Buying, owning, and selling property in South Africa involves more than just a purchase price and a bond repayment. Several taxes can apply at different stages of property ownership, and understanding how they work can help buyers budget correctly, avoid unexpected costs, and plan their finances more effectively....

Unforeseen life events like divorce, the death of a loved one, financial challenges, or a new partnership can turn even the most stable home loan into a stressful situation. Navigating a home loan under these conditions can be challenging, but understanding your options can help you make informed decisions and avoid unnecessary financial strain. Here’s what you need to know if you face one of these...

For years, South African homeowners watched one number to understand affordability: the interest rate. When the repo rate moved, buyers rushed to act, sellers adjusted prices, and homeowners recalculated their monthly repayments. Property decisions largely revolved around what the bank would charge you to borrow money. But increasingly, that isn’t the number catching new homeowners off guard....

South Africa’s property market has changed. For the past decade, sellers could afford optimism. Interest rates were lower, buyers stretched budgets more easily, and demand in many suburbs carried listings that were potentially priced slightly above market value. Today, buyers simply can’t....

South Africa has always been a water-scarce country, with our semi-arid climate, uneven rainfall, and long dry cycles. What has changed in recent years is how close those realities now feel to everyday life. Across many communities, particularly in parts of Gauteng, residents have experienced intermittent supply interruptions, low pressure, or sudden outages. These events are often temporary, but they...

South Africa’s 2026 National Budget Speech, delivered by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana, is about far more than tax tables and headline numbers. For property buyers and homeowners, the budget sets the financial backdrop against which decisions about buying, selling, refinancing, or simply holding onto a home are made....

Even small monthly top-ups can shave years off a home loan and save hundreds of thousands of rands in interest. The earlier extra repayments are made, the greater the benefit — especially while interest rates remain elevated.South Africa’s Reserve Bank (SARB) has opted to keep the repo rate unchanged at 6.75% following its first Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting of 2026. While many homeowners and...

Homeowners and prospective home buyers often consider fixing the interest rate on their home loans, and with inflation concerns, rising living costs, and an upcoming repo rate announcement, this has once again become a key talking point....

January has a reputation for being a quiet month in the South African property market, but that reputation is misleading. While buyer volumes may be lower than in peak seasons, the buyers who are active in January are often serious, prepared, and ready to move. For sellers, that makes January less about hype and more about execution....

For many South Africans, the start of the year marks the time when serious home-buying decisions are made. January and February traditionally mark a period of renewed market activity, with new listings and motivated sellers. If you are planning to buy property in 2026, one of the smartest moves you can make is to get pre-approved for a home loan before February. Pre-approval does not mean you are locked...