Limpopo premium property market sales on the up

Limpopo's premium residential property market has emerged as one of the most dynamic sectors in South Africa's real estate industry in recent years.

What used to be a region of holiday farms and small towns is now attracting young families, entrepreneurs, and remote workers, all looking for more space and better value - and proximity to unrivalled natural landscapes with world-class game reserves.

About Limpopo

Limpopo is South Africa's northernmost province, bordering Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique. Named after the Limpopo River, it includes part of the Kruger National Park and its capital lies on the N1 highway, connecting Gauteng to Zimbabwe.

While Limpopo accounts for 10% of South Africa's adult population, it lags when it comes to income. The province has disproportionately more (13%) of South Africa's households with income under R6 500 per month, and 9% of households earning between R6 500-R9 000 per month, in line with its population average. It is in the upper income brackets where Limpopo fares less well, with just 5% of households in the R13 000-R68 000 bracket and only 2% of households earning above R68 000 a month.

Limpopo's population as a percentage of the national population by household income

Limpopo's economy is driven by mining and agriculture, and the importance of tourism is evident. According to telemetry data, in December, there were 33% more vehicles on the province's roads than in a month outside the holiday season such as February. Limpopo attracts high volumes of domestic travellers, notably visiting friends and relatives (VFRs) and nature/game reserve visitors. The Kruger National Park alone receives upwards of 1.5 million visitors a year and often ranks highly for overnight trips and bed-nights in the domestic market.

Lightstone's 2025 data reveals that one-third of residential sales above R250 000 exceeded R1.5 million, compared to 15% in 2020. Sales below R250 000 are often subsidised transactions and have therefore been excluded. Nationally, the share increased from 27% to 37%, so while Limpopo lags, its rate of improvement has outpaced the national change. Estate Agents, banks and media reports all reinforce Lightstone's data, which emphasises strong demand for properties priced around R3 million and above.

What's driving the higher value property sales?

Rising property price inflation is highest in Limpopo, according to Lightstone's HPI index (see below). As a result, homes that sold for R800 000 - R1 million just a few years ago now regularly exceed the R1.5 million mark.

Demand from lifestyle buyers for holiday or retirement homes in Limpopo's scenic, bushveld locations and wildlife Estates is creating pressure on prices of higher-value properties in areas like Hoedspruit and game farm Estates.

Foreign investors are buying lodges, Estates, and game farms as are older local buyers (50-65+ years, retirees) with the resources to pay more for the lifestyle they want.

Improving infrastructure and connectivity will boost confidence in the property market. Planned or promised projects such as the Limpopo-Gauteng high-speed train link will open new lifestyle opportunities for people to live in semi-rural areas but have the all-important access to urban job markets.

Tight supply and under-development has created a shortage of good stock in quality, higher-end properties (in Estates, game farms and security Estates).

Strong economic pull from mining, agriculture and tourism creates jobs and attracts people which increases demand for housing.

Rental market activity has strengthened in Limpopo (by 10-12%+ in some quarters), which is driving demand in the buy‐to-let market.

What's selling?

The graph below shows how the proportion of higher priced sales have increased over time. In the years 2020-2024, there was a steady decline in the number of properties sold under R1 million. Of the five full years being reviewed, all price bands other than R3 million+ recorded their best years in 2021 as Covid helped push buyers out of the main cities.

The R1 million-R1.5 million bands has been reasonably consistent since then, while the R1.5 million-R3 million and R3 million+ bands have grown in number over the years.

Greater proportion of transactions at higher values

The above R3 million market

Media reports and local broker data show meaningful growth in the upper-end market (R3 million+) in parts of Limpopo, driven by game-estate and farm sales, holiday and retirement buyers, and constrained formal stock.

Key features of this market include:

Geographic concentration: The above R3 million growth is strongest in tourism and Estate areas. The top five towns include Polokwane, Hoedspruit, Bela-Bela, Tzaneen and Greater Tzaneen as well as where farms and game farms trade.
Product mix matters: Game farms, wildlife estate plots, and larger farming stands (some converted to lodges) account for outsized value per transaction, and just a few of these sales can shift averages and the count of deals above R3 million.
Older, wealthier buyers are more active in this segment.
Supply constraints: Lightstone and local Estate Agents have highlighted limited formal stock in value segments, and when supply is thin, prices and share of high-value transactions rise.
Increased popularity of Estate living: Estates account for just under 60% of sales above R3 million (see graph below), and this is above the national average of 40%.

Towns in Limpopo recording sales above R3 million

Property types for sales above R3 million

Limpopo's performance versus "the other six"

The proportion of sales above R3 million is on the rise in Limpopo, which is the star performer of those provinces outside of the big three, Gauteng, Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal. While volumes are less than in the Eastern Cape in particular, they are rising in Limpopo and either dropping or flatlining in the other four provinces.