Interest Rates
South Africa’s 105% home loans are unique in the global market. Discover when they started, why they exist, and what they mean for first-time buyers. Learn the pros, cons, and what makes them rare worldwide.
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Discover how amortisation works on your home loan, why early repayments matter, and how long it takes to reduce your balance from 105% to 100%. Real examples at 10% and 11% interest rates.
Compare home loans, car finance, credit cards, overdrafts, personal loans and payday loans. Learn why mortgages are the lowest risk and lowest rate option in South Africa with Phoenix Bonds.
Think your home loan savings come from a lower interest rate? Think again. Banks cash in on hidden fees and overpriced building insurance. Phoenix Bonds shows you how to cut costs.
South Africans are starting to feel a little financial relief. The latest Household Resilience Index shows families are stronger than before, while booming exports and record trade surpluses are boosting the economy. In his monthly update for Phoenix Bonds, economist Dr. Roelof Botha explains what this means for interest rates, affordability, and your property journey.
When shopping for a home loan, most buyers hope to “negotiate the best rate” — and rightly so. Even a small discount on your interest rate can save you hundreds of thousands of rand over the life of your bond. But how do banks actually decide what rate to offer, and why are there limits to how low they can go? Let’s unpack the reality.
On July 31, 2025, the SARB cut its key policy (repo) rate by 25 basis points to 7%, also marking a shift in its inflation target preference. Going forward, the bank will aim for the bottom of its inflation band (3%–6%), effectively pushing for a 3% target rather than the mid-point of 4.5%.
In South Africa, owning a home is a major milestone — and for many, that journey begins with qualifying for a home loan. While income, credit score, and expenses are the main ingredients banks assess, there’s another factor that plays a bigger role than most people realise: your level of education.
Here’s why having a diploma, degree, or other post-matric qualification can significantly increase your chances of getting that all-important home loan approval.
When most people think about a home loan, they only think about debt — a long-term commitment to repay the bank. But what if we told you that your home loan could be your most powerful savings tool and also your cheapest source of credit?
Welcome to the world of access bonds (also known as access facilities). If you have a home loan in South Africa — or plan to get one — understanding how an access facility works can put you in a far better financial position in the long run.
The 2008 Global Financial Crisis exposed critical weaknesses in the global banking system. Banks around the world—including some of the largest—were undercapitalized, over-leveraged, and heavily reliant on short-term funding. When property markets collapsed and mortgage-backed securities went sour, these weaknesses triggered a domino effect of financial failures.
To restore confidence, ensure financial stability, and protect economies from future shocks, the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision introduced Basel III, an internationally agreed set of banking regulations.
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