The small suburb where South Africans are buying homes for over R20 million

·22 Nov 2025

Fresnaye, a small suburb on the Atlantic Seaboard, has emerged as one of the most expensive residential areas in South Africa, with many homes now selling for over R20 million.

Seeff’s Ross Levin said the area has seen a notable rise in activity and prices over the past few years, pushed by strong demand for properties that offer both coastal and mountain views as well as some shelter from Cape Town’s persistent wind.

This year has produced some unusually high sales for such a compact suburb. Villas have sold for up to R69 million, while a penthouse reached R32.5 million.

More than half of the freehold homes sold so far this year have gone for above R20 million. Fresnaye’s average property price has risen by 74% in the past five years.

By early November total sales for 2025 had already reached R753.6 million from 45 transactions.

This exceeds the R638 million recorded for all of 2024, even though more units were sold last year.

The suburb’s setting contributes significantly to its pricing. Positioned on the slopes of Lion’s Head, Fresnaye is one of the more wind-protected parts of Cape Town and offers broad views across the Atlantic.

Its streets, lined with palm trees and a mix of family homes, apartments, and penthouses, give the area a distinctive character.

The neighbourhood’s origins also shape its identity. It began as an 81-hectare estate called Winterslust, purchased in the early 1800s by Ryk Le Sueur, a French-born barrister and descendant of the Huguenots.

Known for its vineyards and orchards, the estate was described at the time as “a Garden of Eden”, and the French influence remains visible in many of the street names.

Today, Fresnaye is considered a prime area to live because of its proximity to the City Bowl and the broader Atlantic Seaboard, with access to schools, shopping areas, and beaches.

What South Africans are paying to live in Fresnaye

Streets such as Ave Alexandra, Ave Fresnaye, Head Road, Kloof Road, and Top Road are particularly well known for their elevated views.

These factors help explain why the suburb commands higher-than-average prices. Levin said the area continues to attract interest from buyers looking for established neighbourhoods close to central Cape Town.

The property market in Fresnaye is evenly split between freehold and sectional-title homes, and the overall average selling price this year is about R16.7 million.

Propstats data, however, shows that the average price for freehold homes is significantly higher at R21.9 million, and more than half of the 16 freehold sales this year achieved prices above R20 million.

The top sale so far was the R69 million purchase of a villa on Head Road. Sectional-title properties account for roughly half of all sales and have averaged R10.8 million this year.

However, high-end apartments and penthouses continue to reach much higher figures.

Lombard has sold several of the suburb’s top-priced apartments in recent years, including a R30.5 million unit on Ave Des Huguenots in 2023 and a R33.5 million penthouse on Ocean View Drive in 2024.

Another penthouse on Ave Des Huguenots, featuring a private pool and views from every room, sold this year for R32.5 million to a local buyer moving from Camps Bay.

While the Atlantic Seaboard remains one of the priciest parts of the country, the recent sales in Fresnaye illustrate how concentrated demand has become in certain neighbourhoods.

Jo Lombard said the suburb’s pricing reflects limited supply and steady interest from buyers who want to live close to the coastline but still within easy reach of central Cape Town.