How the total is built
Transfer costs = transfer duty (official) + transfer attorney fee + VAT on the fee + disbursements Bond costs = bond attorney fee + VAT on the fee + disbursements + bank initiation fee Total = transfer costs + bond costs
Only transfer duty is an official calculation. Every other amount comes from your quotes and is labelled as an estimate. Transfer duty and deeds office fees carry no VAT; attorneys’ professional fees do.
Worked example
R1.8 million home with a 90% bond (enter your quotes)
Transfer duty of R21 786 is calculated from the SARS table. The attorney amounts are examples — replace them with the figures on your own quotes.
Transfer (paid by the buyer)
- Transfer duty (SARS) Official
- R21 786.00
- Transfer attorney fee Estimate
- R30 000.00
- VAT on transfer fee (15%)
- R4 500.00
- Transfer disbursements Estimate
- R4 500.00
- Transfer costs
- R60 786.00
Frequently asked questions
What are transfer costs?
The costs of registering the property in your name — transfer duty paid to SARS, the transfer attorney’s professional fee plus VAT, and disbursements such as deeds office fees, rates clearance and FICA costs.
What are bond registration costs?
If you buy with a home loan, the bank’s attorney registers the bond at the deeds office. You pay their fee plus VAT and the related disbursements, and usually a bank initiation fee.
Why doesn’t Balawise estimate attorney fees automatically?
Conveyancers generally quote from a Law Society guideline tariff that scales with the price, but fees are negotiable and Balawise has not verified a current published schedule. Using your actual quotes is more accurate than a guess.
Who pays — the buyer or the seller?
The buyer pays transfer duty, transfer costs and bond registration costs. The seller pays the estate agent’s commission and bond cancellation costs.