Western Cape Property Market – Evoking Reaction In The UK

Exhibiting Western Cape properties and the region’s lifestyle in Manchester at the Place In The Sun Property Expo to English visitors from predominantly the central parts of England has been a revelation and a learning curve to both the CCH expo team and to some of the second home seekers.

The expo is the biggest property expo for second home seekers in Europe and is connected to a popular property TV channel in the UK.

Our stall at the expo generally created 3 reactions :

1.         A sidestep or a quick glance away to our Spanish, Portuguese, French or Italian “neighbours”;

2.         An inquisitive look at either our non-European related low prices for lifestyle property or at the 3 boards spelling out the South African lifestyle, living cost and general information the more sensational or negative news reports rarely touches upon;

3.         A moment of reconnection to a memorable experience they gladly shared with us – faces lighting up and eyes reminiscing over the names of the towns they have visited.

The majority of the visitors either sidestepped us or were puzzled by our marketing boards – boards which moved beyond merely selling property by giving them information which probably shook some perceptions.

The “sidesteppers” polite answers to explain their non-interest were always based on distance. The 2 hours to Spain and Portugal, the 3 hours to Italy or the 4 hours to Greece is what they are prepared “to spend” – pointing out that these destinations are either close to their families or to their medical support systems.

On approaching the inquisitive (puzzled) visitors whose attention were grabbed sufficiently by our boards to linger or enter our stall, their surprise at just how well our properties are priced eased our conversation towards lifestyle, cost, travelling time and even politics! Most of them left us with “statements” – confirming that they have never previously given South Africa some thought as a second home destination….but that we most certainly have changed that perception.

The visitors who know the Western Cape area made us aware of really how privileged we are to work and live in the region. Their happy recollections almost always were accompanied by a wish to return. One of the most memorable was an elderly British born couple who lived in South Africa for many years. On return to their homeland one of them became wheelchair bound. They are now not in a position to return to South Africa – as they have become dependent on the NHS and would not be able to afford private medical care in South Africa. Their sharing of memories were special.

Buying a property in South Africa warrants a leap of faith – as it is outside the 2 to 4 hours flying comfort zone from the UK. To spice things even further up….it is an African country which has not always receive the best media coverage.

One thing however is sure – the CCH member agents at the Places In The Sun Expo ensured that quite a few second home buyers will be taking the step to come and visit the Cape Town area – before they commit to buying a property closer to their home. We undertook to point them to our favourite things to do and places to see. We also undertook to arrange with our CCH member agents to assist the potential buyers in viewing suitable properties across our area – beach properties, lifestyle lock-up and go’s, smallholdings, lifestyle farms and wine estates as well as residential estates.

If you would like to give your property such added coverage during its marketing program, please contact me as we are at present planning our second property expo in the UK which will be in London during May 2016.

Benhard Wiese - Principal Agent, CCH (Cape Coastal Homes / City Country Homes) / +27 84 6112293 / benhard@cch.co.za