ITS MY HOUSE- The average age of first-time home buyers keeps going up

Loading player...
GUEST - Renier Kriek, Managing director of Sentinel Homes

South Africa’s youth finds itself in a precarious state. Millions are without jobs, while others work in places where they get below the minimum wage. Even those who are employed find themselves in uncertainty as food and fuel prices surge.

As a result, first-time homebuyers’ ages keep going up. Because of affordability, first-time home purchasers are getting older. The ages rose from around 30 to 32 years to approximately 38 to 40 years, said Sentinel Homes. Home ownership is a route to financial security. Because there is no restriction requiring your first property to be a residence, you have the choice to purchase the home you can afford as the best way to get started. Over the last 70 years, asset values have risen significantly faster than wage growth, and this tendency is expected to continue. Simply put, homes are getting less affordable.

This is according to the MD of Sentinel Homes, Renier Kriek.
12 Sep 2023 4PM English South Africa Business News · Investing

Other recent episodes

AGOA Extended: Certainty or Illusion?

The US has extended the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) to 2028, stabilising duty‑free access for African exporters. But is this really a win, or just temporary certainty? Oxford Economic’s Jervin Naidoo explains what the extension means for South Africa’s auto industry, Kenya’s textiles, and Africa’s trade outlook in…
24 Sep 1PM 19 min

Your Retirement, Your Rules: ETFSA’s Starter Pack Explained

Retirement planning doesn’t need to be intimidating. Suzan Ramotshabi breaks down the biggest barriers stopping South Africans from investing, including Black Tax and fear of making mistakes. She explains how the Starter Pack works, additional ETFSA solutions, and the one step listeners can take today to begin their retirement journey…
23 Sep 1PM 22 min

SARB Tightens: What the 25bps Hike Means for You

The SARB surprised markets with a unanimous vote to hike rates by 25bps, landing against rising inflation expectations and global volatility. Johann Els unpacks the policy mood shift, the 4.4% inflation print, rand vulnerability, and how this decision affects credit conditions, household budgets, and South Africa’s growth outlook heading into…
23 Sep 12PM 14 min

The State of SA Insurance: Climate, Claims & Consumer Strain

South Africa’s insurers are navigating a perfect storm: higher catastrophe losses, rising claims inflation, affordability strain, and a shifting risk landscape shaped by climate volatility and crime. Santam’s Partner Solutions CEO, Gugu Mtetwa, unpacks the sector’s resilience, the worsening underinsurance problem, consumer behaviour shifts, and how insurers are adapting to…
22 Sep 1PM 24 min

Measured Momentum in SA Banking: Earnings Up, Risks Rising

South Africa’s major banks delivered headline earnings growth of 9.3% to R82.3 billion, stronger ROE at 20.5%, and improved cost‑to‑income ratios — but beneath the numbers lies a fragile domestic recovery and renewed inflation pressure. PwC’s Rivaan Roopnarain breaks down the competitive dynamics across retail, business, corporate and payments ecosystems,…
22 Sep 1PM 14 min