Bond registration costs: Everything home buyers need to know

Article summary

• Bond registration fees are paid to the bond attorney, who is appointed by the bank to register the bond in the homebuyer’s name.
• Bond registration fees are dependent on the size of the loan. The higher the loan, the higher the fees.
• It’s advised to set aside 10% of the property purchase price to cover additional expenses such as bond registration.

A home is one of the most important and worthwhile investments you’ll make, so it pays to be prepared.

As such, you need to be aware of all the costs involved. This includes not just the cost of the home loan, but additional legal costs.

These legal costs include bond registration costs. Here’s what you need to know.

Bond registration costs: How much?

We provide a simple solution to this question.

Calculate your bond registration costs using our Transfer Cost Calculator.

Simply enter the loan amount and other details and you’ll be provided with the bond registration cost, as well as the transfer cost (another legal expense).

You’ll notice the bond registration cost increases with the cost of the home loan.

As a general rule, the home buyer should set aside around 10% of the property purchase price to cover additional charges, such as the bond registration costs.

To whom do I pay the bond registration fee?

The bond registration fee is paid to an attorney appointed by the bank.

How long does bond registration take?

Around three months.

The bond registration process:

• Your home loan gets approved by the bank.
• The bank hires a cancellation attorney to cancel the original bond on the property.
• The seller of the home appoints a conveyancing attorney to transfer ownership of the property to you.
• The bank appoints a bond registration attorney to register a new bond in your name.
• The homebuyer pays registration fees to the bond attorney.
• The transfer of property and bond registration process takes around three months.

Other additional costs

Aside from bond registration, you should factor these other costs into your budget:

• The deposit (usually 10% of the purchase price for the property).
• Conveyancing fees for the transfer of property.
• Transfer duty (a tax on the transfer of property, only applicable on properties worth more than R1 100 000).
• Deeds Office Registry Fee.
• Moving costs.
• Occupational Interest.
• Municipal rates and taxes.
• Repairs and maintenance.
• Home insurance.

Save on your home loan

It’s easier to set aside resources for the upfront costs when you save on the home loan itself.

Your best chance of doing this is to apply to multiple banks, which you can do through ooba Home Loans.

Apply through ooba Home Loans and we’ll submit your application to multiple banks, allowing you to compare deals and choose the one with the lowest interest rates.

Thereby you save money in the long term, making short-term costs feel less of a burden.