Buoyant Bloemfontein market marks second successive year of increased property transfersAccording to Lightstone, property transfers in the Bloemfontein market remain on the rise. Lightstone Property head of digital Hayley Ivins-Downes says transfers were 6% up to 4,326 in 2021 from 4,084 in 2020, which itself was just over 6% up on 3,869 in 2019. Source: Grobler du Preez © 123RF.com Although transfers registered in 2019 were marginally down from 2018, the trend over five years is positive. “Transfers among the under-30 age band were the highest ever in 2021 (1,365), as was the case with the 36-49 age band (1,311) and the 50-64 age band (597). However, while the 246 transfers recorded by the 65+ age band was up on the 188 recorded in 2020, it was down on the five-year high of 264 in 2019,” Ivins-Downes says. Sectional title remains increasingly the property of choice for Bloemfontein purchasers, with 57% opting for sectional title homes in 2021, up from 55% in 2020 and 52% in 2019. Freehold is next with 38 in 2021, and estates at 5%. Arrivals and departuresMost people (74%) moving to Bloemfontein in 2021 came from elsewhere in the province, with 7% arriving from Gauteng and 5% from the Western Cape. The picture is slightly different for those leaving Bloemfontein – 62% moved to another destination in the Free State, while 15% went to the Western Cape and 9% to Gauteng. |