South Africa’s secondary towns are increasingly attractive to buyers seeking lifestyle, value, and long-term investment opportunities. More families and professionals are looking beyond the big metros for space, natural beauty, and a slower pace of life - without sacrificing good schools, healthcare, or retail amenities.
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According to Quay 1 International Realty, affordability remains a major drawcard. Buyers can often secure larger homes or even estate living at prices well below those in Cape Town, Johannesburg, or Durban. This has strengthened demand for popular hubs such as Hermanus, George, Paarl, and Langebaan, appealing to both permanent residents and investors.
Prime Cape Wineland locations such as Franschhoek and Paarl continue to experience increasing demand for lifestyle farms, particularly in recent years.
This is according to Surina du Toit, Pam Golding Properties area manager for Paarl, Franschhoek, Wellington and Worcester, who says that ever since Covid, there has been a marked increase in interest in lifestyle farms, with buyers wanting space, security and the ability to live and work from home.
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“Families love Val de Vie and Pearl Valley estates mainly due to the reputable schools on site or close by, as well as the lifestyle, but it’s the combination of natural beauty and all-round security that really draws them in. The Franschhoek residential property market, in particular, has been driven by buyers from Europe, while we have recently noted more Americans interested in buying property here.
“We are also seeing numerous South Africans returning from overseas because they have missed their home country and the lifestyle it offers. To be able to enjoy anything comparable to the exceptional Paarl and Franschhoek lifestyle in other countries, one would need to be extremely affluent.”
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Lightstone statistics show that sales activity at Val de Vie peaked directly after Covid, before stabilising back to pre-pandemic levels in 2024. While the median sales price has drifted higher for much of the past decade, there has been a marked acceleration in prices paid in 2024 and 2025.
From 2016 through 2021, the most active segment in Val de Vie’s property market consistently lay within the R3 million to R6 million price band. This reflected a strong appetite for mid-level luxury homes that balanced lifestyle and affordability within South Africa’s most awarded estate.
By 2022, however, a clear shift had taken place. The majority of transactions moved into the R6 million to R12 million range, signalling both growing demand for larger, more premium homes and the estate’s continued evolution as a high-end destination.
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This upward trajectory culminated in a landmark moment in 2025, when, for the first time, a residence in Val de Vie changed hands for more than R35 million. The sale not only underscored the estate’s prestige but also positioned it firmly within South Africa’s ultra-luxury residential segment.
Agricultural properties within the estate have followed a similar trajectory. Recent sales include a smallholding, which achieved R84 million and comprised a main residence with several cottages. Two additional agricultural transactions fetched R35 million and R49 million respectively, figures that illustrate both the scarcity and the growing desirability of larger lifestyle holdings within the estate.
Val de Vie’s market performance over the past decade reflects more than rising prices; it demonstrates the maturation of an estate that continues to attract buyers seeking security, natural beauty, and long-term value. The trend towards premium and agricultural properties confirms Val de Vie’s standing as not just a lifestyle choice, but also a sound investment in South Africa’s most exclusive property landscape.
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