The Germiston property market benefits from a combination of centrality and affordability and offers excellent value, especially for first-time home and family buyers, says Heinrich Möller, Seeff’s licensee for the area.
According to Deeds Office data, activity in the Germiston market has remained fairly steady despite the overall market decline which has set in since 2017. Much of this is driven by the fact that you have lower price points and thus higher demand, especially from entry level and middle-class buyers in this area, he says further.
The historically low interest rate has been an excellent boost for the market in the post-lockdown phase with buyers keen to get into the market while affordability is so favourable. Germiston is an excellent choice for starter homes as well as families looking for sold houses with gardens and a swimming pool.
He says that starter flats are available from as low as R300 000 in areas such as Elspark, Germiston Central, Dinwiddie and Klippoortjie to around R1.2 million to R1.55 million for a three-bedroomed apartment with modern finishes in areas such Solheim and Buurendal.
You can find small affordable houses from around R650 000 to R950 000. There is also an excellent choice of upmarket family houses with large gardens and swimming pools in the R1.5 million to R3.5 million range and luxury houses with plenty of extras in areas such as Lambton, Sunnyridge and Solheim ranging to about R9 million.
Germiston has a busy rental market with a steady demand for rental properties at affordable rental rates from around R3 500 per month for a flat and R7 500 for a basic house. As such, it is a great market for buy-to-let investment opportunities, says Mr Möller further.
The town offers access to excellent schools including St Benedict’s, St Catherine’s, Bishop Bavin and Germiston High along with about twenty primary schools. The northern neighbourhoods are also within easy reach of sought-after schools in Bedfordview including St Andrews, Redham, Saheti and Jeppe High.
Germiston also offers excellent proximity to the East Rand, Alberton and the greater Johannesburg area for work. Residents have a choice of excellent facilities and amenities including shopping centres and sporting facilities such as the Germiston Golf Club, all nearby.
The town has one the world’s largest gold refineries and boasts the biggest railway junction and busiest civil airport (Rand Airport) in the country. Wadeville is a large industrial area with more than 700 manufacturing and engineering businesses. It is also close to OR Tambo International Airport and surrounding aviation-related businesses.
Author: Gina Meintjes, 16 November 2020, Area Focus