Latest news with #HayleyIvins-Downes
The South African
a day ago
- Business
- The South African
The seaside town in SA where property PRICES doubled in 5 years
Property prices in one South African coastal hotspot have doubled in just five years. The average home now sells for close to R5 million – a figure that far outpaces the national trend. As reported by BusinessTech , this is fuelled by semigration, particularly during and after the Covid-19 pandemic, when demand for second homes and retirement properties drove prices ever higher. This surge has created one of the most expensive markets in the country, second only to Cape Town's Atlantic Seaboard. The seaside town in question is Plettenberg Bay, where prices have soared across all segments, including family homes, prime luxury property and sectional titles. Property experts revealed to BusinessTech that the surge has been remarkable. 'The growth has significantly outpaced the national average,' noted a Seeff's licensee. Average house prices in Plettenberg Bay are priced from R3.5 million to R8.5 million, while high-end homes range from R5 million to R15 million, with the top price achieved being R78 million. Sectional titles range from between R1.8 million to R3.8 million, with new units upwards of R6 million. The area's drawcards are clear: a warm climate, oceanfront lifestyle, easy accessibility from major hubs, and a stress-free environment. For many, it's the perfect spot for a holiday escape or a permanent move. But there's a flipside. As Hayley Ivins-Downes from Lightstone Property warns, the rapid rise has pushed affordability out of reach for many South Africans in Plettenberg Bay, leaving this once laid-back town increasingly the preserve of the wealthy. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
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First Post
07-08-2025
- Business
- First Post
In South Africa, women are the real power in real estate, leaving men behind
The housing market in South Africa is shifting and it is because of women. A growing number of South African women are independently financing their homes. Standard Bank's Home Loans data indicates that women have consistently comprised 70 per cent of all home loan clients over the past decade, including both joint and sole applicants. Notably, nearly 40 per cent of all main applicants for home loans are now women, up from 37.9 per cent in 2015. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD This growing trend highlights women's increasing confidence and empowerment in achieving their homeownership goals, according to IOL. Earning more, investing more In the past two years, 66 per cent of female main applicants have purchased homes without a co-applicant. This demonstrates a significant move towards independent homeownership among women. There has been a 74.3 per cent growth in the average gross income for female main applications — growing from R38,000 in 2015 to R67,000 in 2025. This has also coincided with a 48.2 per cent increase in the average price of properties purchased by female main applicants from R800,000 in 2015 to R1.3 million in 2025. Additionally, the majority of women entering the property market are young with 74% of female main applicants being under the age of 45. This is also an indication that younger women are also increasingly investing in long-term assets. In Standard Bank's Vehicle and Asset Finance (VAF) division, women's share of the client base grew from 38.5 per cent in June 2015 to 43.9 per cent in June 2025. Women aged 31 to 45 accounted for nearly half of female sales in June 2025. Moreover, this increased spending is not just seen in the housing market. The average car purchase price among women in 2025 was R334,914, which is 6.5 per cent lower than the R356,972 average spent by men. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Financial tools fuel access Standard Bank initiatives are also playing a role in this trend, supporting and encouraging asset ownership by financing upfront costs for first-time homebuyers and allowing clients to add and re-spread balloon payments if needed. Short-term insurance data reflects this shift, with women filing 51.1 per cent of claims, surpassing men in certain policyholder demographics. Women also dominate claims submissions among those who are divorced, accounting for 64.4 per cent of claims, while men represent just 35.6 per cent. Hayley Ivins-Downes, managing executive of Real Estate at Lightstone, noted the encouraging transformation in the real estate sector. The proportion of homes owned by women as sole buyers has increased from 30 per cent in 2014 to 39 per cent in 2025, while mixed couple ownership declined from 39 per cent to 30 per cent. Properties owned solely by women or jointly by women and men now account for 69 per cent of all ownership, while properties owned solely by men remain static at 31 per cent. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD This trend underscores a significant shift in consumer behaviour, challenging traditional stereotypes about financial decision-making in households, and highlighting the increasing role of women in South Africa's economy.
IOL News
04-08-2025
- Business
- IOL News
Women lead the charge in homeownership and vehicle ownership in South Africa
In South Africa, women are increasingly asserting their financial independence and making significant strides in both homeownership and vehicle ownership Image: Freepik As South Africa celebrates Women's Month this August, fresh data reveals a compelling narrative of transformation in ownership dynamics. Women in South Africa are not only asserting their financial independence but are also increasingly becoming prominent figures in the realms of home and vehicle ownership. This shift underscores a newfound dominance in property investments that, until recently, were predominantly male domains, according to Lightstone Property's Hayley Ivins-Downes. 'We're seeing a clear and steady shift in ownership patterns as more South African women take on property purchases, reflecting both growing financial independence and confidence in property as a long-term investment. It's an encouraging sign of transformation in the real estate sector.' Property ownership over time 2014-2025 Image: Supplied Historically male-centric property ownership is showing a paradigm shift, as the latest figures indicate that women are now outpacing men in the housing market. The proportion of homes owned by women as sole buyers has risen sharply from 30% in 2014 to an impressive 39% by 2025. In contrast, the share of mixed couple ownership has declined from 39% to 30%. Notably, 'single female buyers' are defined as women who are the sole registered owners of the property irrespective of their marital or relationship status. This burgeoning ownership trend has far-reaching implications; properties owned exclusively by women or jointly with men now account for a staggering 69% of all ownership, while men's ownership remains fixed at 31%. Lightstone's analysis reveals that out of approximately 200,000 residential property transactions conducted by natural persons in the last year, a remarkable 140,000 involved sole buyers, with 75,000 of those transactions attributed to sole women buyers. Additionally, around 60,000 transactions were joint purchases where women partnered with male buyers. Average purchase price Image: Supplied The upward trajectory of women-only buyers is notable, particularly between July 2024 and June 2025, driven largely by a surge in low-value property transfers. This shift is further illustrated in the affordable property price ranges, where sole women buyers significantly outnumber their male counterparts, especially in the categories below R250,000, R250,000–R500,000, R500,000–R750,000, and R750,000–R1 million. Government-assisted housing programs also feature prominently in this trend, with 26% of transfers to women as exclusive owners being subsidised, compared to 21% for sole men buyers and 17% for joint male/female buyers. When these subsidised properties are set aside, it becomes evident that women buyers show a marked preference for secure living environments: 12% favoured Estate Freehold, 4% opted for Estate Sectional Schemes, and a substantial 37% chose Sectional Scheme properties. Just over 47% of single women buyers entered the Freehold market. Percentage of single women buyers by age Image: Supplied
TimesLIVE
01-07-2025
- Business
- TimesLIVE
How your education level affects where you live
There are nearly 12-million households earning less than R13,000 a month with just less than 2.5-million properties available if households stick to the guideline that they spend no more than a third of their income on housing. This is equal to one property for 4.8 households in this income band, showing how low-income households in South Africa face an acute shortage of formal housing stock, said Hayley Ivins-Downes, managing executive of real estate at analytics company Lightstone Property. The ratio improved to 3.3 households for every one formal property if the salary threshold moved to R26,000 a month. For higher income groups, this ratio was closer to 1.2 to 1. Most of South Africa's households earn less than R26,000 per month, which means affordability remains a major obstacle to most households having a property to call their own, Ivins-Downes said. This pushed many into backyard rentals, informal structures or traditional dwellings that weren't formally registered — and often these options were further away from work than is ideal. 'In many towns, lower income working people struggle most to find accommodation.' For homes valued at less than R300,000 — 80% of which were subsidised — only 1% had been bought or sold in the past five years compared with 4% in the R300,000 to R500,000 price band, 6% in the R500,000 to R750,000 price band and 13% in the R750,000 to R2m price band. 'The data told us that not only was there a significant shortage of affordable housing, but there were proportionately fewer transactions among lower income earners, limiting mobility, equity growth and broader economic participation,' Ivins-Downes said. The more education people have, the more likely they will be able to buy houses in higher price bands, the data also shows. 'A household with two working people who did not have matric would probably be able to afford a house valued at R250,000 — but this jumped to R380,000 where the two have a matric and to R1.8m when they have degrees,' she said. Mapping these affordability scenarios to suburbs showed how the difference in education — and consequently earning potential — affected housing choice. In Johannesburg, couples without matric found affordable stock in areas such as Hillbrow, Johannesburg Central and Orange Farm, while couples with degrees would be buying in suburbs such as Morningside, North Riding and Weltevreden Park. She said the insights underscored the need for integrated housing, education and economic policies to address the barriers facing lower income households.
