Residential Property News South Africa

Demand for property increases in areas with public service offerings

The continuous addition of routes on the MyCiti bus service and the roll-out of free wi-fi nodes in certain areas across the Western Cape affects the demand for property in areas where these value-adds are available.
Demand for property increases in areas with public service offerings

The latest MyCiti bus route to be opened is in Dunoon, and this now creates a reliable, cost effective route to the CBD from the once-isolated area that relied on informal taxis and the train service, says Michael Bauer, managing director of IHPC estate agents. “Access to public transport is so important for all, as is the need to reduce the horrendous traffic congestion on most major highways and roads at present.”

The MyCiti bus service now covers many areas of Cape Town, from the Atlantic Seaboard all the way through to Hout Bay, and the Western Seaboard up to the Atlantis areas. In Cape Town’s CBD itself, there are various routes, so one can travel around quite easily without having to walk large distances.

Dotted wi-fi nodes

The free wi-fi nodes are dotted all over suburbs of Cape Town, as far as Knysna, with many more to come over the next three years. By making wi-fi accessible at reasonable rates through the city’s service providers, this will help everyone connect with others and services much more easily, he says.

As more public service offerings become available we can expect to see, as with the MyCiti bus roll-out, many more people choosing to live along those routes, and demand will continue to outstrip supply.

Similarly, in Gauteng where the Gautrain was introduced, many people have moved to the suburbs on the train line as well as businesses specifically looking for premises close to the Gautrain stations and linked bus routes, and prices of property has increased exponentially in those areas, says Bauer.

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