How many of South Africa's first-time home buyers are now women?
Women made up 52% of South Africa's approved first-time home loan applications in 2025, up from 43% a decade earlier, according to FNB structured-lending data reported by EWN on 27 August 2026. FNB's head of structured lending, Varashnee Naidoo, described the shift as “a powerful reflection of the progress of women in South Africa.” A separate decade-long dataset from ooba Home Loans, cited on Kaya 959's Kaya Biz programme, shows women buying a home on their own — without a partner on the bond — rose from 46.3% of solo first-time buyers in 2015 to 53% in 2025.
| Metric | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Women's share of approved first-time home loans | 52% in 2025, up from 43% in 2015 | FNB, reported by EWN, 27 Aug 2026 |
| Repeat buyers among women's applications | 51% in 2025 — first time outnumbering first-time buyers in a decade | FNB, reported by EWN, 27 Aug 2026 |
| Women buying homes above R1 million | 42% in 2025, up from 21% in 2015 | FNB, reported by EWN, 27 Aug 2026 |
| Income gap, women vs men applicants | Women earn over R5,000/month less on average | FNB, reported by EWN, 27 Aug 2026 |
| Default rates | Women show lower default rates on average | FNB head of structured lending Varashnee Naidoo, via EWN, 27 Aug 2026 |
| Solo women among first-time buyers | 53% in 2025, up from 46.3% in 2015 | ooba Home Loans, via Kaya 959's Kaya Biz |
Why are women buying higher-value homes than before?
The share of women buying properties worth more than R1 million rose from 21% in 2015 to 42% in 2025 (FNB, via EWN). That rise sits alongside a persistent income gap — women applicants earn, on average, more than R5,000 a month less than men — which makes the shift toward higher-value purchases notable rather than simply a function of higher pay. FNB also reports that women show marginally stronger repayment records and lower average default rates than men, even while putting a slightly larger share of their income toward bond repayments. 2025 was also the first year in a decade that repeat buyers (51%) outnumbered first-time buyers among women's applications, suggesting more women are now moving up from a first property rather than buying for the first time.
What benefits do first-time home buyers get in South Africa?
A qualifying first-time buyer can apply for the First Home Finance (FLISP) government subsidy, which reduces the bond amount needed rather than replacing the loan itself — it requires in-principle approval from an NCR-registered lender first. Lower-priced first purchases also carry less transfer duty exposure under SARS's sliding-scale table. Our first-time home buyer guide covers deposit expectations, required documents and subsidy eligibility in full, and the first-time buyer checklist lists exactly what to have ready before you apply.
What does this mean for your own home loan application?
Whether you are applying solo or with a partner, buying your first home or your next one, lenders assess your own income, affordability and credit record — not a demographic average. Run your own numbers before you apply so you know your realistic affordability range at today's 10.75% prime rate (SARB), rather than estimating from someone else's approval.
If you are applying on your own income, our free home loan affordability calculator estimates what you could qualify to borrow before you submit an application to any bank.
What to watch next
- Whether ooba's and BetterBond's next monthly briefs, expected through October 2026, show the same women-led trend continuing into Q3.
- Whether FNB publishes a further breakdown by province or income band in its next structured-lending release.
- The SARB's next MPC decision on 19 November 2026 — affordability at today's 10.75% prime rate is part of why repeat buyers now dominate women's applications.
Women's home loan application figures as reported by EWN, 27 August 2026, citing FNB structured-lending data. Solo first-time buyer figures from ooba Home Loans, cited on Kaya 959's Kaya Biz programme. Prime rate 10.75% from SARB via lib/rates.ts, re-verified 2026-09-23. Last verified: 2026-10-10.