Nestled along South Africa's scenic Garden Route in the Western Cape, Knysna is renowned for its stunning natural beauty, rich biodiversity, golf courses and laid-back charm.
The Knysna lagoon is a tranquil estuary perfect for boating, fishing, and waterfront dining, while the dramatic sandstone cliffs known as the Knysna Heads guard the lagoon's entrance from the Indian Ocean. And of course there is the country's largest indigenous forest, ideal for hiking and birdwatching - and the iconic annual Knysna Oyster Festival.
Apart from its appeal to those who want a laid-back coastal life, Knysna is a popular tourist and retirement destination and its proximity to George Airport makes it a popular choice for remote workers and commuters who work elsewhere in the country but want their family to live a different lifestyle. While non-locals usually make up about one-sixth of people in a town, in December the ratio in Knysna jumps to one-to-one!
The town of more than 76 000 people has a residential property market well known for its disproportionately high concentration of residential estates and premium priced properties (see graph below) - and rising average property prices.
There are approximately 13 200 properties registered at the Deeds Office in Knysna, and 4 000 of the properties are valued at under R500 000.
Number of properties per value, per category - above R500 000
For this article we are focusing on properties valued above R500 000 - and they include approximately 3 600 Estate units, 4 400 Freehold properties and 1 200 Sectional Title units outside Estates.
Two facts stand out straight away: nearly 30% of the properties are valued at more than R5m, a higher than usual proportion, and many are found in Estates, where Knysna's share is also higher than average. Sought after premium Estates include Thesen Island, Pezula Private Estate, Simola Golf Estate, Eastford Country Estate, Belvidere Estate, and Pezula Golf Estate. Properties valued at more than R5m can also be found in suburbs such as Leisure Isle, The Heads, Noetzie, and Belvidere.
The next two graphs reveal the enduring popularity of buying in Knysna, as properties sell relatively easily. The sales prices achieved as a proportion of the asking price are high, and the average prices paid ramped up significantly over the period reviewed.
Days on market - properties valued above R500 000
The median days on the market spiked during Covid in 2020, and the proportion of the asking price achieved fell to a seven-year low of 91%. In 2022, the median days on the market was under 60, with the proportion of asking price achieved rising to just below 95%, a seven-year high.
The average sales price of property in Knysna has been rising steadily since 2019 when it was R2.3m, reaching R3.9m in 2025. As the graph below shows, the average sales prices dipped slightly in 2024 but have risen again in 2025.
Average prices over the years
Knysna Central (115 sales at an average sales value of R1.65m) and Pezula Golf Estate (111 sales at an average sales value of R4.5m) have recorded the highest transaction volumes in 2024 - 2025.
Average prices over the years
Top ten suburbs with highest sales volumes 2024 - 2025
Other high value suburbs with reasonable volumes recorded include The Heads (R10.2m), Belvidere (R6.8m), Leisure Isle (R6.4m), Belvidere Estate (R5.2m), Eastford (R4.9m), Eastford Downs (R4,2m), Heuwelkruin (R4m), Westford Bridge (R3.7m), Welbedacht (R3.5m) and Paradise (R3.3m).
Knysna has nearly three times the registered properties as nearby Plettenberg Bay, where the proportion of premium valued properties is understandably higher - just over 56% (5 175) of properties in Knysna are valued at more than R3m, compared to 75% in Plett, with 292 (3.2%) valued at more than R10m, compared to Plett's 420 properties (7%) valued at more than R10m. Just as both have a higher proportion of highly valued properties, their residential property ownership is dominated by people over 50.
Age distribution of property owners with properties valued above R500 000
Finally, 38% of natural persons have bought in the last five years, while 24% bought 15 years or more years ago . About one in five Knysna homeowners with properties valued above R500 000 have lived in the town for more than 20 years.
Tenure of natural persons
Other properties owned by Knysna residents
Finally, one out of every two natural persons or couples who own property in Knysna also own another property elsewhere,and one out of two of the 50% who own elsewhere do so in the Western Cape.
