Buying Property in 2021? Go Green and Get a Better Home Loan

If you are a first-time buyer, take note.  Next year – and what is left of this year – may be the best time to buy property in South Africa.  The prime lending rate is at a 57-year low and prices are more affordable than ever.  It is a buyers’ market and one that you can exploit by investing in a certified green building and doing your bit for the world environment. 

How can you boost your bottom line?  Gambling at our online casino is one option.  Applying for a green home loan is another!  Here is all you need to know about EDGE certified real estate and why we should all make a conscious effort to go green.

Interest Rates Cuts – A Silver Lining in a Gloomy Year 

For many South Africans, 2020 has been a year to forget...  Debt and unemployment have skyrocketed to unsustainable levels.  Amidst all the pain of personal loss, there has been one silver lining – substantial interest rate cuts.

What does that mean to ordinary South Africans?  It costs less to borrow and service debt.  It also means there is a little more money left in your pocket to spend on the things that put a smile on the dial – like playing the best online casino games at Springbok Casino.

If you are gainfully employed and have cash to enjoy on a deposit, it is the ideal time to visit a few online property sites that feature funky EDGE certified houses and apartments.

What is EDGE? 

EDGE is essentially a global system that is working at making new buildings more energy efficient.  It stands for Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies and consists of three tools:

• A free software application that assesses the most cost-effective ways of integrating environmentally sustainable systems into a building.
• A universal standard that sets out exactly what a green building must look like.
• A certification system that is applied to buildings that meet the parameters set out in the standard.

What Do Green Buildings Look Like?

What do green buildings look like when they are built to EDGE specifications?  Firstly, they are constructed from ethically and sustainably sourced materials that are non-toxic to the environment.  Secondly, scarce resources, such as water and electricity, are used as sparingly as possible in the construction process.

Thirdly, in a green building, accumulated waste is re-used and recycled and renewables such as wind and solar energy are used to power the home.  Building houses, offices, malls and apartments with the health and well-being of the environment in mind is a feel-good solution and one that can have a positive impact on one of the biggest problem we face as a planet today – and that of course is climate change.

What is Needed for EDGE Certification?

An Edge certified dwelling uses 20% less water and energy.  It is also one that is built from materials with a collective carbon footprint that is 20% lower than the norm. 

When you take into account that unsustainably built buildings produce 15% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions and guzzle more than a third of our energy, green building is a massive step in the right direction – and one that you can support with a purchase of an eco-friendly home. 

An EDGE Certified Home Could Mean Uninterrupted Online Casino Action! 

As we’ve mentioned, EDGE certified homes are built to conserve resources, which includes water and electricity.  With the current ongoing electricity crisis facing all South Africans, going green is also the solution to fight the rolling blackouts.

Apart from the environmental aspect of going green, EDGE homes place less strain on the power grid – and with alternative energy as a backup, you could keep the lights on during loadshedding.  This also means sustained gaming at Springbok Casino… and just think how much cheaper it will be to play online casino games at home with solar or wind energy powering the action!

How to Get a Cheaper Home Loan in South Africa 

Now that you know what a green building are about, you probably want to know how it can help you get a better home loan.  A global phenomenon that has recently made its way to South Africa are so-called green mortgages.

What are Green Mortgages? 

What are green mortgages?  Due to the reduced costs of running a green building, banks are now offering home loans with lower interest rates to people who purchase EDGE certified buildings.  Why would they do that?  Simple – the risk of default is obviously lower.

What is more, the re-sale value of green buildings is much higher than conventionally built homes… and that is good news for the banks as they automatically sell distressed properties to recover their losses.

Where Can You get a Green Home Loan in South Africa? 

Earlier this year, one of the largest developers of eco-friendly properties in South Africa partnered with ABSA to launch the Eco Home Loan.  Since then, major banks have followed suit and offer clients their own eco-friendly home loans. 

As a result, buyers can qualify for a reduction in the bond rate, provided they invest in an EDGE certified property.   That of course means your home would cost substantially less over the 20- or 30-year repayment period. 

You would have more spending money to holiday with the family, buy the assets you have always dreamt about and play real money games at Springbok Online Casino!  What more could you want or need?

Springbok Online Casino – Where Savvy South Africans Play Real Money Games 

Whether you are a first-time buyer or an existing homeowner, you can spend the spoils that would have gone into your home loan right here at Springbok Online Casino.  As our gambling platform exists in cyberspace – and we don’t need EDGE certification.

You will however find that our online casino games and in-built random number generators are certified by an independent testing agency – and that of course means you can enjoy fair real money gaming… guaranteed!