{"id":636399,"date":"2022-10-22T08:30:53","date_gmt":"2022-10-22T06:30:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/?p=636399"},"modified":"2022-10-22T08:33:19","modified_gmt":"2022-10-22T06:33:19","slug":"south-africans-are-moving-to-these-1940s-middle-neighbourhoods","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/property\/636399\/south-africans-are-moving-to-these-1940s-middle-neighbourhoods\/","title":{"rendered":"South Africans are moving to these 1940s ‘middle neighbourhoods’"},"content":{"rendered":"

There has been a spike in people leaving big metros across South Africa, but not everyone wants to move out of the city to conventional suburbia – instead, they are opting for a “middle neighbourhood.”<\/p>\n

\u201cAlthough many people want a little more space and less congestion these days, for any number of reasons, including proximity to work or friends, the convenience of city living and retaining some of the big city feel, some prefer not to move too far away,\u201d said Cobus Odendaal, CEO of retail group Lew Geffen Sotheby\u2019s Realty.<\/p>\n

Primarily built before the 1940s<\/strong>, the middle neighbourhood<\/strong> property landscape is usually a mix of small-erf single-family homes and buildings with multiple units with multifamily housing options, high walkability scores and good amenities, which include shopping, and restaurants, said Odendaal.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese are typically areas where the housing is generally still affordable, and the quality of life is good enough that new homeowners are willing take the risk of buying into the neighbourhood even though they can\u2019t be sure if its trajectory will be up or down, over time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Odendaal said that middle neighbourhoods include areas like:<\/p>\n