Some South African citizens and permanent residents may qualify for a government subsidy to secure a home loan. The Department of Human Settlements has a programme called the Finance Linked Individual Subsidy Programme (FLISP) aimed at helping first-time home-buyers from low to medium income households to afford a home loan.
How FLISP works
Contributes towards your first property
Contributes towards buying your first residential property, vacant serviced residential land or building a house in a formal town.
Covers shortfall
It can be used as a deposit to cover any shortfall between the approved home loan amount and the purchase price.
Reduces monthly installments
If not for shortfall, it can be used to reduce your initial home loan amount making the monthly installments more affordable.
Cannot be used for fees and costs
It cannot be used to pay any charges or attorney fees such as transfer and/or bond registration costs.
Requirements for FLISP
In order to apply for a FLISP subsidy, you must meet the following requirements:
- Earn either a single or joint gross monthly household income of between R3 501 to R22 000
- Be a first time home buyer
- Be over the age of 18 years
- Have financial dependants
- Have never benefitted from any Government Housing Subsidy Scheme before
- Have an AIP (Approval in Principle) for a home loan from an accredited South African financial institution.
How to apply for a FLISP
Find your home
- Find out what you can afford without FLISP using our affordability calculator.
- Get pre-qualified with our Home Loan Pre-qualification tool so that you can shop for your new home with confidence.
- Find the home you want to buy and put in an offer to purchase.
Apply for finance
- Apply online or call us on 0860 111 007.
- Once your finance is approved with an accredited financial institution, you will need to complete the home buyers education programme.
Apply for FLISP
- This is a separate application you need to complete in your personal capacity and submit to NHFC.
- Visit the NHFC website
- Email NHFC on: info@nhfc.co.za
- Call: (011) 644 9800
Get paid out
- If your application is approved, the subsidy amount will be paid into your attorney’s trust account or your home loan account once your bond is registered.
If you think you could qualify for a FLISP, it's worth your while to enquire. It could help you along the way and you could be closer to owning your own home than you think!
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Need more help or advice?
Let one of our property experts call you back.
Call us on:
0860 111 007
E-mail us at:
General account enquiries: home@absa.co.za
Home loan applications: propertyhub@absa.co.za
Battling to make home loan repayments: bondrs@absa.co.za
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Life insurance: polserv@absa.co.za
