Chas Everitt Yzerfontein

09/09/2026

How to reduce your monthly housing costs

As living expenses continue to rise, many South African homeowners are looking for practical ways to make their monthly budgets stretch further. From bond repayments and municipal charges to insurance premiums and maintenance costs, the expenses associated with owning a home can add up quickly.

The good news is that reducing housing costs does not necessarily require major lifestyle sacrifices. In many cases, small financial adjustments and smarter household management can lead to meaningful savings over time while protecting the value of your property.

What are the best ways to reduce your monthly housing costs?
The most effective ways to reduce monthly housing costs are reviewing your home loan interest rate, paying extra into your bond when possible, reducing electricity and water consumption, comparing insurance providers, budgeting carefully, and maintaining your property proactively.

Review your home loan regularly
For most homeowners, the bond repayment is the largest monthly expense. Yet many people accept the home loan they originally secured and never reassess whether it still offers the best value.
Pay extra into your bond when possible
Making additional payments into your bond is one of the most effective ways to reduce the overall cost of homeownership.

While the immediate goal may be to lower monthly expenses, reducing the capital balance on your home loan can generate substantial long-term savings by decreasing the amount of interest charged over the repayment period.
Reduce electricity costs
Electricity remains one of the fastest-growing household expenses in South Africa. Managing energy consumption has become increasingly important for homeowners seeking to control monthly costs.
Cut water usage and lower municipal bills
Municipal charges are another major contributor to monthly housing costs. While homeowners have little control over tariff increases, they can control how much water they consume.
Create a realistic household budget
Budgeting remains one of the most effective tools for controlling housing costs.
Prioritise preventative maintenance
Delaying maintenance may seem like a way to save money in the short term, but it often results in larger and more expensive repairs later.
Review recurring household expenses
Many homeowners focus solely on major housing costs while overlooking smaller monthly commitments.
Build an emergency fund for homeownership costs
Owning a home inevitably involves unexpected expenses. Whether it is a burst geyser, storm damage, plumbing failure, or appliance replacement, unforeseen costs can arise at any time.

Discover practical ways to lower bond repayments, utility bills, insurance costs, and household expenses without sacrificing comfort.

03/09/2026

31/08/2026

How to Make Your Beach Wedding Legally Valid in South Africa
South Africa’s coastline draws couples from across the country and abroad. The beaches of the Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, and the Garden Route are among the most scenic wedding backdrops imaginable. What many couples do not realise until late in the planning process is that South African marriage law places strict requirements on where a marriage may be legally solemnised, and the beach, however beautiful, does not automatically qualify.

What Is a Legally Valid Marriage in South Africa?
Where the Law Says a Marriage May Be Solemnised
There are two lawful approaches couples use:
Separate the legal signing from the beach celebration.
Use a qualifying venue on or near the beach.

South Africa's coastline draws couples from across the country and abroad. The beaches of the Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, and the Garden Route are among the most scenic wedding backdrops imaginable.

21/08/2026

Zero-Rated VAT on Property Sold as a Going Concern: SARS Updates Documentary Proof Requirements
The South African Revenue Service (SARS) has updated its guidance on the documentary proof required to support the zero-rating of goods and services for VAT purposes, including for the disposal of an enterprise or part of the enterprise as a going concern. These requirements are important where immovable property is sold as a going concern and the parties seek to apply VAT at the zero rate.

Documents SARS Requires for VAT at the Zero Rate
Interpretation Note 31 states that for the zero rate to apply when disposing of an enterprise or part of the enterprise as a going concern, SARS requires:

Foreigners Buying South African Property as a Going Concern Should Take Note
Under South African law, VAT treatment on the sale of property does not differentiate between a resident taxpayer and a non-resident for tax purposes.

Conclusion
SARS has reiterated that a vendor seeking to apply the zero rate bears the burden of proving that all the statutory requirements have been met. This requires the vendor to obtain and retain documentary proof that is acceptable to the Commissioner within the prescribed time periods.

Your complete, in-house team of legal, tax, and immigration experts for South African property investment.

17/08/2026

Property market holds firm as first-time buyers set a new price record
South Africa’s residential property market is proving remarkably resilient. Stable interest rates, improving affordability, and steadily rising household incomes are keeping buyer confidence intact, even as banks continue to nudge up their deposit requirements.
Prime rate on hold
The Reserve Bank’s Monetary Policy Committee kept its benchmark lending rate at 7% in July, holding the prime lending rate steady at 10.5%. For millions of indebted households, that decision brought welcome relief
Home loan applications prove sticky
With banks having lifted their deposit requirements back to the levels last seen in early 2024, when interest rates were at a 15-year high, a dip in home loan applications in July was predictable.
Affordability keeps improving
Banks have been playing yo-yo with deposit requirements ever since the fuel-driven inflation spike, raising them in April and May in anticipation of a rate increase, easing them in June, then lifting them again in July.

Is the market cooling, or just catching its breath? Banks have quietly nudged deposit requirements back to early-2024 levels, yet more home loans are being approved, incomes are climbing, and first-time buyers have just set a new record average purchase price. The latest BetterBond Property Brief sh...

13/08/2026

How to pay off your home loan faster
There are no tricks to paying your home loan faster than the mandated period—there are only benefits and savings.

After the goal of buying a property is achieved, you may realise that the expense of running your own household can be financially constraining. Maintenance of the property and the rising costs of utilities, insurance, and the overall increasing cost of living can be burdensome.
Pay extra into your home loan
Use of an access bond
Increase your monthly repayment
Pay into the home loan lump sums and windfalls
Switch from 20-year to 15-year term
Note interest rate changes
The best strategy

Simple ways to pay off your home loan faster and save thousands in interest.

12/08/2026

Purchasing property in South Africa: The latest legal rules and requirements every foreign and non-resident buyer should know
South Africa continues to attract international property investors seeking lifestyle, residential, and commercial opportunities in one of Africa’s most established real estate markets. While foreign nationals and non-residents may generally acquire property in South Africa, understanding the legal and regulatory frameworks that govern property ownership and transactions is imperative.

Can foreigners purchase property in South Africa?

According to STBB Director and experienced conveyancing attorney, Annetjie Coetsee, there is currently no legal limitation that outright prohibits foreign nationals or non-residents from owning immovable property in South Africa. Consequently, foreign purchasers may acquire residential, commercial, and other forms of property, subject to compliance with applicable laws.
Practical considerations for foreign purchasers and investors

Foreign investors and non-resident purchasers can minimise delays and administrative challenges by:

Obtaining independent legal advice from a qualified conveyancing attorney;
Ensuring that all acquisition funds are transferred through authorised banking channels and correctly reported for exchange control purposes;
Retaining records of inward fund transfers and supporting banking documentation;
Preparing F**A documentation in advance; and
Obtaining tax advice where appropriate, particularly where the future disposal of the property is contemplated.

South Africa continues to attract international property investors seeking lifestyle, residential, and commercial opportunities in one of Africa’s most established real estate markets. While …

31/07/2026

What is bond switching?
Bond switching is becoming more relevant for South African homeowners as banks compete to retain reliable home loan customers. But before moving your bond to another bank, it is important to understand the costs, benefits and risks.

What is bond switching?
Bond switching refers to moving your existing home loan from one bank to another.

Why do people consider switching their bond from one supplier to another? “Briefly because they can secure a lower interest rate, consolidate all their debt with one home loan provider, or access better customer service,” says Grant Phillips, Group CEO of e4, the digital transformation specialist company that works with leading blue chip companies in the property sector.

For homeowners who are reviewing their finances, it may also be useful to understand how a home loan works and how interest affects long-term repayments.

South African homeowners can compare banks, costs and interest rates before deciding whether bond switching is worth it.

27/07/2026

Plotting your real estate course in a changing world

East, West, home is best, as the old saying goes. But finding the path to your dream home or a great property investment has become an increasingly daunting prospect for many consumers.

Every day brings another stream of headlines about global conflict, tariffs, inflation, interest rates, artificial intelligence, semigration, offshore investing, exchange rates, elections and stock market volatility. And as they face this jungle of uncertainty, it's no wonder that so many prospective buyers and sellers find themselves asking whether now is really the time to make any sort of move.

Of course the truth is that no one can foretell the future with complete accuracy. Markets rise and fall, economic policies change and unexpected events can reshape the world with remarkable speed. But what is certain is that all our lives continue to move forward, no matter what. Families grow. Careers evolve. Businesses expand. Children leave home. Retirement arrives. New opportunities emerge, and people need to keep buying and selling real estate accordingly.

So the question then changes from one of timing a move to one about whether you have a reliable compass to help you safely navigate your way to a good outcome.

To work that out, you need to consider the cardinal points of direction, starting with North, which we equate to your reasons for wanting to sell a home or buy a new one. Are you looking for a better lifestyle, a long-term investment, a home for a growing family or a place to enjoy your retirement? When your purpose is clear, your decisions become clearer too, because every choice can be measured against what you are ultimately trying to achieve.

Looking to the East, your next concern should be affordability. Property ownership should bring confidence, not anxiety, and the way to ensure that is to take the long view and calculate whether you can comfortably own and enjoy the home you have, or the one you are planning to buy, over the next five to 10 years. This will help you decide whether to upgrade, downsize or take your first steps into real estate.

Next, you need to check the South marker on your compass, which is specific market reality. National headlines and social media often paint broad pictures that may not reflect at all what is happening in your own suburb or town. Every real estate market is local, and understanding current buyer demand, pricing trends and opportunities in a defined area will always provide better guidance than relying on sweeping generalisations.

Completing the circuit, the West marker reminds us to stay alert to opportunity. Periods of uncertainty often create possibilities for those who are well prepared. Buyers who have done their market research, understand their finances and know what they are looking for are often best positioned to act confidently when the right property appears.

None of these compass markers is very effective, however, without the central pin and sweep hand that keeps you on your chosen course and guides you safely up the mountain or through the jungle. In real estate, this pointer is the trusted professional who combines information with experience, market knowledge with sound judgement, and raw data with genuine understanding of their customer's goals and aspirations.

Technology can provide endless information. Artificial intelligence can generate answers in seconds. But neither can replace the insight that comes from deep local expertise, careful listening and years of helping people to navigate some of the most important financial and personal decisions they will ever make.

And helping is the operative word. At Chas Everitt, we believe our role isn't to tell customers what to do or which way to go. It is to assist them to plot a clear course of action and to proceed with confidence towards the goals that matter most to them.

It is also to enable them to zoom out and view their decisions from a global perspective. Real markets around the world are increasingly interconnected, with international economic trends influencing local decisions in ways that were almost unimaginable a generation ago. And through our membership of Leading Real Estate Companies of the World and Luxury Portfolio International, we are able to draw on a wealth of global insights and expertise to benefit local sellers, buyers and investors.

In short, we see Chas Everitt as much more than just a real estate company. We see it as your trusted source of highly skilled, well informed, professional guides whose passion is ensuring the success of your property expedition.

27/07/2026

Repo rate hold provides welcome relief for consumers and home buyers
Editor

The South African Reserve Bank (SARB) held the repo rate at 7.0% at its Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting on 23 July 2026, keeping the prime lending rate at 10.5%. The decision, widely welcomed across the property sector, offers households short-term certainty, though it masks a genuine split among commentators over where inflation goes next.

A finely balanced decision
The hold was not a foregone conclusion. June CPI surprised on the upside at 5%, from 4.5% in May, and core inflation rose to 4.1%, edging above the SARB’s 3% target. Dr Andrew Golding, chief executive of the Pam Golding Property group, reads this as a warning sign, noting that the broadening of core inflation raises concerns about the potential emergence of second-round effects, where higher input costs begin to feed through more broadly into prices across the economy. He points to oil above US$90 a barrel and a weaker rand as making the outlook more challenging.

FNB chief economist Mamello Matikinca-Ngwenya takes a more sanguine view, arguing the inflation risk profile has become less acute as oil prices eased and no fresh shock materialised. The common ground is that, with growth fragile, the MPC chose to support activity rather than tighten. As Matikinca-Ngwenya puts it, keeping rates unchanged struck a balance between supporting a fragile growth environment and preserving the credibility of the transition towards a lower inflation target.

Why a hold still matters
For the property market, the practical message is stability. Holding rates will not lower bond repayments, but it removes the threat of higher ones, and Richard Gray, CEO of Harcourts South Africa, argues that certainty is itself the story. Property decisions are often delayed when buyers fear a manageable bond could become unaffordable, and sellers hesitate over financing their next home. “An unchanged interest rate may not deliver immediate relief, but it gives buyers, sellers and homeowners something equally important: certainty,” he says. RE/MAX of Southern Africa CEO and regional director, Adrian Goslett, makes a similar point, cautioning buyers against assuming rates will stay put and urging them to keep buying within their means.

Gray’s sharper argument is that a stable rate shifts the focus from the market to the individual. Buyers who use the period to reduce debt, build deposits and strengthen their credit profiles, he says, may be better positioned than those waiting for the next cut, since the official rate is only one input into the rate a bank actually offers. For sellers, he adds, the market stays active but selective, rewarding homes that are well presented and correctly priced against comparable sales rather than expectation. FNB, which is holding its own prime lending rate steady until the September MPC meeting, echoes the theme of planning: CEO Lytania Johnson says a stable rate environment lets customers manage their finances with greater confidence and make more informed long-term decisions.

Strongest house price growth since 2021
Underpinning the cautious optimism is a housing market that keeps outperforming. National house price inflation accelerated to 5.1% in June and averaged 4.8% over the first half of 2026, the strongest showing since the post-pandemic rebound of 2021. The Western Cape again led by a wide margin at 10.3%, well ahead of Gauteng (3.0%) and KwaZulu-Natal (2.8%), with Cape Town the standout metro at 11.1%. Demand at the entry level is holding up too: first-time buyers made up 48.8% of applications in June, and ooba Home Loans reports a national approval rate of 83.9%.