What are the Costs Involved
There are a lot of hidden costs involved when buying a home and
most people are actually unaware of them. Buying a home can be very
exciting, but also very stressful, so it's always a good idea to
plan ahead.
Before diving in head first, make sure you do your homework and
get all the facts, as not to get any surprises at a later stage.
Costs
- Deposit
- Bond Costs
- Transfer Duties
- Conveyancing fees
- Deeds Office Levies and fees
- Rates and Taxes
- Banks Charges
- Home Owners Insurance
- Life Insurance
- Moving Costs
- Water Bill, Electricity and Household Costs
Deposit
Most banks require a deposit when applying for a bond. The only
time it isn't required is when you are a first time home buyer. The
deposit generally depends on the value of the property, but in most
cases is 20%.
Bond Costs and Transfer Duties
These costs are always overlooked when purchasing a property, and
should be studied very carefully so that you understand how it is
worked out. These costs can amount to thousand's of Rands, so make
sure you know what they are as it will affect the total value of the
property you are looking for.
Note : If your are a First time Home Buyer you
can have these costs included in your Home Loan.
Conveyancing Fees ( Transfer and Registration fees )
You have to pay the conveyancers (attorneys) who register the
property in your name, as well as the conveyancers appointed by the
bank to register a mortgage bond over your property. The Law Society
has recommended tariffs that conveyancers may charge to transfer
property into your name and register your bond. The higher the
purchase price of the property, the higher the fee. The fee's are
worked out on a sliding scale.
Examples
Transfer Costs ( excluding vat )
R 480,000.00 property cost - R 6,000.00 fee
R1,000,000,00 property cost - R 10,000.00 fee
In addition they also charge about R 250.00 for postage and sundry
expenses.
Registration Costs ( excluding vat )
R 480,000.00 property cost - R 4,000.00 fee
R2,000,000,00 property cost - R 14,000.00 fee
In addition they also charge about R 250.00 for postage and sundry
expenses.
Deeds Office levies and fees
The Deeds office is a government office that falls under the
Department of Land Affairs. There are offices all over the country
and they are responsible for the registration of ownership and other
rights in immovable property.
Transfer Costs
Up to R 80,000.00 - fee is R 55.00
Between R 80,001.00 and R 150,000 - fee is R 200.00
Between R 150,001.00 and R 300,000.00 - fee is R 260.00
Between R 300,001.00 and R 500,000.00 - fee is R 340.00
Between R 500,001.00 and R 1,000,000.00 - fee is R 400.00
Between R 1,000,001.00 and R 2,000,000.00 - fee is R 500.00
Between R 2,000,001.00 and R 3,000,000.00 - fee is R 650.00
Between R 3,000,001.00 and R 5,000,000.00 - fee is R 800.00
Registering a Mortgage Bond ( Home Loan )
Up to R 150,000.00 - fee is R 200.00
Between R 150,001.00 and R 300,000.00 - fee is R 260.00
Between R 300,001.00 and R 500,000.00 - fee is R 340.00
Between R 500,001.00 and R 1,000,000.00 - fee is R 400.00
Between R 1,000,001.00 and R 2,000,000.00 - fee is R 500.00
Between R 2,000,001.00 and R 3,000,000.00 - fee is R 650.00
Between R 3,000,001.00 and R 5,000,000.00 - fee is R 800.00
For bonds over R 5,000,000.00 - fee is R 1,000.00.
Rates and Taxes
Property cannot be transferred from one owner to another until
the rates due to the local authority have been paid in full for the
financial year. The seller is liable for rates only for the part of
the year during which he/she occupies the property. In addition to
paying a pro rata proportion of the municipal rates for the year,
the buyer will be charged for a rates clearance certificate which is
about R 30.00. If you are buying a sectional title unit, expect to
pay your levy up to the end of the body corporate's financial year,
and to pay for a clearence certificate from the body corporate which
is between R400.00 and R800.00.
Bank Charges
If you finance your new home with a home loan, you must make
provision for the following charges.
- Valuation Fee - Commonly
known as an assessment fee to cover the costs of a bank
appointed property assessor. The fee is between R1000.00 and
R3000.00
- Interim Interest - On
the day the bond is registered, the bank releases the loan
amount and charges interest from that day until the day on which
the first installment is due. This can be added to the loan
amount or can be settled immediately after the loan has been
released.
- Bond Initiation Fee -
The bank may charge a once of fee ranging from R200.00 to
R1250.00m to cover it's administration costs. The minimum fee
for a loan under R500,000.00 is R175.00 excluding vat.
- Administration Fee -
Once your loan has been registered, the bank charges a monthly
admin fee of R5.70 (Incl Vat) which is reflected on your
statement as a separate item. Some banks charge R22.80 (Ex Vat )
on bonds over R500,000.00.
Home Owners Insurance
When taking out a home loan, the banks will insist that you take
out home owners insurance, before the loan is approved. In fact it
is a condition and in most cases, the banks will recommend their own
brokers, so get a few quotes before signing your policy. For more
information on home owners insurance Click
Here .
Note : if you are buying a flat or sectional title unit, the home
owners insurance is usually included in your monthly levy. Ask your
estate agent about this when you make an offer to purchase.
Life Cover ( Insurance )
In most cases the banks will insist that you take out a life
cover policy, if you don't already have one. Generally this is only
required when the value of the property is less than R 150 000.00,
but each Bank is different, so ask this question before applying for
your home loan. Essentially this is for the protection of you and
your family, ensuring that your home loan is settled in the event of
your death. Most banks will have a brokerage firm that will draw up
the policy for you, or you can apply for one on your own. - Click
Here for a Free No Obligation Quote from 1
Life Direct.
Moving Costs
The cost of hiring movers is high, especially if you take out
insurance to cover damage to your goods during your move.
Water Bill, Electricity and Household Costs
These expenses are often neglected when purchasing a property,
although they have nothing to do with your home loan expenses, some
of them are monthly expenses and must be taken into account when
doing your budgets.
- Water.
- Electrical - Connection costs.
- Telephone - Connection costs.
- Curtains and Blinds.
- Installation of a security system.
- New furniture, if your new home is bigger than your old one.
Note : If you are purchasing a flat or sectional
title unit, your water bill will be included in your monthly levy.
Discounted Bond Registration
Plus If you make use of our selected transfer attorneys, they will offer you 40% discount on the bond registration costs and their fee on the property transfer.
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