Swiftbanker Blog
Short guides. Better decisions. No jargon.
Learn how to compare loans, work out the real cost of borrowing and choose wisely before you sign. Short, practical guides on loans and personal finance in South Africa.
Latest articles
Vehicle financeRefinancing a Car Loan in South Africa: When and How to Do It
Refinancing replaces your existing vehicle agreement with a new one, ideally at a lower rate or on a term your budget can carry. Here is when it genuinely saves you money in South Africa, when it quietly costs more, and exactly how to arrange the switch.
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LoansTop Loan Brokers in South Africa: Who Can Help You Borrow Better?
A loan broker sits between you and the lenders: one set of documents, several applications, and someone who knows which credit provider is likely to say yes. Here is how broking really works in South Africa, who pays for it, and the five checks that separate a professional intermediary from an advance-fee scam.
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Interest ratesUnderstanding the Home Loan Prime Rate in South Africa
Almost every bond in South Africa is priced off the prime lending rate, yet very few homeowners can say where prime comes from or what a quarter-point move does to their instalment. This guide walks through the repo-to-prime chain, the margin the bank adds to you personally, and what to do when the rate moves.
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LoansWhat Is a Loan Guarantee? How Does It Work in South Africa?
A loan guarantee is a written promise by someone else to settle your debt if you cannot. Here is how suretyship works under South African law, who qualifies as a guarantor, what it costs the person who signs, and when it is genuinely worth asking.
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Home loansWhat Is an Equity Finance Loan? Understanding How It Works in SA
An equity finance loan lets you borrow against the value you have already built up in your property instead of selling it. Here is how equity is calculated in South Africa, the four routes your bank will offer you, what the registered bond amount has to do with it, and the costs and risks to weigh up before you put your home behind a loan.
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Vehicle financeVehicle Finance in Cape Town: Trusted Providers and Easy Application Tips
Cape Town buyers can arrange vehicle finance at a bank, at a dealership finance desk, through a manufacturer finance house or with an independent lender — and the same file is priced differently at each one. Here is what the paperwork has to contain, what the affordability assessment looks at, and how to compare offers on total cost.
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