Using the DeedsCheck Map Search Feature

DeedsCheck offers three main ways to look up a property: by address, by erf number, and by map. The map search is the visual route — you navigate to the property on a satellite map and click to select it; the system identifies the underlying registered property and runs the search.

Map search isn't always the right tool, but in certain situations it's the only practical route. This guide explains when to use it, what it returns, and how it complements the other search modes.

When map search is the best route

• You don't know the address. A common case for inherited property, family farms, or properties you've only ever visited but never been told the formal address of.
• The address is informal or unnamed. Rural roads often don't have signs or formal names; coastal lanes and security-estate driveways often aren't in standard address databases.
• You want to identify neighbouring properties. Looking at the map shows the surrounding plots at a glance — you can click each to identify it. Useful for boundary investigations, area research, or due diligence on the immediate surrounds of a property you're interested in.
• You're investigating a vacant lot. Empty land often has no address at all in standard databases; the map shows it visually and lets you select it directly.
• The address you have isn't resolving. Sometimes the deeds registry knows a property by a different township name or address than what appears in everyday use; map search bypasses that ambiguity.

How map search works

The map shows you a satellite view of South Africa with cadastral boundaries overlaid — the registered property boundaries from the surveyor-general's data. As you zoom in, the boundaries become more visible; at suburban-scale zoom each erf is clearly outlined.

Click on a property and DeedsCheck identifies it from the cadastral data — typically the erf number and township, or the farm name and portion for rural properties. From there you can run any of the standard reports against the identified property.

The map data includes urban areas (with full cadastral coverage), most rural areas (with farm boundaries shown), and large tracts of state and conservation land. Coverage is generally comprehensive for property that's been formally registered; very recent subdivisions or new developments may take time to appear.

What map search returns

When you click a property on the map, you'll see:

• The property's deeds-registry identifier (erf and township, or farm portion)
• The approximate extent and shape from the cadastral data
• The location coordinates
• Which of the 11 deeds registries holds the records

That's usually enough to confirm you've selected the right property. To get owner, bond, and history, run a Property Search Report from the map-selection result — live pricing on the product page.

Map vs address vs erf — when to use each

Quick guide:

• Address search — fastest for urban property when you have the street address and know it's formally correct.
• Erf number search — most reliable when you have the erf number; bypasses any address ambiguity.
• Map search — visual route for rural property, ambiguous addresses, neighbouring-property investigation, or any time you can't pin down a formal address.

They return the same underlying data — once a property is identified, the Property Search Report contains the same information regardless of how you found the property.

Limitations

• Sectional title units. Map search identifies the underlying erf of a sectional scheme but not individual units within it. To search a specific apartment, use the scheme number and unit number instead.
• Very new properties. A subdivision registered in the last few weeks may not yet appear in the cadastral data.
• Cadastral boundary accuracy. The cadastral overlay reflects registered boundaries, but the underlying satellite imagery may be slightly offset due to map projection or image vintage. Use the cadastral identifier (not the visual click position) as the authoritative property reference.
• State and traditional land. Some state-owned land and traditional-tenure land doesn't have registered cadastral boundaries; map search won't identify a registered property for these.

Frequently asked questions

Does map search cost extra?

The map itself is free to use — you can navigate, zoom, and identify properties at no charge. Running a paid report against an identified property uses standard product pricing, available on each product page.

Can I see all my own properties on the map?

The map doesn't have a "show me everything I own" feature — that would require linking your identity to the registry, which the public interface doesn't do. To compile a portfolio view, you'd search by your name and ID number through the Person Search where available.

How accurate are the cadastral boundaries?

The boundaries reflect the registered surveyor-general data and are accurate to that source. The satellite imagery underneath may have small projection offsets; if you're investigating a boundary dispute, get the formal SG diagram rather than relying on the visual representation.