Johannesburg Real Estate: Buy a House or Flat in Gauteng's Core

'Johannesburg' covers a metropolis. Areas often discussed by buyers include:

• Northern suburbs such as Sandton, Bryanston, Rosebank and Fourways: higher prices, corporate hubs, malls and private schools. Sandton-area living is the benchmark for expat professionals.
• Western suburbs such as Randburg and Roodepoort: family housing at lower prices.
• East Rand towns including Germiston, Alberton and Edenvale: practical, close to the airport and industry, and cheaper.
• Soweto: a large township area, with a mainly local resident market and prices well under the city median.

Commuting is largely by car, with the Gautrain linking Sandton, Rosebank, Pretoria and the airport. Because the city's tax and service delivery are municipal, always ask about rates, water and electricity before comparing two houses.

Be realistic about the South African context. Security is a major cost factor: most buyers choose gated estates or properties with armed response, and that is built into the price. Electricity supply has been a long-running problem, so solar panels, inverters and borehole water are common upgrades. Municipal service quality varies by area.

Sectional-title flats carry monthly levies, and special levies for repairs can follow if the body corporate is poorly run. Ask for the last three years of financial statements before you offer.

There are no general restrictions on foreigners buying residential property in South Africa. The process in outline:

1. Sign an offer to purchase, usually with a clause for finance and inspection.
2. Appoint a conveyancer (the seller's conveyancer handles transfer, the buyer pays the fees).
3. Pay transfer duty (a sliding scale, from 0% on the lowest band to about 13% at the very top) unless the home is a new build with VAT.
4. Registration at the Deeds Office, normally two to three months.

Non-residents face exchange-control formalities when sending money in and, later, when taking sale proceeds out, so ensure funds are brought in through an authorised dealer and documented. Banks may lend to non-residents at lower loan-to-value than to residents. See the South Africa financing guide and buying guide. For wider data, open the South Africa market analysis.

Johannesburg shares borders with several of our other city pages. Alberton, Germiston, Randburg, Edenvale and Roodepoort are all part of the same urban region. The South Africa property page lists the full country.