Rent Vs Buy: Glencairn Heights

Here's a 3 bed/2 bath house in Glencairn Heights currently on the market for R2 100 000.

But why pay R20 000/month in bond payments when the same house is rented out at R7 500 (for another year). The difference between the net rental income (before expenses) is R11 394/month, about 150% of the rental itself. You need a 60% deposit to break even on cash flow and your max ROI is 4.29%. Take off rates, taxes, maintenance and the numbers get even worse.

Here's the yield graph:

Glencairn Heights: 18 Months Later, R290 000 Cheaper

Back in November 2008 this house in Glencairn Heights was on sale for R1 985 000, along with a used Land Rover as an incentive. 18 months later the same house is for sale for R1 695 000, although this time there's no car thrown in to sweeten the deal. I can't tell from the ad if it's still the original seller who couldn't sell the house and is now selling it R290 000 cheaper than they were asking 18 months ago or if it's the person who bought the house back then and now realises they're paying a massive bond and the days of 25% price growth they were pegging everything on are long gone and has decided to get rid of the albatross.

In this market either of those are feasible.