Semigration – or the act of moving to a different province within the same country – has always been relatively common in South Africa. The appeal of different education, employment, and/or lifestyle opportunities has driven a near constant flow of cross-country migration.
Now, as South Africa faces increasing threat of socio-economic collapse, vast numbers of citizens are joining the semigration trend. Either unwilling or unable to depart the country entirely, these semigrants appear to be hedging their bets by seeking refuge in the country’s best-run municipalities.
“The Western Cape is still the top choice for semigrants,” says David Jacobs, Regional Sales Manager for the Rawson Property Group. “Its biggest attractions are better service delivery, better maintained infrastructure, and unemployment rates more than 10% lower than the national average.”
The province does, however, have higher rental and house price inflation than the national average – particularly in its main metro, Cape Town.
This, Jacobs says, can make it a costly exercise for people semigrating from other provinces to buy or rent a Western Cape property equivalent to their previous homes. Those willing to live slightly outside the urban centres, however, may find prices more inline with their hometowns.
“Larger coastal towns like Mossel Bay are proving very popular with semigrants,” says Jacobs. “Property prices there are still relatively affordable, but rising demand paired with ongoing growth and urbanisation will see these increase over time.”
READ: Semigration trend driving sales in the Western and Eastern Cape
Other slightly smaller towns seeing a lot of semigration action include Hermanus and West Coast favourites like Langebaan, Paternoster and St Helena Bay.
It’s not just the Western Cape’s coastline that has captured semigrants’ attention, however. Jacobs says both the Eastern Cape and KZN are giving the country’s so-called “golden child” a run for its semigrant money.
“The Eastern Cape offers many of the same outdoorsy lifestyle features as the Western Cape, but has a more temperate climate and a more affordable price point, on average,” says Jacobs. “There is arguably less opportunity in terms of employment, but with remote work as prevalent as it is, that isn’t a dealbreaker for everyone.”
Similar to the Western Cape’s trend, smaller towns in the Eastern Cape are proving particularly popular with semigrants. Port Alfred is a firm, mid-sized favourite, as is its smaller coastal neighbour, Kleinemonde, and the inland agricultural town of Bathurst.
“KZN’s semigration trends are a little bit different,” says Jacobs. “The North Coast, around Ballito, is popular with affluent semigrants from Gauteng, while the Mid-South Coast, around Port Shepstone, is gaining traction in the more cost-conscious market. In terms of lifestyle and opportunities, estate living is very popular in these areas, offering residents private security and good service delivery.”
With so many options on the table, it can be a challenge for semigrants to pick their preferred destination. Jacobs says much depends on budget, lifestyle preferences and conditions of employment. No matter the destination, however, Jacobs strongly recommends preparing for the move well in advance – particularly if you plan on selling an existing property.
“We’re seeing a lot of property sales to semigrating buyers put on pause – or even fall through – because of delays in selling their previous homes,” he says. “The fact is, properties in semigration hotspots are moving much more quickly than those in other areas. It’s far wiser to sell first and shop around afterwards with the ability to put a condition-free offer down as soon as you find the right home.”
To make the process easier, Jacobs highly recommends working with real estate brand that has a national footprint, or at least a local presence in both your hometown and chosen destination.
“At Rawson, for example, we have agents across the country, linked through our collaborative Rawson network,” he says. “That means we can handle both ends of your property transaction – the sale and the purchase – to help optimise the process from start to finish and make your move as smooth and predictable as possible.”
READ: A new home presents the perfect opportunity to overhaul your household budget
Moving costs:
According to Regional Director and CEO of RE/MAX of Southern Africa, Adrian Goslett, there are many upfront costs involved when moving into a new property that many forget to budget for.
In an article published on Goslett, provides a couple of tips on moving.
“Tenants will need to pay a sizeable deposit and buyers will need to cover transfer fees and bond registration costs. This often leaves very little money over for things such as the moving day and any new furniture that needs to be purchased for the new home,” he notes.
To help those who are looking for ways to cut down the costs of moving homes, RE/MAX of Southern Africa shares a few tips for a cost-effective moving day.
1. Shop around for quotes
For those who choose to use professional movers, take the time to shop around. Get quotes from at least three different companies to see which offers the fairest quote. Doing so well in advance will also help you to budget more accurately and allow you time to save up the appropriate amount.
2. Hire a trailer
For those with a towbar and an appropriate vehicle, it can work out to be far more cost effective to hire a trailer for a day and to do the move yourself. Better still, if one of your friends or family could lend you a trailer or vehicle for the day, this could help you save some much-needed cash.
3. Declutter before the move
The less you have to move across to the new home, the cheaper the moving process will become. Before the move, go through the old home and get rid of the items you no longer need, being sure to donate or sell the items that are still in good condition. Resist the urge to purchase new items until after you have moved into the new home.
Whether you choose to move on your own or to hire professional movers, Goslett encourages all buyers and tenants to avoid having to take on extra debt to help cover the costs. “To protect your credit score and to minimise the impact of interest rate hikes, try to keep credit card debt as minimal as possible. As difficult as it may be, it is far better to be patient and build up savings to cover the associated costs of moving in cash rather than on credit,” he advises.
To do this, it is useful to be fully aware of all the costs you can expect to cover when moving. “Before committing to a purchase or a lease agreement, speak to a trusted real estate advisor to get a better idea of all the associated costs. As experienced professionals, they could offer some advice around the most common expenses that have tripped clients up in the past. Being better informed will help to avoid surprise expenses and make the whole moving process much more enjoyable overall,” says Goslett.
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