Budgeting
The True Cost of Buying a Home in SA
The purchase price is only part of the story. Here's the full cost stack — including our own fees, shown openly — so you can budget for the real, all-in number.
One of the most common shocks for buyers is discovering that the costs of buying sit on top of the purchase price, and most must be paid upfront rather than added to your bond. The good news: once you know what they are, none of them should surprise you.
The all-in cost stack
| Cost | What it is |
|---|---|
| Deposit | Often 10% of the price, though some buyers qualify for a 100% bond. A bigger deposit usually means a better interest rate. |
| Transfer duty | A SARS tax on properties above the threshold (around R1.1m). It's tiered — the more expensive the home, the higher the rate. Below the threshold, no transfer duty is payable. |
| Transfer (conveyancing) attorney fees | Paid to the transferring attorney who moves the property into your name at the Deeds Office. Scales with the purchase price. |
| Bond registration costs | Paid to the bond attorney to register your home loan against the property. Also scales with the bond amount. |
| Deeds Office & sundry fees | Registration fees, document handling, and small admin charges that form part of the legal process. |
| Upfront homeowner costs | Moving costs, connection deposits, and the first month of rates, levies and home insurance. |
| Scetra service fee (if applicable) | If you choose our hands-on support — such as drafting and reviewing your Offer to Purchase or managing your transaction — we charge a clearly-disclosed fee, agreed with you in writing before any work begins. Browsing guides and the questionnaire are always free. |
Why we show our own fee here
Plenty of services bury what they charge. We'd rather you see it in the same table as every other cost. Scetra earns referral fees from vetted partners (bond origination, conveyancing and inspections), and we may also charge a service fee for hands-on work like drafting your Offer to Purchase or managing your transaction. Whatever applies to you is disclosed and agreed upfront — never a surprise on settlement.
A rough rule of thumb
As a planning guide, many buyers set aside an extra 8%–11% of the purchase price for transfer duty, attorney and registration costs combined (less if the price is under the transfer-duty threshold). Use our affordability calculator to estimate your price, then layer these costs on top.
Don't forget the ongoing costs
- Monthly bond repayment (the big one).
- Municipal rates and, in a complex or estate, monthly levies.
- Home insurance (usually required by the bank) and contents insurance.
- Maintenance — budget for the fact that things break and need replacing.
Want a clear, itemised cost estimate for your purchase?
A specialist can walk you through the all-in costs for the price range you're considering, including exactly what (if anything) Scetra would charge. Start with the questionnaire.
Get a cost breakdownThis guide is general information, not legal or financial advice. Your Scetra specialist can help you apply it to your specific purchase.