffee table in the middle of the room, opt for smaller side tables that flank the sofas and chairs.

2. Pick a pattern
Rugs can help make living rooms feel cosy - particularly when the floor is tiled or wooden. When looking for a rug, bear in mind that a patterned rug doesn't show dirt as much as a plain rug would. This is especially good to consider if you have kids or pets.

3. Do double duty
In a small living room, save space by looking for double duty furniture - pieces that serve more than one purpose.
For example, stools could be used as side tables and provide extra seating when you have guests. Storage ottomans are another favourite, because they offer a hiding place for extra blankets, DVDs and board games. You could use an ottoman to put your feet up on, as extra seating or pop a pretty tray on top and voila - you have a coffee table!

Source: http//www.all4women.co.za

15/05/2015

The meaning of life is to find your gift, the purpose of life is to give it away

13/05/2015

Property news: The top estates in SA for the super rich.
http://ow.ly/MmWFz

Estates in the Western Cape dominate a new survey of top residential estates in South Africa

11/05/2015

Monthly fuel cost calculator: Stay in control of your budget no matter what the fuel price.

There’s a tool that ensures motorists know exactly how a fuel price hike or drop will affect their wallet.

The ebb and flow of the fuel price in South Africa means uncertainty regarding how much more, or less, cash one will have in their pockets at the end of the month.

Drive South Africa recently launched a monthly fuel cost calculator that helps motorists stay on top of fuel expenses - helping them budget better. The fully responsive, web-based app works out precisely how much you are going to spend on fuel during the month, and how much more (or less) money you will spend (or save) compared to the previous month.

Budget-conscious households can now utilise the tool to reallocate funds between their expense accounts on a monthly basis, depending on whether fuel costs are higher or lower.

The total monthly fuel spend is based on the current fuel price as updated by South Africa’s Department of Energy on the first Wednesday of every month. The tool is designed to give all motorists an accurate monthly fuel cost calculation, by offering four ways to calculate monthly fuel spend:
- How many kilometres they've driven.
- How much money they've spent.
- How many times they've filled up their tank this month.
- How many litres they've used.

Check it out at http://www.drivesouthafrica.co.za/fuel-cost-calculator/

Source: http//www.women24.com

04/05/2015

Six serious wallpaper myths debunked

There are lots of gorgeous wallpapers to choose from when you are looking to give your home a makeover, but some people shy away from wallpaper because of some common misconceptions.

Myth #1: Worried that wallpaper is not on-trend?
If you want to talk about trends, then the minimalist plain wall is well and truly out of fashion, and bright, colourful wallpapers can be spotted adorning the walls of many homes featured in magazines and on TV makeover shows right now.

Myth #2: Wallpaper is not eco-friendly
Many of us are much more environmentally aware these days and want to do our bit for the planet, so you will be pleased to know that wallpaper is most often made of paper which is renewable and biodegradable.

Myth #3: You can’t use wallpaper in kitchens or bathrooms
A lot of people seem to think that this is the case, but you can happily have your choice of colours and designs hanging on the walls in your bathroom and your kitchen without any worries at all.

Myth #4: Wallpaper is difficult to hang or remove
Some are put off by past experiences of hanging wallpapers, but the new breed of easy-hang wallpapers that are out there, make it a job you can tackle with confidence over a weekend.

Myth #5: You tire of wallpapers more quickly
The truth is that most of us take the time to choose the right pattern and colour scheme for our walls when we are going with wallpaper, so you will probably end up keeping the wallpaper for longer than paint because you loved it so much in the first place.

Myth #6: Commitment issues
Those with commitment issues need have no fears about using wallpaper for their decorating plans. Temporary wall décor products are there to give you great options and a beautiful room as well.
Now that these wallpaper myths have been well and truly debunked, what are you waiting for?

Source: http//www.women24.com/

01/05/2015

At first, they'll ask you why you're doing it. Later, they'll ask you how you did it. Happy Workers' Day

29/04/2015

Property news - Affordable property market: rental units on the rise to address shortages in the market.
http://ow.ly/MdZAt

To address shortages in the market.

22/04/2015

And the hikes just keep coming… What recent price increases mean for the SA property market.
http://ow.ly/Lww7F

At the beginning of April, South Africans were subjected to a massive petrol price hike. The cost of electricity, water and other municipal...