Annetjie Coetsee is a practising Attorney, Notary Public and Conveyancer, operating from both the Cape Town and Helderberg branches of STBB. Her responsibilities include: Director of STBB, branch head of Somerset West office, Executive member and head of the Development Law Unit. The specialized Development Law Unit has nine specialists addressing development requirements in the fields of planning law, environmental law, construction law, renewable energy law and, very importantly, local government law. She is a practicing Conveyancer (dealing with a conglomerate of property related matters such as sectional titles, developments, bonds, transfers and municipal work for local councils). Although she specialises in conveyancing she is a family law attorney, with a special interest in the constitutional law aspects regarding children’s rights. She is part of the marketing department and takes care of the brand development on a national level. Annetjie is further responsible for compliance and reporting initiatives. She is involved with substantial research activities relating to the property market and property investment and communicates interesting and relevant facts to her clients and the media, conducts Legal Updates for banks and estate agents. Her knowledge and insurmountable experience in the property market and connections with key roleplayers in the property industry makes her an invaluable ally to any property investor.

Thought of the Week | Dealing with a deceased’s immovable property

The legal requirements that ordinarily apply to the sale of land, also apply to property that is sold out of a deceased estate, namely that the agreement must be recorded in writing and be signed by both the seller and the buyer, either personally or by an agent authorised in writing to sign on that party’s behalf.

Who has the authority to sign on behalf of a deceased person’s estate? Only an executor whose appointment has been confirmed by the Master of the High Court (in the form of a document, called the Letters of Executorship) may deal with the assets and liabilities of a deceased’s estate. A sale agreement signed on behalf of a deceased person’s estate by anyone other than the executor so appointed by the Master is void and poses no legal obligation on the executor to honour same once he has been issued with Letters of Executorship. The Master’s consent to the sale is required.

For assistance in matters relating to deceased estates, contact STBB’s Estate Administration Department.

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