It's celebration time! The Chas Everitt International property group is 25 years old this month and we have marked the occasion with gala functions around the country to recognize and say thank you to all the people who have made our success possible. These include all our agents and franchisees as well as all our partners in the legal, banking and mortgage origination sectors, our admin staff, our trainers and our technology whizzkids – and, of course, our wonderful clients, many of whom have put their faith in us many times over the past two-and-a-half decades.

Most important of all, though, are our founders Charles and Tilla Everitt, whose vision, absolute integrity and empathy are the rocks on which the group is built. We are enormously grateful to them for instilling the values that still inform all our activities – and we intend making them as proud of us as we are of them as we continue to run a highly-principled business for the next 25 years.

This month also marks the second anniversary of the launch of our national franchise operation – and the launch of our 50th office. With well-established networks now in the Western Cape and Eastern Cape as well as Gauteng, This operation is already 18 months ahead of planned growth in turnover – and we will shortly also be launching in KwaZulu-Natal. Beach party, anyone?

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A new homeowner inevitably has a long list of items to buy, but high priority should be given to a household tool kit – it will soon be needed, even if the owner has no intention of becoming a DIY expert.

There are always some small jobs around the house – even a newly built house - that will not wait or are simply not worth calling in an expert to do, and they will be much more easily and neatly completed with the right tools.

At the very least, you should have on hand a light hammer, a screwdriver set with bits for different size and type screws, pliers, a small spirit level and a tape measure, as well as a selection of nails and screws, wood and plaster filler, insulation tape and a general purpose adhesive.

This will equip you to handle simple tasks like changing a power plug, hanging pictures or removing a door lock to get extra keys cut. But be warned - successful DIY is habit-forming and this will fuel demand for more tools, like a power drill, sander, saw and angle grinder. And then you'll be needing a workshop. . .

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A large garage is a highly desirable feature of any property, especially if you need parking space for a doublecab or SUV, or your garden is too small for a toolshed.

But empty space quickly becomes an invitation for clutter, and firm discipline is demanded if bikes and surfboards, camping equipment, lawnmower, weedeater and garden tools are also all going to be stored in the garage.  

The first objective must be to make maximum use of the available space by removing as much as possible from the floor. Shelves and wall cupboards, perhaps salvaged from a kitchen makeover, will accommodate most of the garden hand tools, pesticides, insecticides and paint cans that usually clutter the floor space.

Any good hardware shop will offer a variety of hooks to hold a bike, garden fork, pick and spade, brooms, surfboards and even a canoe. Cheap galvanised guttering supports can be used to hold fishing rods and garden umbrellas safely out of the way.

A double benefit of getting organised in this way is that whatever you want out of the garage will be visible and easily accessible. The garage will also be easier to clean and that will discourage insects, rats and snakes from taking up residence.

And when the time comes to sell your home, a tidy, spacious-looking garage is bound to be a
plus for potential buyers who also need ample storage space.

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