Here at Holmz, we have heard the word 'semigrating' over and over again, particularly from buyers in Johannesburg. We wanted to find out what exactly semigration is, why it is different from emigration, and why South Africans are choosing it over moving overseas.
What is Semigration?
'Semigration', as we know it, is the process of an individual packing up everything, and moving to a completely different area of a country. But the difference here are these individuals choose to stay in the same country, instead of moving to another country. This can be due to obvious reasons; cost of living, leaving your friends and family, the stress of settling down in another country, and the fear of moving and the country not being what they thought it would be.
In short, Semigration has been coined due to work environments changing and not being depending on geographical location, instead, it's dependant on if you have a laptop and a good internet connection.
Why Has Semigration Come About?
The short answer is; Coronavirus. Businesses had to adapt and invest so heavily into new infrastructure and capabilities that allowed their employees to work from home, that not only tipped work environments on their head but opened up opportunities for others who lived far away from the offices. Now that this new infrastructure is in place and here to stay, people have been home much more often. This has made some ask themselves, "do I like where I live" or even "do I like the area I live in?".
Why Semigration Over Emigration?
We aren't going to try and not be biased about this. At Holmz, we are all for semigration. The fewer people that leave the country the better. Semigration really takes advantage of the diverse areas of the country, with amazing climates and beautiful scenery. Not to mention a laptop and a sea view just a few hours from family and friends? Yes, please. Not to mention supporting local business is a huge up-side to moving to a small town, these small business owners will really want to get to know you, and remember you!
On a serious note, emigration is a massive decision, and with that decision comes a massive risk; not liking where you move to, and there's no coming back once you're there. Little towns like Knysna, St Francis, George, Plettenberg Bay, Jeffree's Bay are all along the coast, have great standards of living, are safe and the cost of housing is less than that of Cape Town and Johannesburg in most cases. How can you not seriously consider it over emigrating?
What Does This Mean for the Price of Housing?
No-one can really know where the pricing of homes will go, especially after the price of property fell off a cliff, and interest rates on home loans are at an all-time low, the accessibility for average-income individuals to be able to get a well valued, well-sized home is at an all-time high. If there is a mass uptake of semigration, the price of housing in towns and cities (like the ones mentioned above) will begin to rise. Whilst, on the other hand, the price of housing in built-up areas where these individuals are coming from, such as Johannesburg, will inevitably rise and stabilise with time. All in all, if you are given the option, or have the option, to be able to move to your dream coastal town, and are still able to maintain a stable income, what have you got to lose?
Σχόλια