Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

By Stephen de Stadler Managing Director Fine & Country Hermanus, Arabella and Kleinmond

It is that time of year again. The shopping malls are alive with the sound of music. Whether it is Boney M’s Rivers of Babylon or Michael Bublé’s rendition of White Christmas, nothing quite brings home the special feeling of the festive season as the singing and enjoyment of Christmas carols.

Singing is an art form that is enjoyed at this time of the year by people coming together in one place, with the music sheets being passed around and the candles being lit in their little plastic cups, while the appointed conductor leads the gathering in his or her favourite carol.

With the restrictions on gatherings, however, the various levels of lockdown have placed the proverbial spanner in the works, leaving many charities and organisations that usually benefit from the donations raised at these events in dire straits. As people that deal in the buying and selling of homes on a daily basis, the concept of homelessness is one which estate agents across the world understand the reality of more than the average person can imagine.

This was brought home to me during a recent negotiation relating to the occupation date of a home that was in the process of being transferred. Without going into details, the original anticipated occupation date (upon registration of transfer) was severely affected by closures of the Deeds’ Offices across the country. The transfer was taking a lot longer than could have been anticipated at the time of signing the agreement of sale, and based on an expectation of registration date, the new owner had given notice on a lease in the home they had been staying in. Due to the delay, the new owner was effectively ‘homeless’ for a period of four months.

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