Women Take the Lead in Property Ownership in SA

Top 3 Key Takeaways:

• Women now account for nearly 40% of sole property purchases in SA.
• Female buyers dominate lower-value housing segments under R1 million.
• Women favour secure, sectional-title properties, especially later in life.

Women’s Month highlights a growing shift in real estate

‍As we mark Women’s Month this August, new research from Lightstone reveals a powerful trend: women are not only participating more in South Africa’s property market, they are leading it.

Women are steadily claiming their space in real estate as financially independent homeowners and investors. The latest data shows that sole female ownership has grown from 30% in 2014 to 39% in 2025, overtaking men and reshaping traditional patterns of property ownership.

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“We’re seeing a clear and steady shift in ownership patterns as more South African women take on property purchases, reflecting both growing financial independence and confidence in property as a long-term investment,” Hayley Ivins-Downes, Managing Executive of Real Estate at Lightstone

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What the numbers say

Ownership Breakdown (2025)

• Sole Female Buyers: 39%
• Sole Male Buyers: 31% (unchanged since 2014)
• Joint Male/Female Buyers: 30% (down from 39% in 2014)
• Combined Female-Linked Ownership (solo + joint): 69%

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Transaction Volumes (12 months to June 2025)

• Approx. 200,000 residential property sales by individuals
• 75,000 properties purchased by sole women
• 60,000 jointly purchased by women with male partners

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Affordability Focus

‍Women outpaced men in lower-value segment

• Under R250k: clear female dominance
• R250k - R1m range: women lead in all bands

Government - subsidised Homes

• 26% of female-only purchases were subsidised
• 21% for sole male buyers
• 17% for joint male/female buyers

Where and how Women are buying

When excluding subsidised housing, single women show a clear preference for secure living environment

• Sectional Scheme Properties: 37%
• Freehold in Estates: 12%
• Estate Sectional Schemes: 4%
• Standalone Freehold Homes: 47%

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Average Purchase Prices (excluding subsidies)

• Estate Freehold: R2.2 million (women)
• Estate Sectional Scheme: R1.5 million (women)
• Across the board, women spent less on average than men.

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Age Matters: Women Dominate Later in Life

‍The percentage of female buyers increases with age:

• At age 30: 50% of sole buyers are women
• At age 74: 73% of sole buyers are women, with a strong preference for sectional title properties

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The Big Picture

‍Women are no longer just entering the property market, they’re shaping it. Whether through first-time ownership, investment, or lifestyle buying, South African women are making informed, independent choices and shifting the ownership landscape.

This Women’s Month, the message is clear: women are not just owning homes, they’re owning their future.

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