HOME LOANS

Home Loans
At CENTURY 21 South Africa we are dedicated to giving our clients the best service possible in every aspect of sale and purchase of their home. For this reason we have chosen Bond Choice as our preferred bond originators. Together with Bond Choice we take the task of doing the bond application yourself, on to our shoulders ensuring that the purchase of your home is a pleasant experience.
What Is Bond Origination?
Bond originators give you independent advice on choosing a home loan and help you obtain it without the hassle of doing all the legwork yourself - we answer some commonly asked questions.
What is mortgage origination?
Basically, it is the business of negotiating on the behalf of a prospective property owner, a home loan with a bank.
Why do I need a mortgage originator?
Because your home purchase is probably the most expensive one you'll make in your life, the home loan itself is an im
portant financial decision and the benefit to be gained from making a correct choice can amount to savings of hundreds of thousands of rands over the life of the loan.
Is choosing a home loan really that difficult?
All home loans differ from one another and each bank may evaluate your worth differently, so it is not as simple as shopping around for what appears to be the best interest rate in the market. Each bank has varying credit policies that cater for different claim circumstances. Bond Choice has knowledge of all banks' products and will advise you on the type of loan that best suits you. They will negotiate with the banks on your behalf to get the best rate for that product.
I've heard that this service is free - how so?
Indeed, the service is free for the home buyer. Bond Choice receives a fee from the bank for doing the groundwork on the loan and thereby reducing the bank's costs. The bank is, by law, not allowed to add this cost to the amount of the loan, so you won't pay more than if you approached the bank yourself.
Isn't it easier to just get my home loan from my regular bank?
Your bank will encourage you to keep all your finances under one roof, so to speak - but at what cost? Because Bond Choice originates loans for all major banks, this offers you, the buyer choice and by being able to compare various products and rate offers, you get the best home loan deal in the end.
How do I know if I'm getting good advice?
The professionalism of the originator will quickly become evident, so make sure you are dealing with someone who can explain their recommendation clearly and are credible. Check their track record and only deal with an originator that is a member of the National Association of Mortgage Originators (NAMO).
Must I accept any of the packages they offer?
No - you have not entered into an agreement with the originator, other than to give them the information they need to get quotations from the banks. You still make the final decision whether or not to accept their offer.
Once I've accepted their recommendation, what happens?
Bond Choice will submit your applications together with the relevant documentation, such as copies of your ID and salary advice, to the bank agreed on and advise you once your loan has been approved. A good originator should also keep you informed all the way through to registration and liaise with the conveyancing attorney on the loan's progress.
Types of Home Loans
The leading banks usually offer the types of home loans listed below. These types of home loans are also used in the case when you have an existing home loan and need additional funds. Read more about Further Loans.
Your Bond Choice consultant will help you choose the option that best suits your needs and help you through the application process.
Variable Rate Home Loan
With a variable rate home loan, your interest rate is linked to the base home loan rate which moves up and down depending on market conditions. If the base rate decreases by one percent, so will your interest rate, and of course if the base rate increases so does your home loan rate.
Fixed Rate Home Loan
Here your interest rate is fixed for a specified period, normally between one and two years. Generally the fixed interest rate will be slightly higher than the base home loan rate when the loan is taken out. A fixed rate loan protects you from rising interest rates and gives you the certainty of knowing exactly what your payments will be. However it does not allow you to benefit from any decreases in the interest rate over the fixed period.
Capped Rate Home Loan
This type of home loan allows you to benefit from any decrease in interest rates, but has a maximum rate built in so you never pay more than the capped rate. These loans are not always available from banks, and generally the qualifying criteria are more stringent.
Reducing or Step Down Home Loan
With this type of home loan, your interest rate is guaranteed to decrease by a set percentage in steps, such as 0.25% every six months for the agreed period, which is usually less than 5 years. This gradual reduction in interest rate applies regardless of whether the home loan interest rate rises or falls.
For more buyer information click here to visit the Bond Choice website.

Calculators
To calculate the amount of the home loan you qualify for click here.
To calculate the repayments of your home loan click here.
