Limpopo’s double win: why SA's Great North is red-hot
Limpopo is currently South Africa’s hottest property destination, with the allure of bushveld living driving strong demand and steadily pushing up house prices.
23/09/2025
According to recent BetterBond data, Bradd
Bendall, BetterBond’s National Head of Sales
says that the
Great North is also leading the way when it
comes to the value of residential buildings
completed in the past six months – clear
evidence of a booming market.
“Known as
the ‘safari capital of the world’, Hoedspruit is
favoured for its majestic lowveld setting,
offering residents semi-rural living surrounded
by wildlife. Growing interest in holiday homes,
safari properties and a slower pace of life has
seen house price inflation in Limpopo surge to
6.82%, according to
Lightstone’s latest property
data,” says Bendall.
Property24’s sales
report for Hoedspruit shows that transactions
have almost doubled compared with last year. In
2024, there were 383 sales; so far this year,
504 properties have changed hands. Much of this
activity is being driven by mature buyers,
possibly seeking an investment safari property
or a retirement home. Almost 60% of buyers in
Hoedspruit were over 65, followed by 20.7%
between the ages of 50 and 64. Families are also
drawn to the “slow-veld” lifestyle, with nearly
16% of buyers between 36 and 49.
Hoedspruit’s average sales price, according to
Property24, is still below R2 million which is
exceptional value for money, notes Bendall. Farm
sales have been one of the main drivers of
Limpopo’s house price inflation, climbing from
R2.3 million in 2024 to R2.9 million this year.
Prices rise significantly within estates or
wildlife and game farm developments. In the
Hoedspruit Wildlife Estate, the average property
price is just under R4 million, while game farms
average just over R42 million. Many of the
buyers in this price bracket are from overseas,
according to estate agent
reports, particularly
from the Netherlands, Germany, the United
Kingdom and France, who often invest in game
lodges that combine lifestyle and income
potential.
Rental demand is also booming.
PayProp reported in June that Limpopo topped the
table for rental growth, surpassing the 10%
threshold to reach 10.9%. This put it ahead of
the Western Cape, which came in at 9.6%, albeit
off a much higher rental base. “This province
has a thriving mining and agricultural economy,
which makes it appealing to people moving in
search of better economic opportunities,”
explains Bendall. The latest Wise Move Migration
Report (2025) shows balanced movement into and
out of the province, but the rental surge
suggests increasing in-migration – especially
younger tenants seeking jobs.
This may
also explain why Limpopo recorded such strong
year-on-year growth in the value of residential
buildings completed during the first five months
of 2025, reaching a cumulative R296 million.
“Although this growth does come off a very low
base, it does suggest interesting activity in
the northernmost province’s property market,”
says Bendall.
Demand is also being driven
by infrastructure investment. The approval of
SA’s first bullet train, the Limpopo-Gauteng
Speed Train Project, is expected to link
Pretoria and Polokwane within the next five
years. This high-speed connection could make the
province even more attractive to buyers who want
bushveld living without giving up access to
urban job opportunities.
With rising
sales, surging rental demand, and landmark
infrastructure on the horizon, Limpopo’s Great
North is no longer just a holiday or retirement
destination, concludes Bendall. It is emerging
as one of the country’s most dynamic property
markets.