For many South Africans, the idea of buying a home has become a “next year” goal that keeps rolling over. Rising costs, interest rate uncertainty, and day-to-day expenses make it easy to delay what feels like a huge financial step.
But the quiet period between Christmas and the New Year is often when people are most honest with themselves, and that’s when the real question surfaces:
Is next year actually the year I should buy?
The answer isn’t about timing the market perfectly. It’s about understanding whether you are ready. Here’s how to tell.
1. You’re financially stable, even if you’re not “perfect.”
2. You have some savings, not necessarily a 20% deposit
3. Your lifestyle is starting to outgrow renting
4. You’re curious (and that’s where it starts)
The bottom line
Buying a home in 2026 doesn’t require perfect timing or perfect finances. It requires honesty, preparation, and a clear understanding of what you can afford and what you want your next chapter to look like.
If buying has been a “someday” goal for a while, the end of the year is the ideal moment to turn it into a plan. Because the buyers who succeed in January are usually the ones who started thinking about it now.
