MORE PEOPLE RENTING IN THE PRESENT CLIMATE
Although interest rates have remained unchanged, more property owners are reportedly selling due to financial pressure and opting to rent instead. According to the FNB Property Barometer Rental and Buy-to-let survey for the second quarter of 2011 – 51 percent of sellers moved into the rental market while 49 percent buy cheaper properties after selling.
FNB Home Loans property strategist John Loos says on the supply side of the rental market, the survey pointed to a relatively weak buy-to-let demand. “In the second quarter of 2011, the percentage of buyers buying to let remained unchanged from the previous quarter at a low of 8 percent. “This is slightly up from the low point reached in late 2010 of 7 percent and remains poor compared to the boom years where the percentage was up around 25 percent,” said Loos.
Of these sellers, 26 percent were high net worth individuals owning properties with an average price of R2.58
million, 24 percent upper income owners with properties averaging R1.8million, 21 percent middle income with
properties valued at R1.21 million and low income property owners with houses valued at R599 000.
For those down-scaling to cheaper properties, it was not clear in which price bracket they were buying into. In
Port Elizabeth, 10 percent of people are selling their homes and opting to rent instead. Dave Summerton,
director for the Eastern Cape and owner of Harcourts Summerton said further statistics reveal that between 10
percent and 15 percent of homeowners are selling their properties and ultimately down-scaling their investment.
“This can be attributed to the fact that the increase in electricity, rates and many other consumer items has left
those who were already financially stretched unable to maintain existing bond repayments,” said Summerton. He added that their portfolio includes properties valued between R800 000 and R2 million. In Port Elizabeth, the average selling price of houses is R800 000.




