In the face of a recession and rising fuel costs, many South Africans are re-visiting their annual holiday plans, opting for destinations that are closer to home.

One of the beneficiaries of this trend is Yzerfontein on the Cape West Coast. Situated just 87km from the Cape Town central city, it is less than an hour’s drive from the city to this fishing village, with its low-crime environment and reasonably priced holiday homes.

And it’s not just the holidaymaker market that is growing – Pam Golding Properties reports the village has an increasing number of permanent residents too.

PGP’s area manager for the West Coast, Stephanie Wynne Cole says there has been a definite shift in the last five years as more people seek out a simpler and less stressful life, so reducing time spent commuting has become a key issue.

“Many Capetonians find Yzerfontein to be the ideal solution – it enables them to have a holiday home within easy reach of their primary residence, allowing for more frequent usage, and less time wasted on getting there. They can either buy an older home and renovate it to their own taste, or invest in a newer property or even a vacant plot where they can build their dream home. The interest in the second home market is growing steadily, with many more visitors attending show-houses on weekends. And for those who want to work from home and just commute into town once or twice a week, it is close enough to be a viable alternative. The current market conditions have challenged us, as they have all estate agents in all areas, but the result has been sellers becoming more realistic about the pricing of their homes.”

Property prices in the town start at under R1 million. You can buy a small lock-up-and-go apartment or even a duplex for R995 000 to R1.35 million. A modest holiday home some way back from the beach will cost between R1.3 million and R1.9 million, and larger family homes with sea views cost R1.95 million to R2.995 million. Luxury homes on the beachfront are priced from R4.7 million to around R7 million.

PGP has more than 30 homes for sale in the village, and more than 30 vacant plots.

PGP’s MD for the Western Cape metro region, Laurie Wener, says the buyer profile in Yzerfontein tends to be those seeking lifestyle homes that are safe and virtually crime-free.

“With the opening of the new hospital in Table View it has become an easier buy for retired people, for whom access to top-quality medical care is a priority. The demand for holiday homes is still on the rise, with many of these buyers coming from Paarl, Wellington, and Stellenbosch, as well as from Ceres and the Cederberg region. We have also noticed that more and more buyers from up-country are showing an interest in the West Coast in general, and Yzerfontein in particular, mainly because of it’s proximity to Cape Town.”

Yzerfontein’s permanent population tends to be concentrated around the old town and the harbour, whereas many holidaymakers have been drawn to the Pearl Bay development alongside the village. Most of the 1 000 erven here have sold, although there are still a few available.

The same developer has had plans approved for a retirement complex to be built in the vicinity in the future. A new Spar shopping centre is also expected to be built by mid-2010, offering additional shopping and restaurants facilities. The village also has its own post office, bottle stores, petrol station, sports club, vet and medical practice, as well as a medical response team and numerous guesthouses and B&Bs.

“We are very proud of our blue flag main beach,” says Wynne Cole, “which is very safe for swimming, kayaking, and other water-sports. Schoolchildren can make use of a shuttle service to the private school in nearby Darling, and residents of all ages enjoy the West Coast National Park, just 15km away, and the popular Buffelsfontein Game Reserve. The Darling wine route and local olive industry are also growing in popularity and stature.”

Call John Nutter on 022 451 2188 or 082 454 1228.