Is timing everything?

In this issue, Lightstone dives into nearly a decade of residential sales data to uncover the best months to list a home — and why Cape Town continues to outperform its counterparts. In Johannesburg, sales volumes are recovering, but homes are spending longer on the market, with standout suburbs such as Discovery bucking the trend. We also take a look at the latest House Price Index, where modest national growth suggests Gauteng and KZN are slowly gaining ground.

When is the best time to sell residential property?

When is the right time to list a property for the best chance of a quick sale at a good price? Lightstone analyses residential sales data from 2015 to 2024 to identify the months when homes sell fastest and achieve the closest prices to asking. The analysis also explores regional and city-level trends, including why Cape Town continues to outperform Johannesburg — and how results can differ significantly, even between neighbouring suburbs.

Joburg’s biggest and quickest sellers

Johannesburg’s residential property market has experienced fluctuating sales volumes, relatively steady average prices and longer selling times over the past six years. While sales volumes recovered from their 2023 low in 2024, average prices dipped slightly. Homes are also spending more time on the market overall, although some suburbs are bucking the trend — with Discovery in Roodepoort emerging as the city’s fastest-selling suburb.

Lightstone’s latest House Price Index

Lightstone’s latest Property Index shows national house price inflation edging up to 2.4% year-on-year. While the Western Cape continues to outperform Gauteng and KZN, its growth has flattened and even dipped slightly. Gauteng and KZN, meanwhile, are slowly gaining momentum from lower bases. Across property segments, High-Value homes rose to 2.4%, while Low-Value growth slowed to 7.7%. Mid-Value and Luxury properties both recorded slight monthly declines, with growth sitting at 2.4% and 2.39%, respectively.

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