Aside from Cape Town, many other coastal property markets have continued to hold up well despite the rapid interest rate hikes last year.
According to the Seeff Property Group, the demand for coastal property continues unabated and in some instances, last year was still notably better compared to the pre-pandemic period.
Meanwhile, KZN South Coast development opportunities are set to drive property market growth, according to the Seeff Property Group in the South Coast.
Hout Bay/Llandudno
One area which experienced yet another record year in 2022, is Hout Bay/Llandudno. According to Stephan Cross, manager for Seeff Hout Bay and Llandudno, it is hugely encouraging to note that while many areas experienced a slow-down in sales last year due to the rising interest rates, coastal hot spots held up well.
Hout Bay ended with 457 transactions worth over R1.3 billion, another record year. The average transaction price also increased to R4.389.960 (from to R3.518.090 in 2021), largely due to more sales at the higher price bands.
Llandudno ended with a record of 18 transactions worth over R478 million compared to 8 sales worth R143 million in the 2021-years. It also achieved a significant number of sales above R20 million.
Cross says Hout Bay has become a great alternative for buyers looking to be close to the Atlantic Seaboard on the one side and the Southern Suburbs on the other side. It offers a great village-like lifestyle, fully contained with great restaurants, schools, shopping and more. There are a number of desirable lifestyle estates in the area which contribute to the high demand.
Plettenberg Bay
While it was expected that the Plettenberg Bay property market would ease towards the second half of 2022, it still ended the year with around 800 transactions and an overall value which is still somewhat staggering at around R2.3 billion.
Alet Ollemans, licensee for Seeff Plettenberg Bay comments that while the number of transactions were slightly down compared to the record year of 2021, the overall value ended very much on par.
The average transaction price for Plettenberg Bay is now around R2.6 million, about 4% higher compared to 2021 and about 30% up on the 2019-year. The higher transaction value is due largely to more higher value transactions, especially in the R3 million to R10 million range taking place as buyers are more confident about investing in Plettenberg Bay.
While the bulk of the transactions fall below R2.5 million, there was excellent activity above this price band with a number of sales above R10 million and three sales above R20 million, all in Seaside Longships. The luxury estates also continue seeing strong demand.
While freehold properties make up about 70% of all property stock in the Plettenberg Bay area and estates only comprise around 20%, Lightstone data points to a strong swing to estate property sales, she says. It shows that for the 2022-year some 36% of transactions related to properties in estates and 39% to other freehold properties (i.e. those which are not in estates).
The “darling” of coastal buyers over the last few years once again enjoyed a solid year. According to Herman Spies, Sales Team Leader for Seeff Mossel Bay, the market was moving faster and with less stock, sellers were calling the shots towards the end of last year.
Semigration, retirement and holiday home buyers continue to flock to the town for the excellent lifestyle and value on offer.
The average price for full title residential property is around R2.8 million. Great areas to invest in include Dana Bay with an average transaction price according to Lightstone of around R1.7 million, Diaz at around R1.8 million, and Island View and Reebok, both with an average of around R1.8 million respectively.
There is high demand for properties below R3 million. Vacant land is under supplied and prices have doubled over the past 12-months.
Gqeberha (Nelson Mandela Bay, Eastern Cape)
According to Alan Phillips, regional manager for Seeff Eastern Cape and Garden Route the metro is a fabulous alternative for coastal property buyers and still offers lower price points.
Residents have access to a great lifestyle and city amenities including good schools, tertiary education including the NMB University, great shopping centres and plenty of leisure facilities.
He says while the market was slightly slower in 2022 compared to the 2021-year (which was the best in 10 years), it was still very active and competitive. There is still a shortage of stock which presents great opportunities for sellers. It is not a particularly noteworthy market for semigration, but very active in terms of locals, especially first-time buyers, he says.
Great areas for buyers include Walmer with an average house price of R2.7 million, Summerstrand with an average price of R2.55 million and Lorraine with an average transaction price of around R1.4 million.
KZN coast offer some of the most beautiful scenery
The small towns dotted along the KZN coast offer some of the most beautiful scenery and the area is home to many Blue Flag beaches, top surfing and diving spots and at least 11 golf courses. It is renowned for its excellent sub-tropical climate and fabulous beach lifestyles.
The location makes it prime for the next development hotspot, says Joleen Giraudeau a property agent with Seeff South Coast. Most towns have basic infrastructure and are not too far from a bigger centre. They are also mostly within under an hour to just over two hour’s drive from the Durban Metropolitan.
Many of the small towns are seeing somewhat of a revival with residents and businesses stepping in to help clean up and restore the areas.
While the area has long been a popular holiday destination, the onset of the Covid pandemic highlighted the benefits of the area to those who want to relocate here permanently or semi-permanently, she adds.
Whether you are older and want to retire to the coast, or are looking for a more wholesome environment to raise your children, the KZN South Coast now beckons for residential buyers.
Phelisa Mangcu, CEO of the South Coast Tourism and Investment Enterprise (SCTIE) also recently cited the KZN South Coast as the new primary choice for residential buyers, and said the area is poised for economic and development growth.
Giraudeau says prices are still very accessible compared to other coastal areas and there are several multi-million-rand developments underway. It is an excellent time to get in early and invest now according to Giraudeau.
Eco living forms a big part of the new developments. This includes the Serenity Hills Eco Estate in the Margate area which is already well underway and offers lifestyles for all age groups including retirement.
One of the most exciting developments in the country is the Renishaw Coastal Precinct which lies in the Umkomaas/Scottburgh area also contains a large eco component. The 2.6 million square metre, mixed-use coastal development includes residential, retail, educational, health care and light industrial/commercial zones.
Being 48km from Durban city, it’s an ideal retreat to reside and still be able to commute to work if required. She says, the development offers huge investment potential with “Node 2A” being the first of many available, a full portion of land already receiving environmental approval based for medium density housing, with 24.25 ha developable and available to purchase by prospective investors.
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