Semigrants are flocking to this village in the cape

Stilbaai is renowned among water sports enthusiasts and has long been a popular vacation and surfing destination for both Capetonians and visitors from South Africa’s northern provinces.

However, its location – just 26km off the main N2 Garden Route between Cape Town and Mossel Bay – and its temperate climate is now also making it a choice for retirees, remote workers and work-from-home business owners who have discovered that they no longer need to live close to an office in the city to be productive.

“Large numbers of these remote workers or telecommuters have been leaving the cities in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic,” said Chas Everitt Southern Cape franchisee Charles de Kock, “and coastal villages like Stilbaai, where they can enjoy a more restful, holistic lifestyle but still be close to a bigger urban centre with shops, medical facilities and good schools, are their main targets.

“As a result, many of these villages have seen a bigger percentage of homebuyers seeking to become full-time residents instead of holiday homeowners, and this has boosted property demand and underpinned prices in these areas. As an example, our area specialist Jeanne Hamman has sold more than 60 homes in the past year – worth a total of over R85 million – to people who have relocated to the village permanently.”

Stilbaai is situated at the mouth of the Goukou River on the Southern Cape coast. It is a prime spot for whale watching in the spring and attracts a huge influx of holidaymakers in the summer. The area around the village offers three nature reserves, several hiking trails and interesting historical sites, including the Blombos cave, where some of the oldest art in the world was discovered.

Stilbaai is divided into two sections on either side of the river, with the eastern section being where most of the holiday accommodation is located, close to the most popular beach, and the western side being home to more permanent residents, the municipal offices and most shops.

The village has three retirement communities, two shopping centres containing supermarkets and a range of other outlets to meet most convenience retail needs, as well as its own small medical centre. There are also two public primary schools in the village, and one private primary school.

Prices for apartments currently for sale in Stilbaai start at around R430,000 for a one-bedroom holiday apartment in Stilbaai East and range up to around R1.7 million or more for a three-bedroom, two-bathroom unit with a view of the ocean.

Retirement home prices start at around R1.45 million for a three-bedroom cottage, and those for freehold family homes start at around R1.8 million and range up to around R6.5 million.

In addition, there are several new lifestyle estates being developed in the area now, and many new residents are also opting to buy a stand and build their own home. Stand prices start at around R350,000 and range up to around R2.2 million, depending on size, position and sea views.  

Read: More South Africans are renting out their homes as they plan to leave the country