Here’s Who Is Actually Buying Homes In South Africa

Loading player...
Esteani Marx - Head of Real Estate at Lightstone Property.

Although domestic and global headwinds are persisting into 2023, South Africa’s residential property is showing pockets of progress and opportunity, says Hayley Ivins-Downes, the head of digital at Lightstone.

Ivines-Downes said that the data analytics company found rising interest rates, socio-political tensions, and a limp economy hampered by an unstable electricity supply dampened consumers’ spirit.

Despite the slight dampening, the most recent comprehensive data from Lightstone points to certain categories of buyers carrying the market with Mid value and High-value segments carrying the market at 37% and 32%, respectively, in 2021 – a consistent trend for many years.

Ivins-Downes said that: “Luxury category buyers were back to 12% in 2021, the highest recorded in this category and last matched in 2015, and buyers in the High category hit 32% in 2021, the highest score recorded in the past 14 years.”

Low-value buyers, unfortunately, dropped below 20% in 2021, said Ivins-Downes.

This perhaps suggests fewer new entrants into the market – an unwelcome development given the country’s demographics – with market activity dominated by the Mid and High values, said the head of digital.
7 Feb 2023 1PM English South Africa Business News · Investing

Other recent episodes

The Second Bond: The Hidden Costs Homebuyers Miss

Jonathan Kohler exposes the “second bond” — the monthly bill homeowners face before paying their actual home loan. From R4,000–R7,000 in Johannesburg and Cape Town to over R11,500 in Umhlanga, we unpack levies, utilities, maintenance, special levies and municipal tariffs that determine true affordability. A must‑listen for buyers, investors and…
1 Jul 1PM 27 min

SA New Vehicle Sales post strongest June result since 2007

South Africa’s new vehicle market delivered a standout June performance despite inflation, fuel price spikes and weaker consumer confidence. Dr Paulina Mamogobo, Chief Economist at NAAMSA, breaks down the domestic resilience, export pressures, shifting macroeconomic signals, and what these trends mean for the industry heading into the second half of…
1 Jul 12PM 20 min

Protests, Politics & State Capacity: What Today’s Unrest Signals

Anti‑immigration protests highlight deep governance failures, rising public frustration and the erosion of state authority. Professor William Gumede unpacks the political economy behind the unrest, the risks to social cohesion, the impact on investor confidence, and why South Africa urgently needs a coordinated, evidence‑based migration strategy.
30 Jun 5PM 22 min

One Labour Market, Three Data Sets: The Real Story Behind Jobs

GDP shows modest growth, QES shows formal job trends, and the QLFS reveals household‑level pressure. Together, they paint a complex picture of South Africa’s labour market. Statistician‑General Risenga Maluleke explains how these data sets interlink, where they diverge, and what they reveal about job creation.
30 Jun 5PM 20 min

SA TAX SEASON 2026 KICKS OFF: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

South Africa’s tax season opens with new rules, new risks and widespread misconceptions. From two‑pot withdrawals taxed at marginal rates to multiple IRP5s, provisional tax surprises and auto‑assessment pitfalls. Stian De Witt from NMG Benefits explains the hidden traps catching ordinary South Africans
30 Jun 5PM 21 min