Families and retirees with an active lifestyle attracted to 'vibey' St Francis Bay

The number of residential property sales transactions in St Francis Bay surged to its highest level in a decade during 2021 - with no signs of the market demand for homes abating.

This three-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment in Port St Francis Bay offers a patio with lovely sea views. It is on the market for R1.99 million - click here to view.

According to Lightstone statistics, activity in the St Francis Bay housing market escalated last year (2021), with the highest number of freehold (173) and sectional title (55) units, sold in a decade. Rising from just 37 sales in 2012 and 117 in 2020 to 229 sales in 2021, vacant plot sales have also soared to the highest number during the past decade.

“Sales concluded in this highly appealing coastal town are across the board, including vacant plots, freehold homes and sectional title. This is a ‘zoom town’ with a very attractive lifestyle, plenty of leisure activities, especially watersports - with good water quality in its man-made canals, and a great vibe, with a well-run municipality to boot, says Richard Arderne, area principal for Pam Golding Properties

“Situated halfway between Gqeberha and Plettenberg Bay, an appealing three-bedroom home can be acquired for R2.3 million in a brand-new residential development, Homestead Views, so it’s not surprising that more people are making St Francis Bay, and the adjacent rustic fishing village of Cape St Francis, their permanent home. This market attracts mainly families and also retirees, in particular those leading an active lifestyle.”

This home in Canals has five bedrooms, five-and-a-half bathrooms, a heated pool and patio. It is on sale for R12.9 million - click here to view.

Arderne says approximately 45% of the 57 full title homes and 46 sectional title apartments in Homestead Views have already sold. The installation of services has already commenced, while the boundary wall and gatehouse were completed prior to the recent festive season.

St Francis Bay has currently *53 new property listings, according to property24 Trends Data, with the average asking price for the area being R1.75 million. The average sale price per erf for 2021 was about R956 000, while Section Scheme Units for the same period is about R1.125 million.

The latest residential listings on Property24 show that four-bedroom homes are most widely available, at an average list price of R3.98 million. Sellers in the area fall within the 65-years or older (44%), while 44% of buyers fall within 50-64 years age group. 

Click here to see all the sale and listing price trends in St Francis Bay

Set on an elevated plot in St Francis Links, this home offers four bedrooms and bathrooms, lovely patios and a sparkling pool. It is on the market for R9.5 million - click here to view.

“During the 12 months ended February 2022, we achieved our highest annual sales turnover in the 16 years we have been trading, with 133 units sold to a total value of R313 million, which is no small feat for a town with a population estimated at around 6 000 people. This is 25% more than our previous best sales turnover the previous 12 months, and approximately 60% more in terms of turnover and units sold per annum over the previous five years.

“The bulk of our home buyers are a mix of locals and those from Gqeberha, with the balance from Gauteng, Cape Town, KwaZulu-Natal and overseas countries such as the UK, Holland, Sweden, Germany and America, as well as a number of farmers, acquiring properties across all price ranges.

“Sales in The Links Golf Estate in St Francis Bay have also gone well, with vacant plots priced from about R400 000 and from around 600sqm in size, and houses priced between mainly between R3 million and R6 million, but with many buyers investing significantly more in constructing their dream homes – some an additional R10 million and more. Prices of vacant plots have escalated, with a plot purchased for R800 000 achieving a price of R1.8 million (in 2021) in just a year.”

With lovely views of the sea, golf course and the mountains, this home in St Francis Links has three bedrooms and two-and-a-half bathrooms. It is selling for R6.4 million - click here to view.

In Santareme, residential property owners have also seen values appreciate considerably. Arderne says for years leading up to about 2019 the highest price achieved in the area was R5.5 million – with the top price soaring to R11 million since then for a large freehold home which is undergoing substantial upgrading. Similarly, the Port of St Francis’s highest price achieved has climbed from R4 million to R8.5 million for a sectional title townhouse.

According to Lightstone, the St Francis Bay residential property market comprises 89.1% freehold, with 26.7% of all homes in security estates. Between 2012 and 2022 (10-year period), freehold prices rose by a robust 66.8% while sectional title prices rose by 101.8%.

Lightstone statistics also reveal that the average price of freehold properties sold over the past 12 months (March 2021 to February 2022) was R3.097 million (in estates) and R3.359 million (outside estates).

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*Property24 Listings Data Disclaimer: The trends detailed in this article are based on Property24 listings, current at the time of publishing, and property transfer data supplied by Deeds offices, which typically take 3-4 months to reflect. Suburbs are listed according to Property24's geographical database. In some areas this will include both commercial and residential properties. The age demographic data of buyers, sellers and stable owners is determined over a six-month period.  These Property Values should not be used as a substitute for independent professional advice and is subject to Property24.com Terms and Conditions