From city to suburbs: the big mindshift

WE ALL know enthusiastic youngsters are flocking to Cape Town’s CBD, but who is leaving the city and why?

There is something magnetic about Cape Town’s trendy CBD, and youngsters from all over the country are trying to get their piece of the cosmopolitan city, to rent or to buy.

But what happens when the love of city life clashes with the need for more space, less traffic and proximity to good schools?

Everyone has reasons for moving, but estate agents say children and pets are the common thread that ignites the move to suburbia.

However, it is not an easy move as leaving the city can bring with it psychological and emotional challenges.

While people now wait longer before marrying and having children, city living is extended, making the move to the suburbs more than just about packing a few boxes.

Taryn Lewis, Pam Golding Properties agent for the City Bowl, says: “The majority of people moving out of the city to the suburbs are young couples in their early thirties and forties, looking to move to larger properties as their family grows and their needs change.”

Children are the leading cause for people moving out of the city and dispersing to the suburbs as many popular schools are located outside the CBD. Unless you are able to

Often couples

says Lewis. “They may need a garden and extra room, and this sees people moving from the City Bowl to the areas where these needs can be accommodated.”

According to Riaan Ackermann, Pam Golding Properties agent for the City Bowl, homeowners are selling their smaller properties in the city to buy larger homes in the suburbs for the same prices.

Most people renting seem to remain in the City Bowl.

As people tend to settle down to family life later than past generations did, youngsters are finding themselves living in the city for longer.

There are emotional and psychological challenges associated with suburbanisation as a move of this nature brings with it many changes and lifestyle adjustments.

People often attach their self- worth and identity to where they live, and shifting from city life to suburbia is quite a transformation.

“To make such a move a success, the decision must be unanimous,” says Adrian Goslett, regional director and CEO of Re/Max of Southern Africa. “There needs to be definite motivation for the move and it is vital both parties are on the same page.”

He says often all that is required is a shift in mindset accompanied by a positive attitude about the future, focusing on the primary reasons for the move, such as more space, a safer environment for the children, proximity to good schools and other positive aspects.

For those venturing out of the city for the first time, trends show they don’t go too far. Mowbray, Rondebosch and Claremont are popular, says Lewis. Other suburbs include Newlands and parts of the northern suburbs.

“There are areas in the northern and southern suburbs that meet these (desired) requirements and offer value for money,” says Lewis.

Staying out of the city in areas such as these may be a good compromise for those considering the move. They are not far from the City Bowl and frequenting the CBD is easy, the children are in good schools and the family enjoys more living space and peaceful surroundings.