As per the Pretoria-based bond originator service BetterBond, South Africa’s property market is being reshaped by two very different generations, each finding its own path to homeownership.
While younger buyers are overcoming affordability barriers through creative financing, co-buying and digital tools, the mature demographies are drawing on accumulated wealth to invest in secure, lifestyle-focused properties.
“Buyers over 60 have seen average purchase prices rise by 6.48% year on year. BetterBond data highlights the growing influence of both groups, with younger purchasers spending more on homes despite entering the market later, while buyers over 60 are spending an average of 2.4 million rand. Together, these contrasting trends are creating new currents of demand across the property market,” the agency noted.
“These two waves – with Gen Z entering the market through creative financing, co-buying and tech-driven solutions, and Baby Boomers downsizing, rightsizing or semigrating into secure lifestyle estates – may have completely unique financial profiles and housing needs. Yet both are having an increasingly visible impact on the property market,” said Bradd Bendall, BetterBond’s national head of sales.
As per BetterBond’s year-on-year data for July, instead of retreating from the housing market, South Africa’s mature buyers are becoming increasingly influential, spending more on property purchases than any other age group.
“Buyers over 60 have seen average purchase prices rise by 6.48% a year, underscoring their continued influence in the housing market. Rather than exiting the market, these older buyers—often referred to as ‘silver surfers’—are leveraging their financial stability and lifestyle preferences to drive demand,” Bendall added.
“While many are downsizing from expansive family homes as their needs change, they are not necessarily scaling back in value. Instead, many are investing in luxury lifestyle estates offering security, convenience and community living. According to BetterBond’s data, buyers over 60 are now spending an average of 2.4 million rand on a home,” he said.
Despite reports suggesting that homeownership among younger buyers has more than halved over the past 20 years, BetterBond’s data shows that those who do invest in property are spending more on their homes.
“Buyers under the age of 30 are spending 8.3% more year-on-year on home purchases than in 2025, according to data for the 12 months ending in July, with many opting for sectional-title units in mixed-use developments or precincts. These buyers spend on average just over 1.3 million rand on their homes,” the agency observed.
“For buyers aged 31 to 40, the average purchase price has increased by 8.4% to just over 1.6 million rand. BetterBond’s data puts the average age of first-time buyers at 37, which falls within this cohort,” Bendall told Bizcommunity.com.
Supporting BetterBond’s assumption of younger buyers paying more for their homes, Standard Bank recently stated about the average purchase price for the demography increasing by 5.5% over the past two years, largely because of increased incomes and improved affordability.
“A stabilising interest-rate environment, positive inflation outlook and strong economic fundamentals have contributed to a buoyant housing market in recent months, with BetterBond’s July Property Brief reporting that home-loan application volumes are 5.7% higher than two years ago,” BetterBond said.
“For many younger purchasers, accessing the property ladder requires a different approach to home ownership than previous generations may have taken,” Bendall explained, adding, “High property prices relative to income, especially in sought-after regions, together with the cost of living and the challenge of saving a deposit, mean that buyers are increasingly exploring alternative ways to make ownership possible.”
As per BetterBond’s projections, younger buyers may pool their financial resources to co-apply for a bond with a friend or family member.
“Many consider homes in new developments where they are not required to pay transfer costs. Buying a home below the transfer-duty threshold of 1.21 million rand is another affordable way of investing in property,” Bendall said.
For him, banks will also consider loans of 100% or more for qualifying, first-time buyers, which will make homeownership accessible to younger buyers. The lot will also use digital property solutions, applying online for bond pre-approval and viewing properties virtually when making buying decisions.