Joff van Reenen, Founding Partner and Lead Auctioneer of specialist real estate auction company High Street Auctions, says as much as the repo rate increase of 50 basis points was not unexpected, it’s certainly not welcome.

Carmen Nel, Economist and Macro Strategist, Matrix Fund Managers believes SARB getting ahead of the curve.

According to Yael Geffen, CEO of Lew Geffen Sotheby’s International Realty, the decision by the South African Reserve Bank’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) to raise the repo rate by 25 basis points to 4% is not unexpected.

Comment from Carl Coetzee, CEO of BetterBond, on today's repo rate increase:

After a year and a half of pandemic conditions made worse by South Africa’s crippled economy, rising municipal rates and tariffs, violent protests and looting, it’s safe to say the commercial and industrial property sectors have had a difficult time of late.

Second quarter oobarometer statistics released by ooba, South Africa’s foremost home loan comparison service, show how the fresh perspective on home and work life brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic has influenced home buyers to buy real estate that suits their new found needs, at a higher average price. 

Redefine Properties is leading the charge towards a sustainable future in the property sector with a R1 billion issuance on the JSE for its first sustainability-linked bond.

Given the vulnerability of South Africa’s economy in the wake of last week’s unrest, as anticipated, the Monetary Policy Committee adopted an accommodative approach by deciding to keep the repo rate steady at 3.5%, which leaves the prime rate at 7%, says Dr Andrew Golding, chief executive of the Pam Golding Property group.

Today’s announcement to hold the repo rate steady at 3.5% marks a full year that South Africans have been able to make the most of a historic low lending environment, says Carl Coetzee, CEO of BetterBond.

Over the past 15 years, the sectional title market in South Africa has become entrenched as a significant component of real estate sales, rising from 13% of total sales in 2005 to nearly 28% in 2020, says Pam Golding Properties.