Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
The peace of countryside living is calling many Capetonians
Stellenbosch is popular among Capetonians looking for a life outside the city. JUST as many South Africans look for their patch of green in Cape Town, many Capetonians seek theirs in other parts of the Western Cape.
A decline in the affordability of homes, the rising cost of living and growing congestion in the province’s major metros has prompted homeowners to seek more affordable and relaxed lifestyles in towns and suburbs beyond the traditional metro growth nodes, says Pam Golding Properties’ Sandra Gordon.
Often these buyers have been purchasing homes in towns previously considered to be primarily holiday or retirement destinations.
Although people have been moving to the countryside for some time, over the past two years a growing number has begun to cite this as their reason for selling, says Lew Geffen Sotheby’s International Realty’s Dawn Bloch.
“In 2017, around 15% of my sellers were moving out of Cape Town, predominantly along the west and east coasts and the Winelands, and this number has been steadily rising, fuelled by those who are unable to emigrate and opt instead to move to smaller towns for a quieter, better quality of life.
“Many are also empty-nesters and retirees looking to scale down both their homes and lifestyles, families with young pre-school children and professionals who can work from home or want to open small businesses.”
For most, Bloch says the primary motivation for this move is a desire to escape traffic, crime and increasingly regular unrest in the city.
“Popular towns for this new wave of semigrants include Langebaan, Yzerfontein, Caledon, Knysna, Plettenberg Bay and Still Bay, all offering a tranquil lifestyle and an array of outdoor and leisure activities for nature lovers and sports enthusiasts.”
People want to be out of the hustle and bustle of the cities, agrees Greeff’s Mike Greeff. They are moving to estates just outside the main cities while businesses are moving out of the city centre to areas such as Century City.
“The move away from the traditional centralised business hubs is also reflective of current global trends that see people working remotely or travelling to their offices just once or twice a week.
“People are placing a greater emphasis on family life as well as quality of life rather than just the high-pressure city-based lifestyle.”
While not many people leave Cape Town for other provinces, he says Knysna and Plettenberg Bay are always a popular choice for those retiring and moving out of Cape Town.
There has also been a lot of interest from Capetonians seeking a more rural environment such as the Winelands, says Lew Geffen Sotheby’s International Realty’s Chris Cilliers.
“Stellenbosch, Somerset West and Paarl are popular, and Wellington has also been an attractive option.”
In addition to a trend towards Riebeeck Kasteel, Stanford and Greyton, Knight Frank’s Richard Hardie says Hermanus is popular.
“There are many gated communities, it has the ocean, a real sense of community, plus some good shopping malls.”