Houses for sale

How to buy a house: offers from owners and agents

Updated 20 October 2026

The plot and the walls are two different purchases

When you buy a house, you pay for the structure and for the land under it. First decide your priority. Some people need a ready home to live in, others want a large plot with room to build more. Walls of brick, concrete blocks, wood or a frame hold heat differently and need different upkeep.

Remember the road and the services. A house 15 km out of town with water, power and a paved road can work out better than a closer one without them, once you add the cost of getting them.

What to put in your request

• area — the city, village or direction, and the distance from town;
• budget — an amount or a range;
• built-up area in sq ft and plot size in sq ft or acres;
• number of rooms;
• condition — new, renovated, needs finishing, bare shell;
• wall material — brick, concrete block, wood, frame;
• services — piped water or borewell, drainage or septic tank, power load, gas connection;
• payment — cash, home loan.

Example: “I am looking for a brick house within 20 km of Johannesburg, 2,000–2,500 sq ft, plot from 300 sq yd, 4 bedrooms. Water connection and drainage, renovated, ready to move in. Budget up to R 2,900,000, payment with a home loan.”

How it works on BlaBlaPrice

You do not have to go through hundreds of similar listings. You write a request, and house owners and agents working in your area reply in the chat: what exactly they offer, price, area, documents, photos. Everyone sees where their offer stands, so terms often improve. Your phone number is hidden and you share contacts only with the one you choose.

What to check before buying

• Documents for the house and the land: the owner, the title on record, and the permitted use of the plot.
• Whether the building has the required completion approvals and whether the area on paper matches the real one.
• The state of the roof, foundation, damp in the walls and the basement; watch for cracks and a musty smell.
• Electricity: sanctioned load, condition of the wiring and the panel.
• Whether there are unpaid utility or property tax dues and who is registered at the address.

Before the deal, have a lawyer check the documents and a civil engineer check the technical condition.

Common mistakes

Viewing the house only in the dry season and not asking how it copes with the rainy season. Relying on the area in the listing without matching it to the documents. Comparing prices without noticing that one includes finishing and another is a bare shell. Forgetting extra costs: taxes, registration, furniture.

If you are not ready to buy, look at houses for long-term rent. For a more compact option, see townhouses and duplexes. More about the service is on the “How it works” page.