Holiday housing hotspots: SA’s new migration wave

• Holiday towns are becoming permanent relocation hubs as interest rates ease and lifestyle migration accelerates.
• Coastal and inland favourites show strong price growth, investor demand and year-round liveability.
• Buyers are using holiday downtime to assess schools, services, neighbourhoods and long-term affordability.

Holiday trends reshaping home-buying

‍This time of year, South Africans head for beaches, mountain passes and small-town hideaways but for a growing number of holidaymakers, the trip isn’t just a break. It’s research.

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“It’s often while walking along a quiet beach, exploring a vineyard road or wandering through a farmers’ market that people start imagining: could I live here?” says Bradd Bendall, BetterBond’s National Head of Sales.

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With interest rates easing and renewed momentum in the property market, the upcoming holiday season is primed to convert dream locations into workable, long-term residential plans.

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“Holiday hotspots are evolving into sought-after residential hubs with strong infrastructure, good schools, lifestyle estates and solid investment fundamentals,” Bendall explains.

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Why holidays trigger home-buying decisions

‍Holidays offer time, clarity and space, the perfect conditions for reassessing where you want to live. Buyers scouting potential new hometowns over December/January are advised to take a structured approach:

• Walk the town: Visit estate agents, ask about price growth, stock shortages and how long homes stay on the market.
• Tour properties in person: Check finishes, connectivity, green features and talk to neighbours for first-hand insight.
• Be realistic, not romantic: Speak to locals who live there year-round, not just seasonal visitors.
• Explore different times of day: Understand traffic flows, noise levels and municipal service consistency.
• List your non-negotiables: Schools, medical care, job access, connectivity, lifestyle amenities, be honest about long-term needs.
• Check affordability: Use bond calculators, compare repayment scenarios and consider cash available for transfer costs.

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“South Africans move for better opportunity, lifestyle and service delivery and they aren’t afraid to relocate if it improves their quality of life,” says Bendall.

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According to the Wise Move Migration Report 2025, 70% of all moves this past year were within the same province, with many sparked by a long weekend or holiday visit. Inter-provincial moves were dominated by one region:

• Western Cape: Almost one-third of all relocations nationwide.

Where Saffers are holidaying and home hunting

Coastal Winners

‍Coastal towns continue to dominate migration interest and price performance, supported by Lightstone data. Bendall says lifestyle, safety, fibre roll-outs and good schools remain key drawcards.

Western Cape coastal hotspots include:

• Hermanus & Gansbaai – consistent semigration demand.
• Mossel Bay – strong estate living and senior lifestyle communities.
• Langebaan & Yzerfontein – Seeff data shows Yzerfontein’s prices have doubled in five years, nearing R4 million average.
• Betty’s Bay – nature-driven appeal and relative affordability.

Further east, Knysna is seeing renewed luxury demand. “Thirty percent of properties here are valued above R5 million,” notes Bendall, with estates such as Thesen Island, Simola and Pezula commanding premiums.

Cape Town, still South Africa’s most coveted long-stay destination, matches lifestyle with opportunity. With unemployment at just 21.6%, far under the national 34%, suburbs such as Clifton and Bantry Bay remain blue-chip buy-to-let favourites among local and global travellers.

KwaZulu-Natal’s North Coast - Ballito, Salt Rock and KwaDukuza Non-Urban continues its surge, driven by top schools, gated estates, retail convenience and airport proximity.

Inland Favourites

‍The vacay-to-everyday shift is not only coastal.

‍Mpumalanga: Once seen purely as a holiday base for Kruger National Park, it’s now a popular bushveld living destination with strong estate growth.

Clarens (Free State): Known as “the Franschhoek of the Free State,” this arts-driven town has become a top lifestyle migration node with active buyer demand.

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“Whether it’s the coast, the bush or an inland village, holiday periods give buyers the chance to slow down and genuinely explore where their next chapter could unfold,” says Bendall.

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Turning holiday dreams into property decisions

The December–January window remains one of the strongest periods for lifestyle-driven buying behaviour. With moderating interest rates, improving consumer confidence and continued movement toward lifestyle-rich, well-managed municipalities, 2026 is poised to accelerate the trend.

For holidaymakers quietly asking themselves, Could I live here? This season offers the perfect moment to investigate, compare, and perhaps commit.

From getaway to everyday, South Africans are rewriting where and how they want to live.

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