Country profile
If you want to better understand how to go about buying a property in the country of your choice, take a look at our country profiles. We have summarised the process for you and identified the latest hotspots for overseas investment
| Brazil | Bulgaria |
| Cyprus | France |
| Greece | Italy |
| Panama | South Africa |
| Spain |
Hotspots
Cape Town, the capital of South Africa's western region, maintains popularity . It is beautifully situated , sandwiched between Table Mountain and Table Bay on the southern cape of South Africa's coastland where the Indian and African oceans meet.
The wine lands around Stellenbosch and Franschoek, up through the Garden Route have properties of a high standard to offer.
The areas around Durban, particularly KwaZulu-Natal, offer an alternative lifestyle and there are some interesting golf, trout, game and lifestyle estates in development.
[image: courtesy Pezula]
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It is hard to address South Africa in a modern context without addressing the long lasting effects of the apartheid regime, abolished in 1994, as although the country has made great strides the legacy still remains and South Africa isnot without its problems. Nonetheless investors continue to buy into South Africa property, for despite the slowdown in price growth there are plenty of opportunities for long term investors and excellent value for money.
The benefits of buying in South Africa are plentiful: The warm temperate climate, the fact that English is widely spoken, low cost of living, sterling's continued strength against the rand, thriving tourist industry especially in the leisure estates, varied sporting opportunities, unique wildlife.... to mention just a few. In addition there is the distinct advantage of being in the same time zone as the UK, thus avoiding jet lag.
Investment in commercial property has achieved substantial growth in recent years due to various government incentives including tax breaks. The government positively encourages entrepreneurs to create employment opportunities for local people.
There is a multitude of property options in South Africa including private houses or apartments, cluster developments and gated developments where security is high on the agenda. The market for middle priced properties , in particular, is maintaining growth due to relief in transfer duty.
