Private Sale Checklist for Sellers in Pretoria
A step-by-step checklist for selling your house privately in Pretoria. Covers preparation, pricing, marketing, viewings, the Offer to Purchase, compliance certificates, and the conveyancing process through to Deeds Office registration.
Written by admitted attorneys — plain language, no legalese
Why You Need a Private Sale Checklist
Selling your house privately in Pretoria without an estate agent means you take on the responsibilities an agent would normally handle — pricing, marketing, viewings, negotiations, and coordinating with your conveyancer. That is a significant amount of administrative and legal work.
A structured checklist ensures you do not miss a critical step. The most expensive private sale mistakes — a missing compliance certificate, an incomplete offer to purchase, or a failure to give your bank 90 days' notice of bond cancellation — are all preventable with proper planning. This checklist walks you through every stage from the moment you decide to sell until the day ownership transfers at the Deeds Office.
Phase 1: Preparation — Before You List
These steps should be completed before you put your property on the market. Skipping preparation is the single most common reason private sales in Pretoria stall or fall through.
Property Preparation
- Research comparable sales in your suburb — check Property24 and Private Property for recently sold properties similar to yours
- Request a free property report to confirm your property details, ownership history, and recent area sales
- Consider a professional property valuation (R3 000–R5 000) for properties above R2 million
- Set a realistic asking price based on comparable sales data — not based on your outstanding bond balance
- Identify a conveyancer early — they can advise on compliance requirements and draft your OTP when the time comes
Legal and Compliance Preparation
- Complete the mandatory disclosure form — list all known defects and conditions of the property
- Arrange an electrical compliance certificate (COC) inspection — this is mandatory for all property sales
- Arrange a gas compliance certificate inspection — required if the property has any gas installation
- Arrange an electric fence compliance certificate — required if the property has an electric fence
- Rectify any defects found during compliance inspections — this can take 1–4 weeks depending on severity
- Contact your bank for a bond cancellation quotation and outstanding balance — note you must give 90 days' written notice
- Obtain a copy of your title deed from the Deeds Office or your bank (if they hold it as security)
90-Day Bond Cancellation Notice
If you have an existing home loan, you must give your bank 90 days' written notice of your intention to cancel the bond. If you fail to give this notice, your bank may charge penalty interest for up to 90 days after registration — which can amount to R15 000–R40 000 on a typical Pretoria home loan. Send the cancellation notice as soon as you decide to sell, even before you have a buyer.
Property Presentation
- Complete any minor repairs — leaky taps, cracked tiles, faulty light switches, chipped paint
- Deep clean the property including windows, gutters, and outdoor areas
- Declutter and depersonalise — remove family photos, excess furniture, and personal items
- Attend to the garden and curb appeal — first impressions matter
- Hire a professional photographer (R1 500–R3 000 in Pretoria) for 15–20 high-quality listing photos
- Prepare a property information sheet — bedrooms, bathrooms, garages, erf size, rates, levy (if applicable), recent improvements
Phase 2: Marketing and Viewings
With your property prepared and compliance certificates arranged, you are ready to go to market. The goal is to reach as many qualified buyers as possible while keeping your marketing costs low.
Listing and Marketing
- List on Private Property (privateproperty.co.za) — private seller packages from R240–R4 100
- List on Property24 (property24.com) — South Africa's largest property portal
- Post on Facebook Marketplace and local Pretoria property groups
- List on Gumtree — free with wide reach
- Install a professional "For Sale" signboard outside the property
- Share the listing on WhatsApp neighbourhood and community groups
- Write a compelling listing description — lead with bedrooms, bathrooms, and garages, then highlight location and features
Managing Viewings
- Screen prospective buyers before granting access — request a copy of their ID and proof of bond pre-qualification
- Schedule appointment-only viewings rather than open show days for better security and buyer screening
- Ensure the property is clean, well-lit, and ventilated for every viewing
- Accompany buyers throughout the viewing — never leave them unattended
- Keep a log of all visitors with names, contact details, and feedback
- Follow up with interested buyers within 24–48 hours
Tip
Phase 3: Negotiation and the Offer to Purchase
Once a buyer makes an offer, the negotiation begins. In a private sale, you negotiate directly — there is no agent acting as intermediary. This can be faster and more transparent, but requires discipline.
Negotiation and Agreement
- Know your minimum acceptable price before entering negotiations
- Respond to offers promptly — delays can cause buyers to lose interest
- Counter-offer in writing, referencing comparable sales data to justify your price
- Agree on key terms: purchase price, occupation date, fixtures included/excluded, suspensive conditions
- Draft or generate the Offer to Purchase — use an attorney-drafted template or have your conveyancer prepare one
- Have a conveyancer review the OTP before both parties sign — this is the single most important step
- Ensure the OTP includes: bond approval suspensive condition, occupation clause, voetstoots clause, compliance certificate obligations, and a dispute resolution mechanism
- Both parties sign the OTP — the agreement is now legally binding
Phase 4: Conveyancing — From Signed OTP to Registration
Once the OTP is signed, the conveyancing process takes over. This is handled by your appointed conveyancer (transfer attorney), but you need to fulfil your obligations as seller.
Seller's Obligations After Signing
- Submit the signed OTP to your conveyancer within 24 hours
- Provide FICA documents to the conveyancer — certified ID, proof of address, SARS tax number, marital status documentation
- Deliver all compliance certificates to the conveyancer
- Sign the transfer duty declaration (IT77) provided by the conveyancer
- Apply for rates clearance from the City of Tshwane — your conveyancer will handle this but may need your municipal account number
- Obtain a levy clearance certificate from your body corporate (sectional title/estate properties only)
- Sign the deed of transfer and any ancillary documents at the conveyancer's office
- Ensure your bank's cancellation attorney has the bond cancellation notice and figures
Buyer's Side (for your awareness)
- The buyer applies for bond approval (if financing) — this typically takes 5–10 working days
- The buyer pays the deposit into the conveyancer's trust account (if stipulated in the OTP)
- The buyer pays transfer duty to SARS via the conveyancer
- The buyer's bank appoints a bond registration attorney to handle the bond registration
- The conveyancer coordinates simultaneous lodgement of transfer, bond registration, and bond cancellation documents
What Happens at the Deeds Office
Once all documents, certificates, and payments are in order, the conveyancer lodges the transfer documents at the Pretoria Deeds Office (Berea Building). The Deeds Office examines the documents over approximately 8–10 working days. If everything is in order, the transfer is registered and ownership passes to the buyer. The conveyancer then disburses the purchase price to you (after settling your outstanding bond, if any).
Phase 5: After Registration
Post-Registration Tasks
- Receive the purchase price from the conveyancer's trust account (minus any bond settlement and costs)
- Hand over the property to the buyer on the agreed occupation date
- Provide the buyer with all keys, gate remotes, alarm codes, and appliance manuals
- Cancel or transfer your municipal account with the City of Tshwane
- Cancel or transfer your home insurance policy
- Notify your body corporate of the ownership change (sectional title/estate properties)
- Update your address with SARS, your bank, and other service providers
Selling privately requires effort, but the financial reward — saving R100 000 or more in agent commission — makes it worthwhile for many Pretoria homeowners. Follow this checklist methodically and you will navigate the process with the same rigour a professional agent would bring, while keeping the savings in your pocket.
R20,000 fixed fee — private sale conveyancing
Our conveyancing fee is R20,000 inclusive of VAT, no matter the purchase price. We handle the legal process so you can focus on selling.
Written by
Pretoria Transfer Guide
MJ Kotze Inc
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
R20,000 fixed fee conveyancing — no surprises
Most attorneys charge R35,000+ for a R2 million transfer. We charge R20,000, inclusive of VAT, no matter the purchase price.