Notably, Swellendam, founded in 1743, is the third oldest town in the country, and has historically fought to maintain and conserve its heritage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This including pushing back against modernity\u2014such as traffic lights\u2014as well as uncharacteristic developments that could impede or disrupt its heritgate conservation efforts<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For buyers looking in these areas, one of the biggest considerations is water availability. “Access to a secure water source remains one of the most important purchasing considerations,” Badenhorst said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cape Town and the surrounding areas in the Western Cape have struggled with water availability in the past, particularly between 2015 and 2018.<\/p>\n\n\n\n During this time, drought conditions led to water restrictions, with many fearing “day zero,” where Cape Town would run out of water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The drought had a devastating effect on farms in the Western Cape, leading to billions in lost agricultural revenue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For property buyers, water availability is important for “household use, small-scale farming, orchards, livestock, or simply maintaining a self-sufficient lifestyle,” Badenhorst said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Buyers are also prioritising properties with good road access, allowing for convenient travel without the challenges associated with remote or difficult-to-reach farms.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n Badenhorst said that homebuyers are increasingly opting to purchase farm properties instead of traditional coastal homes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Many of these purchasers are choosing lifestyle farms instead of traditional holiday homes at the coast,” he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Rising coastal property prices, increasing municipal costs, and a desire for greater self-sufficiency have encouraged buyers to consider rural alternatives.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cape Town’s property market has seen prices surge at a quicker rate than any other area in South Africa, driven by both local and international demand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Stats SA’s residential property price index found that homes in the Western Cape had seen the highest year-on-year price increase of any province in April, at 11.2%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The index also found that residential prices in Cape Town increased by 11% year-on-year in April, the largest increase of any metropolitan area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The second-highest average increase among metros was in Nelson Mandela Bay, where residential property prices rose by 6.4%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Badenhorst said that prospective homeowners can get many amenities when buying a farm for a price similar to that of Cape Town’s coastal properties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Lifestyle farms offer owners the opportunity to enjoy open spaces, privacy, outdoor recreation, and sustainable living while retaining the flexibility to generate supplementary income through small-scale agricultural activities,” he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While buying a farm may seem appealing, Badenhorst warned that there are several considerations unique to this type of property.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Financing agricultural land differs significantly from financing a conventional residential property or second home,” he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Most commercial banks view agricultural properties as specialised assets and therefore apply different lending criteria. “<\/p>\n\n\n\n He said loan repayment periods are typically shorter than residential properties \u2013 between 10 and 15 years \u2013 and deposits can be up to 50% of the purchase price.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “These requirements mean that purchasers need to plan their financing carefully and engage with lenders early in the buying process,” Badenhorst said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The trend of urban homeowners looking to buy property in Cape Town is shifting from coastal properties to farms in the city’s surrounds.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":131,"featured_media":826933,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_sma_x_autopost_status":"failed","_sma_x_autopost_error":"Instagram publishing failed: Instagram returned HTTP 400: Media ID is not 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away from the city<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Cape-Town-5-1024x576.jpg\")
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