Foreign Buyers Flock to Scarborough and How It Became a Hotspot

• A sleepy Western Cape town is seeing an influx of foreign buyers, and it's a place that most people in South Africa haven't even heard of
• Mzansi has mixed feelings about this new development, with some surprised by the influx of investment in the area
• This seaside village is facing a "takeover" of sorts, but many people believe that this is the price of development

Scarborough, once a small conservation village, is now a symbol of success. This seaside town in Cape Town had the highest number of property buyers in 2024, with more than half being foreigners. People are flocking to its shores not just for the beautiful scenery but also for its commitment to nature, which is all leading to a property boom.

According to TikToker Cool Story Bru!, this small town has become the hottest destination for foreigners looking to buy property in South Africa, proving that its unique landscape is a dream worth investing in.

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These investors are willing to pay a premium, with foreign buyers without residency shelling out an average of R2.7 million for property in 2024, compared to the R1.2 million paid by locals. According to the Lightstone report, property values in Scarborough have surged by 241% since 2016, a phenomenon that has attracted attention from across South Africa.

How Scarborough’s growth compares

Scarborough’s growth stands out in the booming Western Cape buyers' market. According to the Lightstone report published in May 2025, Scarborough led South Africa in foreign buyers in 2024, followed by other Cape Town suburbs such as Chapmans Peak, Bakoven and De Waterkant. Data shows Scarborough’s 241% increase since 2016, making it a powerful example of the trend of coastal towns outperforming national averages in sales and price.

The greater impact on the community

Beyond the rising property prices, the increase in foreign investment has a great impact on the people in the area. As reported by BusinessTech, these investors often spend more on these properties, using foreign capital in our local economy through renovations and upgrades. This gives a boost to local businesses and creates employment opportunities for builders, designers and service providers.

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The quiet and peaceful atmosphere that had drawn people in is at risk of being reshaped by this rapid change. This creates an issue where the village's new popularity threatens to cut away at the very qualities that made it special to begin with, showing the relationship between economic growth and community preservation.

Watch the TikTok video below:

True patriotza mentioned:

These new buyers, referred to as 'civilised investors', have injected a sense of hope into the local community.

Zina and Mom pointed out affordability discrepancies:

"🤣Us in the comments talking knowing we can’t afford a house there, that’s the first problem we have as a country. They are financially oppressing us by poor salaries and unemployment."

Blaine believes our government is at fault:

"Why is government allowing this? Try buying property in Europe and see how difficult that is."

Chiefwazo said:

"For Cape Flats to go hustle in this place...

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Business Tech states that data from Seeff Property Group shows foreigners are buying property across South Africa. Gauteng leads with 5,039 foreign-purchased properties, followed by the Western Cape (2,308), KwaZulu-Natal (762), and the Eastern Cape (446).

There are two main groups of foreign buyers in South Africa. The first group is expat residents, mostly from other African countries like Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Congo, Zambia, and Mauritius. The second group consists of international investors and second-home buyers from Europe, the USA, the Middle East, and a few from Asia and other regions.

Most foreign purchases (around 85%) are below R3 million; luxury sales (e.g. above R20 million) happen especially in Western Cape coastal areas like Cape Town’s Atlantic Seaboard.

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Updated by Hilary Sekgota, Human Interest HOD at Briefly News.

Proofreading by Kelly Lippke, copy editor at Briefly.co.za.

Source: Briefly News