South African Reserve Bank Cuts Rates Again Easing Homeowners' Costs

In June 2025, the U.S. housing market saw a record high of 26.6% of home listings with price cuts, led by cities like Denver, Raleigh, Dallas, Nashville, and Phoenix, as these markets adjust after pandemic-driven growth and slowing population increases. Meanwhile, the national homeownership rate has dropped to its lowest point in over five years, with affordability challenges remaining severe for first-time buyers, a situation that President Donald Trump attributes to Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. In South Africa, the Reserve Bank has consecutively cut the repo and prime lending rates, most recently lowering the prime rate to 10.5%, providing significant relief to homeowners by reducing monthly bond repayments and stimulating renewed confidence in the property market. These interest rate cuts have led to notable increases in home loan applications and overall market recovery, despite some declines in homebuyer deposits, supported by attractive lending incentives such as zero-deposit loans and discounted prime rates. The South African economy faces ongoing challenges including slow GDP growth and potential impacts from U.S. trade tariffs under President Trump, but inflation remains subdued, allowing for continued monetary easing and further rate cut possibilities. Collectively, these developments highlight a mixed but cautiously optimistic outlook for housing affordability and market activity in both the U.S. and South Africa amid evolving economic conditions.