Most sellers assume the hard part is over the moment an offer is accepted. In reality, there's a clear path from "sold" to "transferred" — and a handful of thoughtful details along the way that make the handover feel effortless for the new owner. Here's exactly what to expect.
Once your property is lodged
Once your transfer is lodged at the Deeds Office, registration typically takes around 7–10 working days. It's worth using this window to gather everything below, so nothing holds up the process once registration comes through.
Closing your Eskom account
Submit your closure request to Eskom, who will issue a reference number for the process. Pass that number on to your conveyancing attorney and estate agent — it can then be shared with the purchaser to help them open their own account without delay. Prompt communication here avoids billing disputes and unnecessary back-and-forth later.
Closing your municipal account
Your City of Johannesburg account should also be closed following transfer. A third-party service provider can follow up on outstanding processes, assist with any refunds due, and monitor the closure on your behalf, which takes the administrative load off your plate. If you're ever unsure whether your bond cancellation has gone through, your bond cancellation attorney or financial institution can confirm it directly.
Transfer documentation and payment
Your conveyancing attorneys will send confirmation of transfer along with proof of registration, the transfer documentation itself, payment confirmation and any applicable statements. This communication can take a few days after registration, so it's worth saving everything securely once it lands — these documents matter for closing utility accounts, proving ownership transfer, your own tax and financial records, and any future property transactions.
"The smoother the handover, the better the experience for the buyer."
The final key handover
Before the new owners move in, a simple checklist saves everyone a headache later: every key labelled, every remote — gate and garage, at least two of each — working, alarm tags and access cards included, and every external door's lock matched to its key. It's a small bit of admin that makes a real difference to how the handover feels.
Walking the new owner through the property
A short orientation goes a long way: the fibre connection point, electrical and water meters, the main water shut-off valve, the distribution board, pool pump and timer settings, the irrigation controller, alarm system and security beams, intercom, solar installation and inverter, gas points, geyser timers, refuse collection days and estate access procedures. A buyer who's been walked through all of this settles in far more smoothly, with far fewer follow-up questions.
Documents worth leaving behind
Appliance and alarm manuals, solar and pool equipment documentation, garage motor manuals, approved building plans, electrical and gas compliance certificates, a beetle certificate where applicable, and any waterproofing or roofing guarantees. It's also worth flagging any warranties still active — on the solar system, inverter, battery, air conditioning, appliances, garage motors, electric fencing or recent renovations — so the new owner knows exactly what's still covered.
Supplier and contractor details
One of the most genuinely useful things you can leave behind is a list of trusted contacts: electrician, plumber, pool service provider, garden service, irrigation specialist, alarm company, fibre provider, air-conditioning technician, solar installer, pest control provider, handyman, roofing contractor, painter, and a domestic worker or caretaker where applicable. A contractor who already knows the property's history can save the new owner real time and expense.
Estate and community contacts
If the property sits within an estate or body corporate, the managing agent, estate manager, security control room, visitor access and levy queries contacts all matter. Beyond the estate itself, details for the residents' association, community policing forum, security provider and any community WhatsApp groups help a new owner feel part of the neighbourhood from day one.
A personal note, if you'd like to leave one
It's entirely optional, but a short note for the new owners — a favourite local restaurant, a nearby walking route, the schools you'd recommend, a helpful neighbour, a garden tip or two — tends to mean more than people expect. Small details like that are often what make a house feel like a home, faster.
Selling a home in Lonehill, Beverley or Pineslopes doesn't really end at the offer — it ends once everything has been handed over properly, and the new owner can settle in without a single loose thread. If you're getting ready to sell and want to know exactly what to expect from start to finish, get in touch and I'll walk you through it.