The most expensive street in South Africa where an empty piece of land sold for R170 million

Two empty plots of land along Nettleton Road have sold for R170 million, a reminder of why this street is known as the most expensive address in South Africa. 

Nettleton Road is situated in Clifton, an affluent suburb of Cape Town, South Africa. It is an exclusive residential area along the Atlantic Seaboard and home to the country’s most luxurious real estate.

The road slopes up Lion’s Head mountain with views of the Atlantic Ocean. Its reputation as the pinnacle of luxury living was reinforced recently when two vacant plots of land, totalling 2,700 square metres, sold for R170 million. 

The deal, brokered by Annette Hepburn from Pam Golding Properties, underscores the money buyers are willing to spend for a foothold on this stretch of the Cape’s Atlantic Seaboard. 

“This is one of a few remaining vacant sites in this highly sought-after address,” said Hepburn. “When properties become available, finished homes often sell for more than R150 million.”

Clifton, the suburb surrounding Nettleton Road, is one of the country’s most tightly held and recognisable pieces of real estate. 

Its beach-lined coastline and designer homes have become symbols of wealth and exclusivity. 

The area is famously short on parking and long on demand, especially during Cape Town’s sweltering summer months, when locals and tourists flock to its four Blue Flag beaches.

According to Hepburn, the R170 million buyer, a multinational based in several countries, doesn’t plan to develop the land into apartments, even though there’s planning permission for nine. 

Instead, the plan is to build one enormous, showpiece home. In a place where views are everything, it’s not hard to see why. 

From Nettleton Road, the panorama stretches from the Twelve Apostles mountain range to the white sands of Clifton below.

“This road is the most exclusive in the country,” added Hepburn. It has a limited number of large, iconic homes that offer what high-net-worth buyers are after. 

This includes privacy, rarity, lifestyle, and those spectacular views. Hepburn has been working in the area for years and says it’s rare for anything to go on the market, let alone empty land.

Prices could soon reach R200 million

Prices in the area reflect that scarcity. Homes on Nettleton Road are currently selling for anything between R69 million and R160 million. 

Jo Lombard, a luxury property specialist from Seeff Atlantic Seaboard, said this figure could climb even higher, possibly to R200 million, as the economy recovers and buyer confidence returns.

Sales data for Clifton suggests demand is holding steady. The median sale price in 2025 so far is R34 million—a nearly 30% jump from last year and up 136% compared to a decade ago. 

Post-Covid, sales have bounced back in a big way, with 18 transactions already recorded this year, more than all of 2019 and nearly as many as in 2023.

One current listing on Nettleton Road shows just how high the bar is set. The five-bedroom home, designed by award-winning architect Stefan Antoni, is priced at R160 million (including VAT, with no transfer duty). 

It’s a sprawling, multi-level villa with 180-degree ocean views, a 16-metre heated infinity pool, and floor-to-ceiling glass to make the most of the scenery. 

The property also includes an Italian-designed kitchen, a media room, a home office, a gym, a steam room, staff quarters, four garages, and four extra parking bays.

The prices of these homes and the few that go on sale have shown that buyers are willing to pay for the privilege of calling them home, even if they’re starting with an empty plot of land.

House designed by Stefan Antoni – R160 million