Property Purchase
Cash Requirement & Shortfall
Calculator
Use this calculator to estimate how much cash you may need to complete a property purchase. See the portion of the purchase price not covered by finance, allow for transfer duty and other transaction costs, and compare the total requirement with your deposit and cash still available.
This calculator provides indicative planning estimates only and does not represent a lender assessment, legal or tax advice, a quotation, pre-approval or approval.
Property Purchase Cash & Shortfall
See how much cash you may actually need to complete the purchase.
Estimate the portion of the purchase price not covered by finance, add transfer duty and other transaction costs, and compare the total cash requirement with the funds you have available.
Adjust the figures or enter exact amounts. Results update instantly.
Property & finance
Enter the total purchase price payable for the property. If the transaction is subject to VAT, use the VAT-inclusive purchase price where applicable.
Enter the amount you expect to finance. This does not imply that finance has been approved.
The finance amount entered exceeds the purchase price. This calculator does not assume that any amount above the purchase price will be available for transaction costs.
Cash already paid towards the purchase price. Do not include cash that you still have available.
The deposit entered is higher than the purchase-price contribution required on the finance assumptions above. Confirm the treatment of any excess with your conveyancer.
Transaction costs
Transaction tax treatment
VAT transaction selectedUse this if you already have a transfer-duty estimate or calculation from your conveyancer.
Estimated transfer duty
R107,356
Using SARS transfer-duty rates effective 1 April 2026.
For planning purposes, the transfer-duty estimate is calculated from the purchase price entered. Your conveyancer and SARS determine the actual amount payable.
Other buyer costs
Enter estimates or quotations where available. These costs vary by transaction, service provider and finance structure.
Enter the estimated transfer attorney fees, VAT and relevant disbursements payable by the buyer, where applicable.
Enter the estimated bond registration attorney fees, VAT and related disbursements, where finance is being registered.
Enter any valuation, initiation, administration or other buyer-paid finance costs that are not included elsewhere.
Include any other known buyer-paid costs relevant to the transaction. Do not include normal moving or furnishing costs unless you deliberately want to include them in your cash plan.
Some transaction-cost fields are R0. If you do not yet have estimates, the cash requirement shown may exclude costs that will become payable later.
Your cash position
Cash you still have available from today. Do not include the deposit already paid.
Estimated cash shortfall
R137,356
Indicative planning estimateRemaining cash required
R387,356
Cash available
R250,000
Purchase price
R3,000,000
Expected finance
R2,700,000
Own contribution required
R300,000
Deposit already paid
R100,000
Transaction costs
R187,356
Remaining cash required
R387,356
Cash available
R250,000
Shortfall
R137,356
ShortfallPurchase-price funding
How the purchase price itself is funded.
The full bar represents the purchase price of R3,000,000.
- Expected finance — R2,700,000 (90.0%)
- Buyer own contribution — R300,000 (10.0%)
The purchase price is fully covered by the finance amount entered, but transaction costs may still require cash.
Transaction costs
What the transaction costs add up to.
Estimates only. Confirm each amount with your conveyancer and finance provider.
- Transfer duty R107,356
- Transfer / conveyancing costs R0
- Bond registration costs R0
- Other finance-provider costs R0
- Other transaction costs R0
- Total transaction costs R107,356
How the cash requirement builds
From purchase-price contribution to your cash position.
Each line below is calculated from the figures you entered.
- Purchase-price contribution R300,000
- Transfer duty R107,356
- Other transaction costs R80,000
- Total buyer cash requirement R487,356
- Deposit already paid R100,000
- Remaining cash required R387,356
- Cash still available R250,000
- Estimated shortfall R137,356
Part of the deposit already paid exceeds the purchase-price contribution required on these finance assumptions. Only the portion applied to the contribution has been deducted above.
What if the finance amount is different?
A lower finance amount means more cash from you.
A lower finance amount increases the amount of cash you need to contribute towards the purchase price. The purchase price, deposit already paid, transaction costs and cash available are held constant.
Finance sensitivity
Secondary scenario tool
Test a different finance amount.
This does not change your expected finance amount above.
The slider maximum follows the purchase price entered above.
At a finance amount of R2,565,000
Comparison
Important to understand
The deposit is not the whole cash requirement.
The difference between the purchase price and the finance amount is only one part of the cash you may need. Transfer duty, conveyancing costs, bond registration costs and other transaction expenses can create an additional cash requirement.
Understanding these costs before committing to a transaction can help identify a potential shortfall early.
What these numbers tell you
A plain reading of your cash position.
How transfer duty is estimated
Where transfer duty applies, this calculator uses the SARS transfer-duty schedule configured for transactions from 1 April 2026 and applies it to the purchase price entered for planning purposes.
The actual transfer-duty position can depend on the nature and value of the transaction. Where a property sale is subject to VAT, transfer duty is generally not also payable. Confirm the treatment and amount with your conveyancer.
The transfer-duty schedule can change. This calculator should be reviewed when SARS rates change.
Want to understand how to close the funding gap?
The purchase price is only one part of a property finance transaction. We can help assess the full requirement, identify potential shortfalls, structure the finance case and consider suitable funding routes before the matter moves into formal application.
Start with your situationThis calculator provides indicative planning estimates for general information only. Actual purchase costs, transfer duty, legal fees, bond registration costs, lender fees, valuations, finance amounts and transaction requirements may differ. Results do not constitute financial, tax or legal advice, a quotation, pre-approval or an indication that finance will be approved.
Transfer duty is estimated using the SARS rate schedule configured in this calculator and the purchase price entered. The actual amount and tax treatment must be confirmed by the conveyancer responsible for the transaction.
Conveyancing fees, bond registration fees, disbursements and finance-provider costs vary and should be confirmed with the relevant service providers.
LookingForFinance assesses, structures and positions your finance requirement. Qualifying applications are referred to suitable regulated financial services providers.
START THE CONVERSATION
Whether you are still planning or need finance now, tell us what you are trying to achieve and where you are in the process. We’ll help you understand your position, identify what needs attention and determine the most sensible next step.
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Joe Meyer
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060 016 5253
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LookingForFinance assesses, structures and positions your finance requirement. Qualifying applications are referred to suitable regulated financial services providers.
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