CCH Exhibited Western Cape Properties At The Biggest Second Home Property Expo In Europe - 2018
CCH was the only South African estate agency exhibiting properties and the region’s lifestyle at the Place In The Sun Property Expo in London between 11 and 13 May 2018.
The expo is the biggest property expo for second home seekers in Europe and is connected to a popular property TV channel in the UK. The majority of exhibitors are from Spain, France, Portugal, Italy, a variety of Mediterranean islands, Madeira and the USA – selling easily accessible sunny destinations with property prices predominantly between 60 000 and 300 000 UK Pounds (i.e. between a R1 million and R5 million).
The CCH stall at the expo portrayed a variety of prices for lifestyle and seaside properties in the Western Cape and included a dedicated section spelling out the South African lifestyle, living cost and general information.
The majority of the visitors to the expo have historically been buying into the conveniently located (close to the UK) and the relatively well priced Spanish property market. The 2 hours to Spain and Portugal, the 3 hours to Italy or the 4 hours to Greece is what they are prepared “to spend” – pointing out that these destinations are either close to their families or to their medical support systems.
South Africa has not been a focus point of visitors to this expo during the last few years – and speaking to most buyers passing our stall, their reaction very vividly emphasised the very big “perception hurdle” of violence and crime South Africa need to address on the international stage. The international media portrayal of SA as a crime-ridden destination has created a much bigger threat to growing our base of foreign property investors than e.g. the effects of the long distance haul and the fact that flights to e.g. Spain are up to 7 times less expensive from the UK to SA. Buying into stable areas with little crime and violence issues along the competing Mediterranean property markets have always been the simple choice.
When talking to the more “inquisitive visitors” whose attention were grabbed sufficiently by our boards to linger or enter our stall, the conversation very quickly changed to how well our properties are priced which ultimately eased our conversation towards lifestyle cost, travelling time (without jetlag) and even politics!
Quite a few show visitors left our stand stating they have never previously given South Africa some thought as a second home destination….but that we most certainly have changed that perception. CCH stand generated 3 times more leads than the previous 2 exhibitions we have attended in the UK – with potential buyers who will be flying out to view properties during the next few months in and around Cape Town – including the Whale Coast and Garden Route.
The visitors who know and have been previously to the Western Cape area made us aware of really how privileged we are to work and live in the region. Their happy recollections almost always were accompanied by a wish to return.
Buying a property in South Africa warrants a leap of faith – as it is outside the 2 to 4 hours flying comfort zone from the UK. To spice things even further up….it is an African country whose media coverage during the post-Rainbow nation phase has been fairly negative during especially the last few years.
One thing however is sure – the CCH member agents at the Places In The Sun Expo ensured that quite a few second home buyers will be taking the step to come and visit the Cape Town area – before they commit to buying a property closer to their home. We undertook to point them to our favourite things to do and places to see. We also undertook to arrange with our CCH member agents to assist the potential buyers in viewing suitable properties across our area – beach properties, lifestyle lock-up and go’s, smallholdings, lifestyle farms and wine estates as well as residential estates.
If you would like to give your property such added coverage during its marketing program, please contact me as we are at present planning our next property expo in the UK which will be in Londen during May 2019.
Benhard Wiese - Principal Agent, CCH (Cape Coastal Homes / City Country Homes) / +27 84 6112293 / benhard@cch.co.za