Property

Western Cape’s new semigration hotspots outside of Cape Town

Kirsten Minnaar • 18 November 2025

Even though Cape Town remains popular with semigrants, other Western Cape areas are also emerging as top semigration hotspots.

This is according to Seeff Property Group chairman Samuel Seeff, who told Daily Investor that although semigration remains popular, trends are changing.

“While semigration has slowed from the highs during the Covid-19 pandemic, it remains desirable among those looking for a better quality of life, more security, and better service delivery,” Seeff said.

According to Seeff, those semigrating to the Western Cape usually do so for a few key reasons. Top motivations include –

Coastal/country lifestyle with better security
Better-maintained infrastructure and service delivery
Excellent schools and universities (UCT, Stellenbosch and campuses elsewhere)
Airport access (Cape Town and George)
Outdoor lifestyle, beaches, cycling, hiking, water sports, including surfing and kite surfing, etc.
Scenic surroundings, many attractions, including top restaurants, waterfront areas, and wine farms
Property values also tend to grow at higher rates compared to those in Gauteng, largely due to higher demand for property

Unfortunately, there are several challenges that those wanting to semigrate will likely face, Seeff explained. Notably is the fact that Cape Town property prices are much higher than areas like Joburg, Pretoria and KwaZulu-Natal (KZN).

“Cape prices are around 20% to 40% higher compared to Joburg/Sandton, depending on the area. Buyers not able to sell their property for a profit in other areas, and have to purchase at higher property price,” he said.

Even so, Seeff said there are plenty of buyers who do, in fact, make the move, with some areas reporting 10% to 20% of buyers coming from other areas.

“While Cape Town and the Western Cape coastal, winelands and country towns remain key targets for semigration buyers, there are in fact other areas in Gauteng and KZN where people are looking for a better quality of life as noted above,” he said.

“The most popular price band is R1.5 million to R3.5 million, and for luxury homes in the R3 million to R8 million range, although high-end semigration buyers do spend well over R5 million to R20 million in Cape Town and luxury areas.”

Garden Route and Winelands areas shine

Garden Route towns are a popular alternative to the Cape, with George, Mossel Bay, Knysna and Plettenberg Bay the main target areas.

“George is, in fact, a top target for semigration buyers and is now seen as an alternative to Cape Town,” said Seeff’s licensee for George, Pieter Jordaan.

“Property prices are lower, and you can get a lot more value for your money in George, but there is also a choice of luxury estates and houses.”

The highest volume of sales in R1.5 million to R5 million range with prices of over R5 million paid mostly in the top estates.

These include Kingswood Golf Estate, Welgelegen Estate, Earls Court Estate, Kraaibosch Country Estate and Fancourt, which achieves the highest prices.

George is the commercial centre and biggest property market on the Garden Route with superb infrastructure, an airport, and bustling commercial sector.

The area also offers an outstanding quality of life with great weather, well-maintained infrastructure, access to clean beach and the rest of the Garden Route, and top schools.

Jordaan said the average price growth over the last 3 years has been in excess of 30% due to demand outstripping supply and causing prices to surge.

He added that stock shortages contributed to price escalations in the George area, and does not expect any changes in the market soon as there are certain factors in the George area hindering new developments.

According to Seeff Winelands licensee Pierre Germishuys, Winelands areas are also very popular among semigrants, especially estates around Paarl and Stellenbosch, and those in Somerset West.

“Top schools in the area such as Paarl Boys, Paarl Gymnasium and Paul Roos, and University of Stellenbosch are big draw cards for families. Access to quality estates including golf estates are a big drawcard for Joburg buyers,” he said.

“Close proximity to Cape Town and airport makes these towns popular, property values have increased over the last five years in Winelands/Boland towns, primarily due to semigration.”

In Paarl, properties are priced from around R1.5 million to R3.5 million on average, and higher for luxury areas and estates such as Boschenmeer. These properties achieve prices of R5 million to R10 million, and higher.

Stellenbosch properties go for R2 million to R6 million on average. In luxury areas such as De Zalze Golf Estate, De Bosch Estate and Mostertsdrift, prices now exceed R20 million for top end homes.

In Franschhoek, properties are worth around R3 million to R8 million on average and higher for top end homes. There are many highly sought-after estates such as Domaine Des Anges Estate, and Le Avenue De Franschhoek.

Somerset West and Hermanus

Seeff Somerset West licensee Dinis Martins said the Helderberg area in Somerset West is also hugely popular and seeing excellent price growth.

“Here too, estates are very popular and tend to attract semigration as well as international buyers for the stunning location, lifestyle and access to the airport and Cape Town,” Martins said.

There are a number of popular estates as well, including Erinvale Golf Estate, Boskloof, Fairhaven, and Sitari.

Sectional title property offers more accessible pricing, with the average range being R1.2 million to R3.5 million for luxury sectional titles.

Houses range from R2.8 million to R5.8 million on average. Luxury houses and estates range from R5 million to R10 million and upwards to over R20 million for high-end properties.

Germishuys explained that Langebaan, which is a 90-minute drive from Cape Town, is also a popular weekend and holiday getaway.

A lot of Capetonians own second homes in the town, with more people moving here. It has become a popular commuter town for those looking for a quieter life.

“There’s also a Curro Private School, a local mall and other retail facilities, restaurants, and easy access to the regional mall (Weskus Mall) in Vredenburg,” Germishuys said.

Property prices range R3 million to R8 million on average in a number of popular suburbs and estates, such as Myburgh Park, Calypso Beach, Langebaan Country Estate, and Mykonos – very popular for holiday apartments.

Located on the Whale Coast, Hermanus is very popular with second-home and semigration buyers, explained licensee for Seeff Hermanus, Paul Kruger.

The area mostly attracts older buyers from upcountry as well as from within the Cape looking to retire, or retire early to quieter coastal areas.

It offers proximity to Cape Town, excellent cosmopolitan lifestyle, schools, including Curro Private School, and a local regional mall, the Whale Coast Mall.

Hermanus offers residents a unmatched lifestyle, one of the best land-based whale watching in the world, great weather and stunning beaches, and its own wine route.

Average proeprty prices range from R3 million to R6 million. However, prices are increasingly topping the R10 million to R20 million mark for its high-end homes and locations.

These high-end areas include Voëlklip, Kwaaiwater, Eastcliff, Westcliff, Fernkloof, including the Fernkloof Golf Estate.