Growing economy in Hermanus draws more permanent residents

This is according to Ludwig Schulenburg of the Aida Executive Hermanus agency. "Historically, the town had a holiday economy, but this has now changed thanks to greater industrial activity. Many mini-manufacturers are setting up shop here and exporting products to the rest of the country and even penetrating international markets. This has opened up opportunities in the services sector and many professionals, including attorneys, medical practitioners and consultants have indeed opened offices here."

He adds that infrastructure development is keeping pace with the growing town. The national road is being upgraded, while the lanes of the access road to town are being doubled, which will alleviate traffic congestion especially in the busy high season.

Two new shopping centres

A large shopping centre with Checkers as anchor tenant opened last year, and another with Woolworths Food as anchor is expected to open its doors at the end of the year. "Even a few years ago it would have been unimaginable that the permanent residents could support a large shopping complex, let alone two within as many years."

Another boon for permanent residents is the Curro School with its international curriculum that opened in Sandbaai this year. Schulenburg says it was widely welcomed since local schools were finding it difficult to accommodate the inflow of new families with school-going children.

"Sales so far this year have far exceeded the number of transactions in the corresponding months of the past three years and we view it as a very healthy development that prices have remained stable in the same period. Although forced sales by owners under financial pressure have largely dried up, Hermanus still offers very good buys, with property prices far below replacement value," he says.