Traffic, petrol cost see families relocate

SOUTH Africans are making drastic decisions to avoid traffic congestion and fuel costs, going as far as moving to another neighbourhood or changing their children’s schools just to escape the anxiety of it all.

The Stanley family, who lives on the

Bluff, in Durban, are a perfect example of this.

“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,” says mom Jessica.

“The stress of sitting in traffic jams every day, plus having to sometimes make two trips to accommodate children’s different finishing times, is making me anxious, 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 school.

“We could walk to and from this school and have enrolled our children. Hopefully we will 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. We just hope the school accepts the children for next year.”

Chris Tyson, the chairperson of Tyson Properties, says the buzzword has become “convenience”, and people want to live closer to work and schools.

“High fuel costs and traffic congestion – made 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 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 cost of living means cost-saving options are top of mind, adds Paul Stevens, the chief executive of Just Property. This includes discussions with buyers and tenants about preferred property locations.

“Many of our clients are 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 high demand for properties that offer space to work and even educate from home.

Properties that are priced right are seldom on the market for more than a few weeks, she says.

Homes within walking distance to 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%, says 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 high, owing to families moving down from up country, says Kevin Jacobs, the broker/owner 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 the 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.”