By Musa Nhleko
Areport about high-end homes struggling to sell in Botswana raises an uncomfortable question for Eswatini: Are some of our finest houses waiting for buyers who do not exist at the asking price?
A seller remembers the cost of every bag of cement, every imported fitting and every sacrifice made to finish the house. A buyer sees something else: A home to live in, maintain, finance and perhaps sell one day. Both perspectives are valid, but only one determines whether a sale happens.
We sometimes call a house ‘luxury’ because it is large. Yet, six bedrooms do not automatically offer more value than four well-designed ones. A swimming pool may delight one buyer and worry another. A costly finish may be beautiful without appealing to enough people willing and able to pay for it. Location also sets limits. A home cannot borrow the value of a more sought-after neighbourhood simply because it cost the same amount to build. Buyers consider the road, security, nearby services and surrounding properties. They ask what else their money could buy.
When viewings do not turn into offers, the first response is often to demand more advertising. Strong photographs and good marketing help buyers discover a property. They cannot make an unrealistic price feel affordable. The Jaguar perspective is to watch what the market does, not merely listen to what we hope it will do. The Jaguar observes before it moves. In property, that means studying enquiries, viewing feedback, competing homes and credible offers. If buyers repeatedly admire a house but walk away, their silence is information. Ignoring it will not make the asking price stronger.
An estate agent must have the courage to explain this to a seller. Promising the highest figure may secure a listing; giving honest guidance may secure the sale. That does not mean urging an owner to accept the first offer. It means helping them distinguish a weak offer from a market signal they can no longer afford to dismiss.
Nor is every unsold house overpriced. Some need repairs or clearer property information. Exceptional homes may take longer because their buyer pool is small. But time on the market should prompt questions, not automatic reassurance that ‘the right buyer will come.’
We should ask the same questions before building. Are we creating homes that future buyers will want and be able to afford? Or are we adding rooms and features on the assumption that every expense will be recovered at sale?
A seller is free to wait. That choice should account for rates, maintenance, security, interest and plans delayed while the house remains unsold. The market does not owe us a return on every decision we made while building. It tells us what today’s buyer sees. The wise seller pays attention. Till next week, Buy smart. Wait with discipline. Grow with confidence.
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