Paddy Hartdegen writes a regular column for Property24.com
It’s the festive season and time for a break
With presents for all and plenty of cake
To eat with our teas, or after our dinners
For it is Christmas and now’s no time for slimmers.
Home-owners across the breadth of our lands
Are counting their turkeys and checking their rands
But spare a quick thought for those unlucky few
Who have lost their jobs or are in a debt review
Today the home-buying market has bargains around
If only the cash to buy can be found.
The problem you see is not that people won’t sell
It’s getting banks to give cash, now that’s simply hell.
For those who are selling the question is how
You get buyers to part with their money for now
The sellers want more, they want as much as they can
For the house, the garden and the cottage for Gran.
If you live in the Cape you’ll probably know
That the prices you pay will just grow and grow
If you live in a little cottage or out on the plain
Or in Clifton, Llandudno or even Fresnaye.
A home in the Western Cape Province you see
Will cost you millions of rands and that’s just to be
In a pokey little flat with a view of the beach
But at four-and-a-half million it’s way out of reach.
So you hope to settle for something less costly than that
And you look all round, even try the Cape Flats
Where you’re hoping to find a bargain right now
That’ll cost you much less than an arm, a leg and a cow.
Estate agents are keen to sell you a brand new home
That’s just been built, even has a kitchen of stone
And they’ll tell you once, tell you again and again
That if you spend money now you’ll have so much to gain.
These agents are eager to sell something to you
But the prices are fixed by developers who
Are milking the market for every cent they can get
And are trying to tell you it’s the best investment yet.
That’s something that’s not a Cape Town phenomenon
It happens in Joburg, Pretoria and Barberton
And one thing that’s as certain as the air that I breathe
The prices they’re charging will create a terrible squeeze.
Whether buying a new home or one that’s been used
The truth is that money is so often refused
By the banks who want to make certain, make sure
That you’ll pay your bond and their shareholders’ll score.
Interest rates being charged, we got a reprieve
From Gill Marcus and her allies at the MPC
But if you think for a second that interest rates will drop more
Then you’re in for a shock because they’re bound to soon soar.
If inflation’s kept in check and food prices don’t rise
And workers don’t strike, instead they economise
Then maybe, just maybe we’ll find that next year
Interest rates remain low and we’ve nothing to fear.
But the likelihood of that, I’m afraid to relate
Is really remote, in fact the chance is not great.
When government wastes money, money like water
On truckloads of cases of Blue Johnny Walker.
But then Tokyo’s told us in a voice sounding gruff
That he’s spending billions of Rands fixing all of that stuff
That contractors had wasted building homes for the poor
That crumbled, then broke and fell down to the floor.
He says that a billion is needed right now
To repair those houses built row upon row
In fact the picture’s so dismal and so really sad
That so many houses were built that were really so bad.
So he’ll knock them all down leaving mountains of rubble
And know that contractors had taken the trouble
To cash each government chit they’d been paid
Because its taxpayers’ money they’d managed to raid.
Does the government care – well not really a lot
You see the coffers fill up whether they earned it or not.
Because it’s a law in this land that we must all pay
A part of our earnings to the government each day.
Then they take all this loot, stash it away in their vaults
And blame everyone else for the many, many faults
That can be found in housing, public health and the law
Saying that the intention was good, the delivery was poor.
Let’s ask ourselves in the week of good cheer
Whether government politicians are really sincere
When they say we must all have our own place in the sun
Then they turn round and sue Zapiro for fun.
Then we have to sit back and enjoy all the jokes
That we get from Malema and his whole band of okes
Who spread hate speech, even attack Helen Zille
When they have nought to offer and nought to deliver.
Well now I suppose it’s time to sit back and relax
And count all our blessings, particularly our tax
Knowing that next year government’s coffers will flow
With money to waste and no improvements to show.
So let’s hope that next year our government decides
To turn over a new leaf and to get quite inspired
To provide electricity, water, public health
Instead of just trying to improve their own wealth.
But my weary mind and my very tired ears
Keep hearing the bells that have been ringing for years
The constant idea that just keeps my mind stuck
Is that government now taking, not passing the buck.
For all of you out there, no matter who you are
I hope twenty-eleven’s so much better by far
Than this year has been with its economic woes
That left us all reeling when our bank accounts froze.
May the New Year bring with it some joy and some fun,
Not just for me, or for you but for every one.
And may the next few days of festivity and cheer
Bring with it a spirit that makes everyone care.
For now twenty-ten is finally coming to its end
The World Cup’s behind us, the economy’s on the mend
So let’s all work with dedication and sincerity
To find elusive solutions that bring real prosperity.
All the best for this festive season from all of us at Property 24
*Hartdegen writes a regular column for Property24.com. The content of his columns constitutes his personal opinion and doesn’t pretend to be facts or advice. Contact him at paddy@neomail.co.za.
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