1. What Do You Actually Want the Property to Do for You?

2. How Much Could You Realistically Rent It For?

One of the biggest mistakes landlords make is calculating their potential return using the highest rental they can find advertised online.

An advertised rental is not necessarily the same thing as the rental a property will actually achieve.

Consider comparable properties, condition, location, demand, amenities and how quickly similar properties are actually being rented.

Vacancy is a cost too.

3. What Will Your Net Rental Income Actually Be?

Rental income is not the same as rental profit.

A property generating R15,000 in rent does not necessarily put R15,000 into your pocket.

Before deciding to rent, work out the realistic numbers.

4. Could You Handle a Difficult Tenant?

This is one of the questions prospective landlords sometimes overlook.

Finding a tenant is only the beginning of the landlord-tenant relationship.

You may eventually have to deal with late payments, maintenance requests, disputes, inspections, lease renewals or a tenant who does not perform as expected.

That does not mean renting out a property is a bad idea.

It simply means that becoming a landlord means taking on responsibilities that go beyond collecting rent every month.

5. How Carefully Will You Screen the Tenant?

Tenant selection is one of the most important decisions a landlord makes.

A landlord should not base the decision solely on how friendly an applicant appears or whether they have enough money available for the deposit.

Affordability, credit information, employment information and the applicant's overall risk profile should all be considered appropriately.

If you prefer to manage your own property but want professional assistance with this part of the process, A+ Properties offers a Tenant Screening & Risk Assessment service.

6. What Is Your Property Actually Worth?

If you are considering selling, the asking price matters enormously.

Pricing a property too high can result in the property sitting on the market while buyers question why it has not sold.

Pricing it too low can leave money on the table.

Homeowners should look at comparable sales, property condition, location, buyer demand and the broader market rather than simply deciding on a price based on what they need to get out of the property.

A valuation can help establish a more realistic starting point.

7. What Would You Do With the Money If You Sold?

This question is often forgotten.

Suppose you sell the property and receive a substantial amount after settling the relevant costs and outstanding finance.

What happens next?

Would the money reduce expensive debt?

Would you invest it?

Would it fund another property?

Would it simply disappear into general household expenditure?

Selling should not be viewed in isolation. It is a financial decision with consequences after the sale has taken place.

8. Are You Keeping the Property Because It Makes Financial Sense?

There is a difference between an investment decision and an emotional decision.

Perhaps it was your first home. Perhaps your children grew up there. Perhaps you have spent years improving it.

Those things have value, but they should be separated from the financial analysis when deciding whether the property should remain an investment.

9. Have You Compared Both Options Properly?

This is where many property owners struggle.

They compare the rental income with the property's value and immediately conclude that renting is better.

Or they receive an attractive offer and immediately decide that selling is better.

But the decision involves more than one number.

You need to consider:

• Current property value
• Potential rental income
• Bond liability
• Property expenses
• Potential vacancy
• Maintenance requirements
• Expected future property growth
• Your personal financial position
• Your investment objectives
• The amount of work and risk you are prepared to accept

This is precisely why A+ Properties developed the A+ Property Decision Score™.

It is designed to help homeowners work through the different considerations rather than making the decision based on one figure or one person's opinion.

If You Decide to Rent, You Still Have Options

Choosing to rent your property does not automatically mean you have to sign up for full property management.

Some landlords prefer to manage their properties themselves.

Others want an agency to handle everything.

There is also a middle ground.

If you want to remain involved but need professional assistance with specific parts of the process, A+ Properties provides support services for self-managing landlords.

This can be particularly useful for owners who are comfortable handling the day-to-day relationship with their tenant but want access to professional systems, assistance and guidance when necessary.

And If You Decide to Sell...

The same principle applies.

Don't simply choose an agent because they promise the highest selling price.

Look at the complete service.

Ask how the property will be marketed, how buyers will be qualified, how viewings will be handled, how feedback will be provided and how negotiations will be managed.

Ultimately, the objective isn't to have the highest advertised price.

The objective is to achieve the best realistic outcome for your circumstances.