Economists are unanimous that the SA Reserve Bank (SARB) will not drop interest rates when its Monetary Pricing Committee meets this week.

For many years there’s been a shared belief among estate agents that real estate transactions are on a “go slow” during winter. Yet, if you’re a first-time buyer serious about securing a great deal, winter is an ideal time to do so – and as foreign buyers start to intensify their interest into the South African property market, there is no better winter to buy than this one.

You’ve probably heard the saying – ‘safe as houses’ used when referring to property investments. But just how safe is an investment in property versus a high-risk portfolio like investing in the stock market?

There are many reasons for buying your own home. Some of them may be purely financial, like getting onto the property ladder as an investment, but more often than not, it is for personal reasons, like the imminent arrival of a baby or a commitment to a specific lifestyle.

It’s time for you to take the plunge and invest in city centre property. So what sort of bang do you get for your buck these days? And how will you cover the cost? We have the answers.