Semigration gone wrong! Don’t let your dream move turn to dust
Call it semigration, reverse migration, or the Great Move. Either way, thousands of South Africans who’ve got a taste of remote working are grabbing the chance to leave big cities, flocking to greener pastures and wide-open spaces in their droves. But before you pack it all in for the small-town dream, make sure you’ve done your homework.
That’s the warning from Marcél du Toit, CEO of residential property platform Leadhome, who says there’s a growing trend of people who moved to smaller towns or coastal destinations in 2020 to flee the urban sprawl – only to discover that their new lives are not all they were cracked up to be.
“We’ve seen the semigration trend really take off since the onset of Covid-19, as people take the opportunity to move out of the big cities to areas where they can have bigger properties and better lifestyles for less money. But what we’re also seeing is that some people are realising after a few months that living in a new place isn’t all roses and moonlight,” said Du Toit.
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“Previously, semigration was largely driven by the governance in a region,” says Tony Clarke, MD of the Rawson Property Group. “People just wanted to live in a province where they got what they paid for in terms of municipal service delivery. Cape Town was always the poster child for this, relatively speaking, but recent times have somewhat changed this sentiment.”
Clarke says there have been notable shifts to settle along the Garden Route for the “quieter, safer environment and more predictable service delivery on offer”, and partly because buyers could get a lot more for their money outside of the city and its immediate surrounds.
Currently buyers from Gauteng as driving a property rebound in the Cape Town Suburb of Hout Bay, with Terri Steyn, Area Specialist for Lew Geffen Sotheby’s International Realty, confirming the charming harbour village has been “attracting keen investor interest, with the most popular properties being estate homes”.
READ: Hout Bay ‘hots up’ with upcountry buyers looking for secure, convenient lifestyle
While Du Toit can speak from personal semigration experience, having uprooted his young family from The Big Smoke of Johannesburg earlier this year for a quieter, prettier life in the Western Cape. He says for others, like consultant Peter V*, moving to a small town in the Karoo hasn’t been all he and his wife thought it would be: while remote work is easy, leaving their support structures behind has been challenging, and they are considering moving to a bigger centre in the new year.
Company director Tafadzwa M* and his family moved to a popular coastal resort town in late 2020. While he loves the lifestyle and waking up to ocean views every day, the novelty has worn off for his wife and teenage daughter, who miss their friends and social routines. The new house is now on the market after barely a year, with a move back to the city imminent.
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“It’s fair to say we’ve all learned a few lessons along the way about how important it is to take the emotion and romance out of a move, and being realistic about what semigrating would mean for you and your family,” said Du Toit.
So how do you ensure the semigration dream doesn’t turn into a nightmare?
Think with your head, not your heart
“Just because a place is great to holiday in, doesn’t mean it’s great to live in. You have a totally different set of needs for where you live and work, as opposed to where you lie on the beach and drink cocktails,” says Du Toit.
“Make a list of your key priorities for your new home, and stick to them. Don’t get side-tracked by a nice view or a romantic dream!”
Consider renting before you buy
“If I could do it all over, I would have rented in the town for a few months first before taking the plunge. What are the people like? How’s the weather? Where’s your nearest supermarket?” says Peter V.
“Not all the quirks of small-town life are equally charming.”
Check out the amenities
If you’re going to be doing remote work, a reasonable internet connection is non-negotiable. But take some time to weigh up the broader amenities in the area: how near (or far) are you from schools, hospitals, shopping centres, entertainment and airports? If you have to be driving 90 minutes just to get to a doctor, this is something you should consider, says Du Toit.
Access to friends, family and support structures
Living on the coast, or in a small town, sounds like a dream. “But the reality is that you’re often far away from your friends and family – and no matter how often they say they’re going to come and visit, life often gets in the way. It’s when things go wrong that you realise the value of a support network – and if you don’t have one in your new town, you may struggle,” said Tafadzwa M.
“Semigration is a great opportunity to have a better lifestyle, and to get out of the hustle and bustle of the big city. But make sure you weigh the pros and cons carefully. Make sure your new life will meet all your needs before you commit to the big move,” says Du Toit.
Article Date: 13 December 2021
Author: Property 24
Article Reference: https://www.property24.com/articles/semigration-gone-wrong!-dont-let-your-dream-move-turn-to-dust/30790
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