South Africans are making drastic decisions to avoid traffic congestion and fuel costs – going as far as to move neighbourhoods or change their children’s schools just to escape the anxiety of it all.
The Stanley family which lives on the Bluff, in Durban, is a perfect example.
“Our children go to school in Glenwood, and have done so for eight years, but the traffic congestion caused by trucks stacking on Edwin Swales or broken down, and robots that are constantly out of order, forced us to make a big change. Something had to give,” says mom Jessica.
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The trip was never a problem until recent years when truck stacking became a bigger issue in the area.
“The stress of sitting in traffic jams every day, plus having to sometimes make two trips out to accommodate different children’s finishing times, is just causing me anxiety, especially as I always have to rush back to work.”
The family tried to move to Glenwood to avoid the commute and rising fuel costs, but either could not find the right property or one at the right price. They eventually moved to another neighbourhood in their suburb, close to a local school.
“We could literally walk to and from this school and have enrolled our children to hopefully be able to save money, time, and stress. It is heart-breaking to take our kids out of a school we love, but we have to consider our pockets and mental health.”
Chris Tyson, chairman of Tyson Properties, says the buzz word has become convenience, and people are looking to live closer to work and schools.
“High fuel costs and traffic congestion – made significantly worse by load shedding – have forced people to reassess their commute. As people have started to go back to the office after Covid, they are simply not prepared to sit in traffic anymore and want to enjoy a more balanced lifestyle with more family time, so they are opting to relocate as a result.”
Rising interest rates and the increasing cost of living means cost-saving options are top-of-mind, adds Paul Stevens, chief executive of Just Property. This includes discussions with buyers and tenants about preferred property locations.
“Many of our clients are still suffering from Covid-fatigue and doing what they can to reduce stress, which includes working from home and moving closer to schools and/or places of work.”
Megan Holden from Just Property Lifestyle in St Francis Bay in the Eastern Cape reports that there is a continued high demand for properties that offer space to work and even educate from home. Properties priced right are seldom on the market for more than a few weeks, with buyers lined up and waiting, she says.
Homes within walking distance to very good schools can fetch a premium of as much as 30% says Marilize Prinsloo of Just Property Blouberg, and as much as 5% to 10% according to Johannes van den Berg of Just Property Prosper (previously N1 City), which operates in Burgundy Estate in Cape Town.
Demand for property in Cape Town is still high owing to families moving to down from up country, says Kevin Jacobs, broker/owners of RE/MAX Premier. This is mainly because families are seeking a better life for their children at an affordable price.
“Cape Town offers a good, healthy environment where the local government works. Local government schools in the Southern Suburbs are in high demand due to the quality of the schooling and facilities. In some cases, these schools may even be considered as being better than some of the private schools in Gauteng and surrounds.”
In the case of moving house to save on petrol or time spent in traffic, however, Stevens says this calculation must be measured over the years that children are at that school or people are at a particular place of work.
“Moving closer may offer immediate respite in fuel bills and time spent, but the effect will be far greater when measured over time and property appreciation is taken into account.”
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