One important measure of financial accessibility in African cities is a high loan affordability index, concerning the payment of mortgage.
- Business Insider Africa presents the top 5 African cities that offer the best transition rates from mortgage to home ownership.
- This list is courtesy of data from Numbeo.
- South Africa’s Pretoria ranks number 1 on the list.
A high loan affordability index indicates that homeownership is more accessible to citizens where housing affordability may constitute a significant issue.
This index represents the mortgage’s inverse as a proportion of income.
It is simpler for citizens of a city with a high loan affordability index to afford mortgage payments in relation to their income.
More people and families are better positioned to be able to move from leasing to owning a property as a result, increasing housing stability and financial security.
Financial companies observe a rise in loan applications and approvals when mortgages become more accessible.
This boosts the real estate industry, generating employment for mortgage lenders, architects, engineers, and construction workers.
Furthermore, housing projects in places with affordable homeownership have a higher chance of receiving funding from investors.
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Housing disparity persists in many African cities due to high property costs in relation to income.
A good loan affordability index guarantees that more individuals, particularly medium and lower-income workers, may afford to acquire a property, hence reducing wealth gaps and increasing social fairness.
Mortgage payments consume a considerable percentage of a family’s income, increasing financial stress and making it harder to finance critical needs such as healthcare, education, and food.
A higher loan affordability index indicates that mortgage expenses are more affordable, allowing households to maintain a better standard of living.
Additionally, a good loan affordability index lowers the likelihood of loan defaults and foreclosures, which can destabilize financial institutions.
More reasonable mortgage payments entail fewer bad loans for banks and lending institutions, resulting in a healthier financial industry.
With that said, here are the 10 African countries with the highest loan affordability index, according to data from Numbeo.
Top 5 African cities that offer the best transition rates from mortgage to home ownership
| Rank | City | Loan affordability index | Global rank | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Pretoria | 3.2 | 29th | South Africa |
| 2. | Johannesburg | 2.6 | 46th | South Africa |
| 3. | Cape Town | 1.6 | 99th | South Africa |
| 4. | Durban | 1.5 | 112th | South Africa |
| 5. | Rabat | 1.3 | 113rd | Morocco |
