Coastal Coves Attract

The character and charm of smaller coastal towns continue to draw a broad cross-section of home buyers seeking a quality lifestyle, value-for-money and location accessibility, says Pam Golding Properties.

Says Dr Andrew Golding, chief executive of the Pam Golding Property group: “While appealing lifestyle and value are key considerations for semigrators to such towns, other factors include the efficacy of local municipalities, availability of medical facilities, climate, and accessibility with a city or airport within about a four-hour drive.

“Buyers looking to relocate to coastal towns range across the spectrum from retirees to the younger generation. The latter are increasingly seeking a more desirable environment to raise a family, particularly those with the option to work from home or even start a new business in a different location – and coastal living very often fits the bill.”

In the Western Cape, with its vast expanse of scenic coastline, the West Coast town of St Helena Bay has since 2021 experienced a surge in new properties built, with a significant increase in new residents and buyers seeking a holiday home or semigrating. “Semigrators are mostly middle age families either starting small businesses or working from home, followed by retirees, mainly from within the province with a sprinkling from Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal. “A big focus is on a more balanced and secure family lifestyle next to the ocean,” says Shelly Keys, a Pam Golding Properties area manager in the Western Cape. “Some international ‘swallows’ also spend the summer months here.

“In St Helena Bay, with its 18 small bays, unspoilt sandy beaches and 33 residential developments, freehold stands average around R599 000 with a few remaining beachfront stands at approximately R5.5 million and upwards. Illustrating the sound investment potential of residential property, three years ago entry level prices started at R199 000 for freehold stands and R3.5 million for beachfront erven. Currently developed freestanding homes start at an average price of R2.5 million while the highest price paid for beachfront residential property to date is R12.5 million – compared with around R1.5 million and R7.5 million respectively, three years ago.”

The majority of the developments adhere to strict West Coast vernacular architectural guidelines, with predominantly brick white-washed buildings with black/grey roofs. The town’s municipal services are well managed, with regular infrastructure upgrades, allowing new businesses to flourish and boost the local economy. The upgraded roads have made visiting nearby Paternoster with its many choices of restaurants an easy 10-minute drive. There is easy access to Vredenburg with a large West Coast mall, quality medicare at Vredenburg’s Life Westcoast Private Hospital and a provincial hospital, while St Helena Bay has a pharmacy and two veterinarians, coffee shops and restaurants. Cape Town International Airport is 163km away.

Says Keys: “With a wide range of watersports, regular whale and dolphin sightings, colourful wildflower displays in early spring, spectacular fauna, flora and birdlife, St Helena Bay offers year-round outdoor nature activities in a mild Mediterranean climate.”

Approximately 45km to the south, an hour-and-a-half from Cape Town, and also with a very well-run local municipality, scenic Langebaan is a haven for water sports lovers and is an internationally acclaimed Ramsar Site for its importance as a wetland. Described as the Jewel of the West Coast, it offers modern living in harmony with nature. Close to town is the West Coast Fossil Park – the only one in South Africa, Interestingly, t he oldest known footprint – dated at about 117 000 years old – of a modern human, was discovered in the park on the banks of the Langebaan Lagoon in 1995. There is a casino and entertainment for children at Club Mykonos, golf at the Country Club, horse riding on the beach and a host of other activities.

Keys says post-Covid Langebaan’s residential property market boomed, with many buyers from Gauteng, Cape Town and KZN, and now also SA expats and other overseas buyers, including retired swallows wanting more exclusive, high-end properties. “Many are working from home or semi-retired and working remotely or opening new businesses. These buyers are purchasing family homes, while the more mature are looking at smaller homes, so the demand is for a mix between three-bedroom, three-bathroom homes and four-bedroom homes when they come onto the market. The price range is between R4 million and R5 million.

“Most buyers are seeking a more balanced lifestyle and here there is less traffic less stress and more outdoor activities. While the town has grown considerably it’s still a small town, with good infrastructure and services, convenience, safety for walking, nature and pet lovers, golf, tennis and the beach. While there’s a day hospital in Langebaan and new malls, there is a Life Hospital in Vredenburg just 20km away, good schools, including a Curro School, and homeschooling has also seen growth.

“You can acquire a residence in a gated estate, Langebaan Country Estate, for between R4 million and R5 million, with significant price appreciation expected to continue. Shark Bay plots achieve R2.8 million for beachfront houses, with waterfront homes selling between R9.5 million and R17 million. There have also been significant sales in the golf estate, with a recent price of R12.5 million achieved.”

Tranquil hamlets and authentic coastal villages like Gansbaai , situated in the Overberg region of the Western Cape, 30 minutes from Hermanus and two hours from Cape Town, are increasingly in demand as many people seek a quieter environment in which to live, work and play, says Le Roux van der Merwe, area principal for Pam Golding Properties. The greater Gansbaai area and more specifically “Die Plaat” (local beach) is also known for great accessible winter and summer fishing spots.

Says Le Roux: “Renowned for its whale watching, shark cage diving, and the historically important Klipgat cave, as well as abundant Fynbos species, this area is seeing semigrants from all over the country who perceive that this area offers good value for money and is a great place to live, while enjoying the benefits of working from home in a secure environment with good, well-maintained infrastructure, numerous attractions, clean air, abundant water, peaceful rural surrounds with abundant Fynbos species, hiking trails, unspoiled coastal walks and great beaches. This is also a “natural adventure destination”.

Access to Gansbaai has already been improved by the Hermanus-Stanford road improvements, with further major road improvements between Stanford and Gansbaai to be completed in early 2025.

Says van der Merwe: “Such is the demand that we are experiencing unprecedented growth with an increasing shortage of vacant stands to build on. Homes are being renovated and the municipality and private investors are busy with the imminent opening of the Overberg Medical Centre and additional retirement accommodation in the town. Notably, we are about to launch a gated village with 107 units in Gansbaai in the centre of the town. The location of the village is within level, walking distance from the sea, shops, churches, pharmacy, and doctors.

“While this facility is a private hospital, it will also have government beds and be accessible to all. The emergency room will offer 24/7 services and there will be a radiology practice and a pharmacy. Anticipated to include facilities for post-operative recovery in the form of sub-acute accommodation and potentially, frail care facilities on site, this development will add around R100 million to the local economy. It will also be a landmark development for Gansbaai and surrounding towns, making medical access much closer. Coupled with other planned infrastructural improvements, it will draw more people to the area and help facilitate further development.”

Gansbaai currently has two local airfields for smaller aircraft, planning for an aerodrome close by is underway, and Cape Town International Airport is a two-and-a-half hour drive.

Says van der Merwe: “Overall, the town offers great value for money in all residential property types, with many buyers typically seeking manageable properties with two bedrooms, two bathrooms and a double garage, which sell for around R2 million to R2.5 million, however there is a gated estate, Clairvaux, where two-bedroom, two-bathroom homes are selling for around R1.5 million. Gansbaai has a few holiday resort type areas where a leasehold house can be bought for R800 000. Generally, entry level apartments start at around R850 000. Due to the high demand there are not many vacant stands left, however, a vacant piece of land behind De Kelders is earmarked for the development of upmarket housing which will help meet the strong demand for gated estate living among semigrants.

“Currently, most of our buyers are from Gauteng, Limpopo and more recently, Hermanus. Although historically a holiday and retirement town, purchasers are acquiring property for leisure use or permanent relocation – including work-from-home as Gansbaai has a very good fibre and wireless internet infrastructure.”

Adds van der Merwe: “While the current demographic is slanted towards middle-aged and retirees, there are also numerous young families in the town, a trend expected to gather momentum as many multi-use developments, private schools, a mall and other improved amenities are in the pipeline. Gansbaai has three primary schools and one public high school, and there are also a number of good public and private schools in Hermanus, with buses transporting children to schools daily. Many parents also home-school their children.”

On the scenic Eastern Cape coastline, with its meandering 14km Kromme River, canals and seafront, St Francis Bay is seeing an influx of young families moving in as the town becomes increasingly sought after as a permanent residential destination – and as the local Pam Golding Properties area principal Richard Arderne points out, the private junior school is full. Furthermore, Kouga is ranked the best municipality in the Eastern Cape, and in the top 10 in South Africa.

Says Arderne: “The canals are arguably the best in the country, and the sea offers great surfing, fishing, boating, diving and more. This is a sporting mecca with numerous sports clubs: running, paddling, cycling, swimming, squash, bowls, two golf clubs, indoor pools, windsurfing, kiteboarding, soccer, tennis, and walking trails, among others.”

There is an array of excellent doctors, dentists, physiotherapists, an optometrist, Biokineticists and alternative healing practitioners. Says Arderne: “There are also opportunities for new businesses, and while we have strong boat/yacht building and allied trades, there are options to establish new growth sectors. Meanwhile the centre of South Africa’s calamari industry is right here in Port St Francis.

“Over the past few years we have continued to enjoy strong property demand. Entry level houses sell for around R3 million, while entry level waterfront homes requiring some renovation can be acquired from R6 million. Positively, we are experiencing good demand in the R8 million to R12 million price band. Plots in St Francis Links have on average at least doubled in price over the past five years, but still offer sound value. Entry level Links plots have over this period increased from around R350 000 to approximately R700 000, while prime plots have doubled from about R1.5 million to approximately R3 million, with some now fetching as much as R6 million.”

Arderne says non-prime plots have also doubled in price from about R200 000 to around R400 000 in Santareme, and from about R300 000 to approximately R600 000 in the village. “If you can find an entry level canal plot, they will have doubled from approximately R2 million to about R4 million. Village houses are now mostly over R4 million, while prime Santareme houses have doubled from around R6 million to R12 million. At present Cape St Francis has very little residential property on the market.”

In Kenton on Sea , situated between the Bushmans and Kariega Rivers, about halfway between Gqeberha and East London and colloquially known as ‘The Barefoot Capital’, the residential property market, which comprises mostly freehold residences, is active across all sectors, with prices ranging from R2 million for cottages to R6 million for spacious family homes and R16 million for contemporary, luxury waterfront residences.

Says Pam Golding Properties area principal, Michael Wilmot: “In recent years, there has been robust demand for vacant plots, with erven of approximately 600-1000sqm priced between R300 000 and R2 million. Plot buyers are often investors or speculators – some looking to secure land to develop in the medium to long term. House buyers are mixed – some are semigrating but typically they are coming here to vacation and ultimately retire here. Generally, buyers are South Africans but with a sprinkling of overseas purchasers.

“Interestingly, Kenton Eco Estate is attracting some younger buyers looking to gain a foothold on the property ladder. Our close proximity to Makhanda (formerly known as Grahamstown), is also a drawcard, being home to some of the best schools in the country. Consequently, Kenton is very popular as the seaside destination of choice for the parents of children at these schools.”

With a great year-round climate, Kenton is where visitors and locals alike revel in the feel of beach sand between their toes and kick back and relax while reconnecting with family, friends and nature.

Also on the Sunshine Coast, the tranquil town of Port Alfred with its scenic Royal Alfred Marina has, especially since Covid, experienced a surge of semigrators re-evaluating their living circumstances and fast-tracking their retirement plans. “This trend includes an influx of young buyers between the ages of 18 and 49, young to middle-aged families, either singles or newly married couples looking to invest, or young to middle-aged families looking to relocate,” says Isobel Meyer, area principal for Pam Golding Properties.

“Notable of late is the interest we are receiving from buyers from the Western Cape who are looking to capitalise on house-price growth and re-invest their money in a town that offers them a slower pace, but still good housing opportunities.

“Interestingly we are also seeing an increased demand for properties which offer the potential for split and/or multi-generational living prospects as well as a significant increase in enquiries for guesthouse establishments where owners can reside on the property and still generate a stable income.

“In line with this, there has been growing interest in commercial property and business resales, and as our town is expanding, new opportunities are arising. We have a well-run municipality, Port Alfred is home to Stenden University and the 43 Air School, as well as numerous schools, Port Alfred High School, The Kings School, Kowie Foundation School and Calico Academy, and we are also in close proximity to some top private schools in Makhanda. We are also within a 150km radius of East London and Gqeberha via upgraded highways.

“Post elections we’ve also noted a number of overseas buyers. As a result of the overall increased demand for properties and market growth over the past few years, there has been a steady and consistent increase in property values. Coupled with this, we are currently experiencing stock shortages across all price brackets.”

Meyer says the greatest demand is for homes between R1.5 million and R3 million, the bulk of enquiries emanating from upcountry – Johannesburg in particular, with frequent interest also from Bloemfontein and KwaZulu-Natal, and international enquiries mainly from Germany, France, Belgium, UK, Dubai and Saudi Arabia. “The latter are mostly looking to invest for leisure purposes, although we have recently seen some relocations. Noteworthy, however, is the number of SA citizens who are living abroad and looking to buy homes here with the intention of relocating and/or retiring here in the future.

“At present, we find the majority of our buyers finding value in three to four-bedroom, full title homes that are either freestanding or in gated, lifestyle estates. Mid-level estate living comprising three bedrooms, two bathrooms, two garages and garden start at about R2.2 million for an upmarket, turnkey property in a security estate while full title homes with three-plus bedrooms, two bathrooms and two garages start from around R1.55 million for an entry level home with little work required. However, these are few and far between and turnkey homes are more commonly selling between R1.85 million and R3.5 million, depending on their location and features.

“Both full title and sectional title apartments range from R750 000 to R4.75 million, with the more expensive options located on the Port Alfred beachfront with direct beach access. With exceptional security, the Royal Alfred Marina remains a firm favourite for high-end residential homes, each with access to at least 15m of private water frontage. These properties start at R3.995 million for an outdated four-bedroom, 3.5 bathroom home with one garage. Stock is particularly short in this estate, where the demand is for turnkey properties priced between R5.5 million and R6.5 million for four bedrooms, three bathrooms and two garages.”

Meyer adds that there is a notable premium for beachfront and/or waterfront homes in Port Alfred. For example, a four-bedroom home of some 400sqm with four bathrooms, two lounges, double garaging, exceptional ocean views and modern finishes in an upmarket area about 1.5km from the beach can be acquired for R3.99 million, but would sell for roughly R6.5 million if situated in a frontline position. “More recently, we sold an exceptionally well-located, three-bedroom, 3.5 bathroom home with double garaging and a full solar system on the beachfront in an upmarket security estate for R8 million including contents. As far as our records allow, this is the highest price achieved in Port Alfred for a residential home – outside of the Marina – to date. We are also seeing an uptick in enquiries for homes priced between R7 million and R15 million.

“Vacant land sales remain relatively consistent in Port Alfred, with values steadily increasing year on year. Currently entry level stands of about 750sqm are selling between R200 000 and R250 000, while there has been an increase in interest for higher value stands that are well located close to the beach or river, starting from R395 000 for a 690sqm stand. There are virtually no vacant stands available in the Royal Alfred Marina, with the last remaining and advertised stand of 1800sqm available for sale for R4.5 million.”

Prominent at the heart of the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast and close to renowned Oribi Gorge, Port Shepstone offers the perfect blend of small-town charm and the conveniences of modern living in a picturesque setting where residents can enjoy great beaches, outdoor activities such as surfing, hiking, fishing and golfing, and a relaxed pace of life in a warm, subtropical climate. While retaining its tranquil ambience, Port Shepstone has become increasingly popular, particularly among younger demographics. This growth is driven by a rise in demand and sales in recent years, especially among professionals like doctors completing their ‘practicals’ at the local provincial hospital, as well as nurses and schoolteachers.

Says Mohammed Valodia, Pam Golding Properties area principal in the Port Shepstone area: “Renowned for its wide range of apartments, available both inland and along the beachfront, the area offers a variety of options, with a strong focus on two-bedroom units, which are especially sought after among buyers – typically priced between R700 000 and R800 000 and up to R1 million for more modern or recently renovated two-bedroom units, making them an attractive choice for those seeking affordable living, including first-time buyers. The combination of location and value-for-money pricing has made these properties a staple of the Port Shepstone real estate market, appealing to both first-time buyers and investors.”

Two-bedroom houses start at around R1 million to R1.2 million, three-bedroom homes from approximately R1.2 million to R1.5 million, while more expansive four-bedroom homes range from around R1.8 million to R2.5 million and spacious five-bedroom homes are priced from R2.5 million to R3.5 million or more. There are also several options within secure gated estates, ranging from R1.5 million to R3 million, depending on the size of the home and level of amenities on the estate, such as swimming pool, clubhouse and 24-hour security.

Valodia says that approximately 70% of property purchasers in Port Shepstone are seeking a permanent residence, with the balance making acquisitions primarily for investment purposes – with an even split between properties intended for permanent rentals and those aimed at the holiday rental market. “This reflects the dual appeal of the town as both a desirable place to live year-round and a popular destination for tourists seeking a coastal retreat. Most enquiries are from South Africans, particularly from the Eastern Cape, Durban and Gauteng.

“Half of all residential property buyers here are young professionals while 21% are middle-aged families who find the town’s community-oriented environment ideal for raising children. The remaining 29% is a diverse mix of retirees and nature-age individuals, many of whom are attracted by the tranquil lifestyle and the opportunity to enjoy their latter years in a picturesque setting. This varied buyer profile highlights Port Shepstone’s broad appeal across different life stages.

“For professionals and families, the presence of quality healthcare facilities – including provincial and private hospitals, highly-regarded schools and recreational opportunities is appealing, coupled with the ease of commuting to larger cities while enjoying a more relaxed home environment offering balance between work and personal life. Added to this is the Tidy Towns initiative, a community-driven project dedicated to maintain and enhancing the beauty of Port Shepstone, preserving its natural charm, keeping public spaces clean and promoting environmental sustainability, helping foster a sense of pride among residents.”

Home to a vibrant array of local businesses, a strong presence of locally owned and run enterprises adds to the close-knit, supportive community – from family-owned shops and quaint cafes to specialised services and artisan markets, these businesses reflect the town’s character and identity.

Situated some 28km south of Port Shepstone, the peaceful village of Southbroom boasts 4km of accessible beach frontage. Central to the Village is the renowned 18-hole Southbroom golf course and Pro Shop plus the newly constructed padel courts. The village itself has everything one would need including medical facilities, additional businesses such as attorneys, an architect, hardware, laundry, retail, hair and beauty salons, coffee shops, delis, restaurants, a Kwikspar supermarket and fuel station, among others.

For the outdoor enthusiasts there are vibrant tennis and bowling clubs, two nature reserves with hiking trails and the popular main beach which offers great surfing. The well-known San Lameer Estate with a multitude of amenities is a two-minute drive away.

Says local Pam Golding Properties area principal, Cath Molyneaux: “The town is neatly maintained with a strong ratepayers’ association, satellite policing station and independent security company, all of which translates into a secure and peaceful lifestyle.”

There are long stretches of sandy beaches and well-known Granny’s Tidal Pool, and within a couple of kilometres the Riverbend crocodile centre, art gallery and restaurant. Within a five-minute drive is a private school from Grade R to matric, a Netcare hospital within 15 minutes and the easily accessible Margate Airport with daily flights to and from Johannesburg. Shopping malls and another private hospital are a 20-minute drive away in Shelly Beach, with Durban approximately 120km.

Molyneaux says beachfront apartments range in price from R4 million to R6 million, while others in walking distance of the beach are priced from R2.5 million to R3 million. “There are a number of security estates slightly further away and spread throughout the town ranging up to R4 million, but averaging in the upper R3 millions. Freehold houses close to the beach with great sea views sell up to R15 million while those set further back are priced up to R7 million, depending on the amount of refurbishing or modernising that has taken place. Vacant stands near the beach start at about R1.6 million ranging to about R800 000 mid-town and R350 000 in the most inland part of Southbroom.”

For further information visit www.pamgolding.co.za

Posted by The Know - Pam Golding Properties