In short
- Overpricing costs more than underpricing — every extra week vacant is revenue you cannot recover
- The right price is set by what comparable properties are achieving right now, not what you need to cover your costs
- A well-priced property attracts stronger applicants and lets faster — reducing vacancy risk and tenant turnover
The real cost of overpricing
The most common pricing mistake landlords make is setting the rent based on what they need — to cover the bond, to hit a return target, to match what a neighbour achieved two years ago. The market does not adjust to accommodate your costs. If comparable properties are letting at R14,000 per month and yours is listed at R16,500, it will sit empty while tenants choose the correctly priced alternatives.
A single month of vacancy on a R14,000 property costs you R14,000 in lost income. That loss cannot be recovered by charging a few hundred rand more over the following months. Overpricing is almost always the more expensive strategy.
What actually determines the right price
The correct asking rent is set by the current market — specifically, what similar properties in the same suburb are being listed at and what they are actually letting for. The key variables are: bedroom count, apartment versus house, parking, security, condition, and proximity to the suburb’s amenities.
Online portals give you a starting point, but active listings show asking prices, not achieved prices. An agent with current letting data from the area will know the difference — and that gap matters when pricing accurately.
Common adjustments to consider
- A second parking bay adds R500–R1,500 per month in most Southern Suburbs buildings
- Gated complexes with 24-hour security let faster and at higher prices than unsecured properties
- Ground-floor units and those facing a busy road typically price slightly below equivalent higher-floor or quiet-facing units
When the market is telling you something
If your property has had many enquiries but no applications, the price may be right but something else is deterring applicants — condition, photos, or your qualifying criteria. If enquiries are low from the start, the price is the issue. A good agent will tell you which scenario you are in based on portal impression data, not guesswork.
The right response to low enquiries is a price adjustment, not waiting. Three weeks without an application is a clear signal.
How we approach pricing
We price every property we manage using current comparable letting data from the suburbs we operate in. If you would like to know what your property should be achieving in the current market, request a free rental valuation — no obligation, and we will give you a straight answer.
If you are ready to find a tenant, visit our landlord services page or request a free rental valuation to confirm your asking price. Our guides on your legal obligations as a landlord and whether to use a property management agency are also worth reading before you list.
