Know the property.
Know the decision.
Five essential South African property chapters — finance, buying costs, first-home preparation, ownership costs and listing quality — designed as one editorial experience.
THE PROPERTY REVIEW · VOL. 01 · AUGUST 2026
IKHAYALAMI EDITORIAL
Property Review
South African property knowledge, current developments and practical guidance — edited into a living visual review.
Know the property.
How banks decide whether the home loan fits you.
Banks typically look at affordability, income stability, existing debt, credit behaviour and the relationship between the property's value and the amount being borrowed.
A stronger deposit can improve the risk picture because the bank is funding less of the purchase price.
Income is only the opening line.
A lender normally considers recurring obligations and the amount of disposable income left after debt. The goal is to understand whether the instalment remains sustainable rather than merely possible in a perfect month.
Prime matters because the repayment can move.
When rates rise, borrowing becomes more expensive and monthly repayments can increase. Buyers should stress-test a property before they become emotionally committed to it.
The deposit changes the story.
The house price and the loan amount are not the same when a buyer contributes cash. Borrowing less relative to the value can strengthen the overall application picture.
Model your own rate and deposit.
Open the bond calculatorBudget for the keys — and for getting the keys.
The deposit is only one part of the cash commitment. Buyers can also face transfer duty, conveyancing-style fees, deeds-office fees and bond-registration charges.
Estimate buying costsDepositYour own contribution toward the purchase price.
Transfer dutyA purchase-value-dependent cost where the applicable threshold is exceeded.
Transfer processLegal and registration-style costs associated with moving ownership.
Bond registrationCosts associated with registering the lender's security over the property.
After transferRates, levies, insurance, maintenance, utilities and moving costs.
Before the viewing list gets long, make the preparation list short.
First-time buyers benefit from structure: know the budget, understand buying costs, gather core documentation and decide what monthly pressure feels acceptable before the search becomes emotional.
Define the real budget
Start with the all-in monthly number, not only a listing price.
Know the deposit position
Understand what cash you can contribute without emptying every emergency reserve.
Prepare documentation
Identity, income and supporting financial information should not become an afterthought.
Compare areas with intent
Transport, schools, municipal costs and lifestyle can matter as much as floor area.
Stress-test the rate
A home should still make sense when the repayment is less friendly than today.
The bond is the headline. The running costs are the story.
A home can look affordable if you only focus on the repayment. Rates, levies, insurance, utilities, security and maintenance can materially change the monthly picture.
BONDRepayment
RatesLeviesInsuranceUtilitiesMaintenance
Good buyers test the all-in cost, not only the instalment.
Build your true monthly costA buyer-ready listing is an argument for trust.
Clear, complete and credible listings help buyers feel informed rather than suspicious. Quality photography, transparent property details and accurate pricing context all contribute to that trust.
Show it properly
Good media lets the buyer understand scale, flow and condition before the viewing.
Explain it clearly
A useful description answers questions instead of repeating generic property language.
Disclose with confidence
Complete property details reduce doubt and create a more professional experience.
Give context
Pricing and local context help buyers understand why the property deserves attention.
THE DAILY BRIEF Latest developments
BROWSE THE ARCHIVE All source-backed 2026 briefings Server-rendered links stay available even when JavaScript is delayed or unavailable.
2026-08-06Stats SA releases the March 2026 Residential Property Price Index reportStatistics South Africa 2026-07-31Estate agencies face a 31 July deadline for 2026 FIC risk and compliance returnsProperty Practitioners Regulatory Authority / Financial Intelligence Centre 2026-07-23SARB holds at 7% in July, keeping prime at 10.5%South African Reserve Bank 2026-07-20Government reviews more than 6,000 state-owned residential propertiesDepartment of Public Works and Infrastructure 2026-07-17PPRA introduces an alternative competency pathway to PDE 4Property Practitioners Regulatory Authority 2026-07-06PPRA reminds practitioners to keep regulatory records currentProperty Practitioners Regulatory Authority 2026-07-03South Africa launches a national built-environment and construction-safety frameworkDepartment of Public Works and Infrastructure 2026-07-02Eastern Cape adds a new lodge and conference centre in KwaMaqomaDepartment of Tourism 2026-07-01Cabinet advances electronic deeds-registration amendments to ParliamentCabinet / South African Government 2026-07-01Tourist arrivals rise 12.8% in the first five months of 2026Department of Tourism 2026-07-01PPRA's 2027 Fidelity Fund Certificate renewal window runs from July to October 2026Property Practitioners Regulatory Authority 2026-07-01Global Property Guide puts South African annual house-price growth at 4.7% nominalGlobal Property Guide 2026-06-19FNB says residential property remained resilient through the first five months of 2026First National Bank 2026-06-08Investec says South African listed real estate has entered its next growth phaseInvestec Corporate and Investment Banking 2026-05-28SARB raises the policy rate to 7% in May 2026South African Reserve Bank 2026-05-27Human Settlements targets the removal of 6,950 mud houses in 2026/27SABC News 2026-05-20Absa records its highest homeowner sentiment reading in Q1 2026Absa Property Insights 2026-05-13Public Works sets a 2026 programme to unlock value from state propertyDepartment of Public Works and Infrastructure 2026-04-20Standard Bank data points to a younger and more diverse first-time buyer marketStandard Bank 2026-04-17Human Settlements hands over more than 1,000 title deeds in SiyabuswaDepartment of Human Settlements 2026-04-01CSOS moves new community-scheme dispute lodgements onto CSOS ConnectCommunity Schemes Ombud Service 2026-03-31Nedbank says household debt-service pressure eased further into 2026Nedbank Group Economic Unit 2026-03-26SARB keeps the policy rate at 6.75% in March as oil risks riseSouth African Reserve Bank 2026-03-23FTSE/JSE property-index methodology changes take effect in March 2026Johannesburg Stock Exchange / FTSE/JSE 2026-03-02Budget 2026 raises the primary-residence CGT exclusion to R3 millionSouth African Revenue Service 2026-02-252026 Budget sets major medium-term targets for housing, serviced sites and title deedsNational Treasury 2026-02-10FNB says the housing market entered a new cycle in 2026First National Bank 2026-02-03South Africa moves to mainstream innovative building technologies for housingThe Presidency 2026-01-29SARB starts 2026 with the policy rate unchanged at 6.75%South African Reserve Bank
The quick-reference desk.
Use these short answers when you need orientation, then jump back into the full feature using the always-visible chapter tabs.
How does the prime rate affect a bond repayment?
When rates rise, borrowing typically becomes more expensive and the monthly repayment can increase. When rates soften, the repayment can decrease.
What is the difference between the house price and the loan amount?
The house price is the purchase price. The loan amount is usually the price less the buyer's deposit.
What is transfer duty?
A purchase-value-dependent cost that can apply when property ownership transfers, depending on the rules and thresholds in force at the time.
Are levies the same as rates?
No. Rates are usually municipal charges. Levies commonly apply to sectional-title or estate environments and fund shared services or maintenance.
What helps a listing build trust with buyers?
Accurate pricing context, quality images, a complete description, transparent details and a professional presentation.