stokieah

Hi, I would be very grateful if someone with the knowledge gave me some advice. I have looked at various property sites for homes for sale in SA, and I am amazed by the low prices for some truly stunning properties. What is the catch ? How much roughly are insurance costs and costs of living in SA.. i.e Food..Petrol..House Insurance..Car Insurance etc..? Do ex-pats (or people in general) living in SA have security guards/gates/Fences etc in and around their homes? The country,climate, people and wildlife all look stunning. Should I go ? What are the immigration laws like - are they tight like the US and AUS.......I would really appreciate as much feedback as possible so please let me know.
Thankyou
Stokieah

Bobf

stokieah

There is no catch with property prices in SA the advantage to you is the week Rand which is currently approximately £1 = R12.
When I lived in SA the exchange rate was £1 = R3.

So you see that prices are only cheap because of the excellent exchange rate you get with the £.

Yes all houses have security system, wall. fences etc around the property unless you live in a complex or boomed area.

I was last over in SA at xmas and would say that generally the cost of living is a lot less trhan here in the UK ( ignoring the exchange rate ), except for the mortgae rate which is currently around 17%

Should you go ---- the choice is yours.

Immigration rules are becoming tighter and tighter. It depend on what type of emigration ststus you want: temporary work permit, starting a business, or permanent residence.

Hope this helps.
Bobf

stokieah

Thanks for your input Bobf,
I have a few more qusetions seeing as you are a person in the know... First of all what is a Boomed area ? Secondly, how do the local people take to white couples buying property and living in the Cape Town area? Forgive me for sounding a fool but I'm not sure of the general feeling amongst mixed race communities in SA..Myself and my wife are very friendly and open minded and would like to make South African friends both Black and White, is this conceivable or do people generally live in their own ethnic groups? The culture facinates me and it would seem a real waste to just lock ourselves in amongst an all white (possibly ex-pat) community. Your thoughts would once again be appreciated..Thankyou. I know its alot to ask but could you list your Personnal 3 favourite things about SA and its people, and also the 3 things that you dislike the most about the country/people etc... Once again thanks for the responce.

Bobf

Hi stokieah

A Boomed area is an number of suburban streets that access is allowed only to residents. It's similar to a closed community, the same as you find in Florida USA. It is called Boomed because you enter the residential area through security gates.

All the South African I have met, Black, White SA, Indian and Coloured are the most friendly people you could meet. There are excepts though, as in all Societies. If you make the effort they will!

You can lived where you want. There is no such thing as "White" areas, that was under the Apatheid Regime. However, most Black SA's are still extremely poverished and cannot afford to buy in many residential areas.

Three best things about SA:

Weather/Climate.
The People.
The Different Cultures.

I cannot say the things I most dislike about SA because I have not lived there, day to day, for 9 years. And it is not worth listing things for 9 years ago as that era has past.

If you want to experience SA - Go on Holiday. Start in Cape Town work up to JHB and then up to the Kruger. A whistle stop tour would take you about 3 weeks. And as the £ is strong it will not cost a lot of money. I would estimate £1500.00 should see you through.

If you need any more info, from my perspective, let me know.

Regards
Bobf

stokieah

Thanks again Bobf for your information I really appreciate it. The thought of me and my wife moving away from England and starting a new life in SA is really exciting. The culture, people, weather, coastline and of course the wildlife all look amazing. As soon as my boss gives me enough time off work we will be heading straight out there for a visit and to check the place out first hand. My wife and I will probably be looking to start our own guesthouse business in the Cape Town region, so getting a buisness visa and then later applying for residency would probably seem the best route for us to take. What do the locals in SA do at the weekend when they are not at work. Do they all head for the beach, parks and just generally relax amongst friends and family? If there is anyone else out there reading this who may have some info please add a reply to this notice. Speak to you again soon Bobf and once again my friend - Thankyou.

Campbells

Hi,

Some interesting reading. I have lived in SA for 20 odd years.

There are a few factors that one should investigate before you take the plunge to move to SA. It seems that folk are aware of the crime - fair enough. But, do a bit deeper research into that side of things first. Just a suggestion as here we don’t regard crime as someone stealing things from you, it usually involves violence.

Would suggest that BEFORE you invest your good money into business in SA check out the future of land claims & try to get guarantees that no such thing can happen if you buy land / property etc. There is a great stirring over here and a lot of folk watching what is happening up in Zim with great concern. This is not just for gossip’s sake but rather the direction of Africa as a one-country future, the NEPAD scheme.

There is a lot of bitterness still directed towards the buzzword “colonials� and this runs very deep. Believe me we love this country but we are currently taking a reality check. We have recently had a little boy & we are greatly concerned about his future & believe we have to make plans to get out of here. Sure, we have a great life, awesome weather, our own swimming pool, blah blah blah but when someone sticks a gun in your head it tend to change your thinking.

There is a lot of talk in the news at present (check it out for yourself) that Pres. Mbeki is currently playing the racial card and it’s not going down too well. We are not racialists but we find it strange that most folk interpret racial as being white on black, vice versa equates to the same. In conclusion there are some deep-seated political issues in this beautiful country that are great concern for many folk.

My five cents worth; do your homework first.

Best of luck & we wish you & your well wherever you go.

Campbell