‘School run’ property boom hitting the Western Cape

South African parents are willing to move cities to ensure that their children can attend the country’s top private schools.

Annien Borg, regional head for Pam Golding Properties, Boland and Overberg, said that there is a strong demand for spots in top schools in the country, with parents changing suburbs, even cities, to get into these schools.

Borg added that this has major implications for residential property markets in areas near good schools.

“The number of parents keen to find homes in these areas keeps increasing while the existing residents generally want to stay for 15 to 20 years,” said Borg.

“This results in an ongoing undersupply that supports continuous price growth.”

The Western Cape Education Department has not determined any feeder zones for public schools in the Western Cape, and the new Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Act does not specify that public schools may only admit pupils who live nearby.

That said, due to the strong demand for places, admission policies for the country’s top schools usually favour children who live in the surrounding areas.

Most parents also want to live within a reasonable distance of their child’s school to avoid commuting in heavy traffic.

Looking at areas with strong schools, Borg said that Durbanville and its surrounding areas are attractive, with house prices ranging from R2 million to R5 million.

Popular estates in the area also include Graanendal, Welbevinden, Avalon and Pinehurst, with prices ranging from below R3 million to roughly R9 million.

The Boland towns of Paarl and Stellenbosch are also popular with family buyers.

“Many people move to these towns in the Boland specifically for schools, which are difficult to get into,” said Borg.

“Families who live in Paarl or nearby get the chance to send their children to some of the best schools in the country. The two most famous schools here are Paarl Boys High and Paarl Gimnasium .”

The entry price for family homes in nearby Wellington is roughly R2.4 million.

It is about R3.5 million for a small three-bedroom home in Paarl and nearby secure estates.

In Franschhoek, freestanding, full-title homes go for about R7.5 million.

Prices for Mostertsdrift homes have also increased dramatically in the past three years, and it is difficult to pinpoint an average price. Depending on the erf size and position, Borg said that you could pay R8 million or more for a 1960s fixer-upper.

“Simonswyk’s entry-level price three years ago was still in the late R3 millions, but now the minimum is the upper R4 millions, with Uniepark in the mid to upper R6 millions,” said Borg.

“Rozendal, Uniepark, Dalsig and Brandwacht have had an injection of renovations over the last couple of years, and resales are taking place at over R10 million.”

“The growth has been tremendous. The new developments in Paradyskloof – are further out but still close enough for a 15-minute drive to school. Prices here start at around R7 million, with secure estates like Brandwacht aan Rivier, Kingsview and Welgegund exceeding the R10 million mark.”

“Krigeville, the lower part of Dalsig, die Boord (De Bosch) are cycling options for many pupils,” says Borg. “The homes in Krigeville are 100m to 200m from the school gates and definitely sell at higher prices than those in Dalsig, where we are marketing a five-bedroom house for R19 million.”

The Overberg towns that are also sought after for their top schools include Hermanus and Onrus, where house prices start at slightly under R3 million.

“Around 40% of buyers in Hermanus and surrounding areas over the last 12 months are aged between 39 and 49, confirming that post Covid, the area has attracted younger buyers with school-going children.”

Due to the increased interest in the area, demand for long-term unfurnished rentals also far outweighs the supply of property in Hermanus and Onrus.

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