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Thinking about buying

Whether you’re a first-time buyer, an experienced buyer or looking to invest in property, here are some things you should know when making your decision.

 

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Should you buy a property?

Buying a property is not just about when you can afford it. Here are some things to also consider:

  • Credit scores and how they affect your loan.
  • What is a repo rate and how does it affect your purchase?
  • How to manage your existing debt.
  • Buying with another person.
  • What can you really afford and what other costs come in to buying?
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When is it a good time to buy?

Deciding on the right time to buy isn’t just dependent on you. There are a number of things that impact when to buy.

  • What is the current Prime rate and is it going up or down soon? 
  • Is it a buyer’s or seller’s market? 
  • Whether you’re buying in season. 
  • Will you be able to access services like movers, cleaners, painters etc? 
  • How long do you have to stay in your current home?
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Understanding the process of buying property

Buying property can be a complicated process of transfers, registrations and logistics that all come with costs. It’s important to find out:

  • How does the bond registration work?
  • What are transfer costs and when do they apply? 
  • How long does it take to register a bond and transfer ownership?
  • When can you start planning your move?

Understanding what you can afford

Calculate how much you can afford to spend on a home loan.

 

Calculate how much you can afford to spend on a home loan.
Tell us more about your finances
Total monthly gross income tooltip text
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Total monthly expenses tooltip text
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What’s your preferred bond repayment term?

  • 60
  • 120
  • 180
  • 240
  • 300
  • 360
Estimated loan amount tooltip text

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Estimated monthly repayments tooltip text

R0

Once-off costs tooltip text

R0

Current interest rate tooltip text

3%

18%

The interest rate is based on the current prime lending rate in South Africa. Please note that your interest rate will be based on factors such as your credit score and the size of your deposit.

Calculate how much you spend on your monthly expenses
Please add what you spend, where applicable.
Household expenses The total amount you spend on your household upkeep, such as buying groceries, clothing, toiletries, pet food and paying for domestic and gardening services.
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Utilities The monthly amount you spend to cover things like electricity, water, levies and rates and taxes.
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Credit and loan repayments The total monthly repayments on your loans, credit cards, vehicle finance and store accounts.
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Health and insurance The amount you spend on things like life insurance, car and home insurance, funeral policies, gym and medical aid.
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Entertainment The total amount you spend on things like Netflix, DSTV, takeouts, movies, Showmax and Amazon Prime.
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Phone and data This is the total amount you spend on phone contracts, data and airtime.
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Education The amount you spend towards your studies and for paying school fees for you or your kids.
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Travel This is the total amount you spend on transport, petrol and car repairs/servicing.
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Additional expense   Remove
Expense type
The amount you spend monthly tooltip text
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Add additional expense
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R0

cond condValue debtBuffer expenseBuffer debtStress expenseStress surplusBuffer
LESS_THAN_EQUAL_TO 10000 0 0 0 0 0.7
LESS_THAN_EQUAL_TO 15000 0 0 0 0 0.7
LESS_THAN_EQUAL_TO 20000 0 0 0 0 0.7
LESS_THAN_EQUAL_TO 25000 0 0 0 0 0.7
LESS_THAN_EQUAL_TO 30000 0 0 0 0 0.7
LESS_THAN_EQUAL_TO 40000 0 0 0 0 0.7
LESS_THAN_EQUAL_TO 45000 0 0 0 0 0.7
LESS_THAN_EQUAL_TO 50000 0 0 0 0 0.7
GREATER_THAN 50000 0 0 0 0 0.7
cond condValue minMFixedAmount minPercentage bandMMinimum
LESS_THAN_EQUAL_TO 800 0 1 0
LESS_THAN_EQUAL_TO 6250 800 0.0675 800.01
LESS_THAN_EQUAL_TO 25000 1541.67 0.09 6250.01
LESS_THAN_EQUAL_TO 50000 3375 0.082 25000.01
GREATER_THAN 50000 5425 0.0675 50000.01

Disclaimer: Although we do our best to give you accurate calculations, they will not be binding on us. Our calculations are only examples of how interest rates and fees can affect your repayments. The 30-year bond term option is subject to credit approval and available only to qualifying clients in line with our lending policies. Our transfer and bond cost calculations are also estimates. 

Looking for the right property

Finding the right property to call home can be overwhelming. Here are some things you should look for when property hunting to help you make the right decision.

property report

Property’s features

What type of property suits your lifestyle and your budget? It’s important to weigh up the perks and costs of apartment and complex living versus stand-alone houses, as well as what appliances you want to be pre-installed and what facilities – like pools and gardens – you’re willing to pay maintenance for.

neighbourhood

Neighbourhood

When deciding on a neighbourhood, look at the lifestyle you want, what services and businesses are nearby and noise levels. You may need to think about the neighbourhood’s proximity to other important aspects of your life, like schools, work or medical facilities. Safety is another important feature to consider, as well as the area’s zoning.

property evaluation

Property’s condition

Is it a ‘fixer-upper’ that you will need to renovate, or does it just need fresh paint? When looking at the property, consider the age of the property and look at the condition of its walls, roof and wiring, as well as its water pressure and plumbing.

property location

Location

Location impacts the value of your property and the cost of travel to places like work, schools and shops. It’s important to factor in the time you will spend travelling, the community around and access to major roads.

Read more
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Find your new home with our property search tool

 

  • For safe and secure access to properties that might suit your needs
  • Browse listed properties.
  • Save and share the ones you are interested in.
  • When you are ready, apply for your dream home easily since we will already have all its details.

 

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Getting a property report on the home you’re interested in

It’s important to learn everything you can about a property before you buy it. A property report can help you:

  • get a better understanding of the property's market value; and
  • learn more about the property history, size and location.

 

Get up to three free property reports every month.

Found the right property?

Here’s what you need to know when applying for a home loan.

Understanding the additional costs

rates

Rates and taxes

Every month, you will need to pay the municipality for the services and area maintenance they provide. These fees will depend on your property value and the area. 

estate levies

Levies

If you buy in a sectional title property, you’ll pay monthly levies to the body corporate or homeowners association to manage the complex or estate affairs for maintenance and repairs of all common areas and any relevant expenses (security, gardening and insurance).

insurance

Home and credit insurance

Buying a property is a big investment. Make sure it’s protected, so if anything happens to you or your property, you are covered. 

property maintenance

Property maintenance

It’s important to consider what it will cost to maintain a safe and comfortable home. Features like gardens and pools add to maintenance costs. 

unexpected costs

Unexpected costs

It’s important to save for a unexpected costs. It’s impossible to know when you’ll need to make unplanned repairs, but you can budget for just-in-case. Check with your insurance provider if you’re covered for events like a burst geyser or leaking roof.

security

Security

In order to keep your home safe you may need to look into armed response, area watch services and physical security like alarm systems. Have a look at crime statistics in your area on www.crimestatssa.com

Read more
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What does a home loan instalment include?

When you pay back your bond each month, you’re not just paying back the value of the loan. You’re paying:

 

  • The original cost of the loan split over the loan period
  • The interest the bank charges on the loan 
  • The monthly service fee
  • Home and credit insurance (if applicable)

 

Couple sitting in moving van

Making and signing an offer

When you’ve found a property, you will fill out an offer to purchase with your offer amount on it. Signing this offer is a commitment, so here are some important things to remember about offers.

  • When to rent and when to buy
  • How to manage your debt and credit score
  • Building versus buying
Woman kissing daughter's cheek under umbrella

Insurance

Insurance is about more than peace of mind, it’s also about protecting your investment. Here are a few types of insurance you might need.

  • Household insurance 
  • Building insurance
  • Credit protection

 

What you can expect when applying

Helpful info to help you on your journey.

1. Submit your application

Submit your application and if anything is missing, we’ll let you know.

2. Application outcome

We’ll look at your affordability to see if you’ll be able to cover the monthly repayments on the loan amount you require.

3. Property assessment

We’ll do a property assessment to make sure the property value is sufficient as security for the loan you need.

4. Loan quotation

After the credit and property assessment, we'll make you an offer for a home loan by sending you a ‘loan quotation’ which you need to accept.

5. The legal stuff

After accepting the loan offer, we’ll appoint an attorney to assist with the conveyancing process. You’ll sign the necessary loan documents, pay the relevant attorney fees and thereafter the attorney(s) will complete the conveyancing process by lodging your bond with the Deeds Office.

6. Bond registration

The Deeds Office will complete the conveyancing process once they’re satisfied. Once your bond has been registered at the Deeds Office, you are now officially the legal owner of your home.

Ready to apply for a home loan?

Start home loan application
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See what most people ask us about

If you have a specific question you need answered, try our Frequently Asked Questions.