Western Cape Aged 50 summer

Image: Lorne Philpot

Cape escape: More Gauteng residents than ever moving to Western Cape

The semigration trend is continuing as many Gauteng residents exit the province in favour of a more laid-back life in the Western Cape.

Western Cape Aged 50 summer

Image: Lorne Philpot

When visiting the Western Cape, especially when driving the highways and byways of Cape Town, you’ll quickly notice that many vehicles bear Gauteng Province’s GP number plates.

The number of Gauteng-registered vehicles on the Mother City’s roads is an indication of the growing number people from Gauteng who now live permanently in the Western Cape. Of these, the majority now call Cape Town home.   

This semigration trend — a term for moving from one part of the country to another — seems firmly on the rise as COVID-19 makes working remotely from anywhere common practice. If you’re considering moving, take a look at Moving Company Johannesburg to make your relocation effortless.

LARGE INFLUX INTO THE WESTERN CAPE

Managing director of Dogon Group Properties, Alexa Horne, told Businesstech that more Gauteng residents were now buying properties in the Western Cape than ever before. Lighthouse reports also show the number of buyers in the Cape tend to be from inland areas, with Gauteng topping the list of property buyers in the Western Cape.

Horne told Businesstech that semigrants moving to Cape Town wanted properties close to good schools, public amenities and lifestyle offerings. The Cape has all of these in abundance.

“Out of our sales in the Western Cape over the past 12 months, Gauteng buyers and people from other provinces within South Africa make up a large percentage of our clients,” Dogon’s head of developments, Paul Upton, told Businesstech.

REMOTE WORK DRIVES WESTERN CAPE SEMIGRATION TREND

Horne said the ability to work online or remotely had motivated many buyers from Gauteng and other parts of South Africa to move to the Western Cape.  

“Semigration to the Cape is by no means a new trend. However, it is one that is sharply on the rise due to COVID-19 which has birthed a new era of remote working – making it easier for professionals to live, work and play in their preferred province – no longer having to wait until they retire to live by the sea.”

WHAT SEMIGRANTS ARE LOOKING FOR

Cape Town boasts some incredible homes in seaside suburbs like Clifton. Image: Lorne Philpot

Horne said most buyers from Gauteng were looking for a lifestyle change by moving to the Western Cape. Buyers wanted a better quality of life and picturesque surroundings, and good schools for their children.

“We are seeing that many of those relocating are looking for larger homes – houses that are big enough to accommodate extended family – like grandparents – as well as provide space for a home office.” 

SECURITY A TOP REQUIREMENT

Upton said security was still a prime consideration for many Gauteng buyers moving to the Western Cape. Johannesburg has high-security estate options like Dainfern Estate, Waterfall Estate and Kyalami Estate — but until recently this type of estate was not available in Cape Town.

Upton said Cape Town’s new Steenberg Green offered the type of security which Gauteng residents were familiar with when living in high-security estates like those in Johannesburg’s northern suburbs.    

“We have received so many inquiries about Steenberg Green from ex-Gauteng residents as it is an ultra-exclusive security estate that boasts some of the most sophisticated security measures in Cape Town.

“Whilst often the norm in Gauteng, security estates are limited in Cape Town, and semigrators are looking for the peace of mind offered through reliable, state-of-the-art security,” Upton said.

CAPE TOWN RENTAL MARKET IS BOOMING

It is not only property sales that are on the up in Cape Town. Horne said Cape Town’s rental market was very buoyant. She said many new families rented homes in the Western Cape before they made property purchases. Some Cape Town property rentals fetched extremely high rentals with Gauteng semigrants, she added.

“These professionals often have large monthly budgets to spend on rental and are looking for family homes in upmarket areas,” Horne said.

“Dogon Properties recently secured a rental of R75,000 on a home in Tamboerskloof. One of our Atlantic Seaboard agents, JP Fourie, concluded 21 rental deals in November and December alone – one of which was for R85,000 per month for a Camps Bay residence,” Horne said.

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