"Don’t Waste Your Time": Woman Shares Practical Tips for Finding Affordable Housing in Cape Town

• A Cape Town resident shared her personal struggle with high rental costs, sparking online interest and conversation
• Her video offered practical advice for navigating the competitive rental market, drawing attention from locals facing similar challenges
• The content encouraged discussions on social housing and affordable accommodation, highlighting residents’ ongoing search for budget-friendly rentals in the city

Finding affordable rental accommodation in Cape Town has long been a challenge for many residents, but a local woman recently shared practical tips to help others navigate the competitive housing market.

Taking to her TikTok handle @thobekazulu3 on 9 January 2026, she began by saying:

"If you are struggling to find an affordable place to rent in Cape Town, please watch this video."

@thobekazulu3 explained her personal experience, revealing that she once earned R7,500 and paid nearly half of her salary on rent.

"I noticed a lot of people sharing their experiences struggling to find a place," she added.

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Her first tip was to use Facebook actively, and she went on to explain how by stating:

"Whether or not you are a Facebook person, create an account today if you don’t already have one. Go on Facebook Marketplace and live on that app until you find a place. Many landlords advertise their rentals there."

The social media user @thobekazulu3 also recommended joining Facebook groups for tenants and people looking for flatmates. In these groups, members often post available properties. She advised searching by area, such as "Goodwood flat rent," and messaging landlords immediately, noting that cheaper properties on Facebook tend to get snapped up quickly.

@thobekazulu3 cautioned that platforms like Property24 and Private Property are better suited for higher-income renters.

"Unless you have three months’ bank statements, a three-month deposit, and earn three times the rent, you may waste your time on those platforms," she said.

She also stressed the importance of viewing properties in person.

"Arrange viewings immediately after contacting the landlord. Have your questions ready and be prepared to compromise, because you get what you pay for."

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For those seeking long-term affordable options, she suggested considering social housing.

"Cape Town has social housing in areas such as Pinelands, Goodwood, Bellville, Maitland and Milnerton. The application process is lengthy, but rent is calculated based on your income."

The content creator @thobekazulu3 advised searching "Cape Town social housing" on Google to apply.

Her video sparked conversation online, with many praising her tips and sharing their own struggles finding affordable rental accommodation in the Mother City.

Mzansi shows interest in Afro housing tips in CPT

The online community took to the comments section to share their thoughts on the woman’s tips for finding affordable housing in Cape Town, saying:

Oarabile said:

"Social housing took me about a week for the whole process, so also give it a try."

Simphiwe Phiwe Shaba wrote:

"Facebook Marketplace is full of scammers, they tried to scam me three times 😩."

Deekay shared:

"I listed my property innGoodwood and in less than 10 hours I had 500 enquiries 😩. My advice is if you view a place and like it, pay for it immediately, because if you leave it gets snatched."

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JennyWolf commented:

"Been looking for 2yrs now. And FB have way too many Scammers. 🥺."

Watch the video below:

3 Other Briefly News stories related to Cape Town property

• A resident in South Africa has shared a heart-wrenching account of the housing crisis in Cape Town, highlighting the struggles of finding affordable rental accommodation in the city.
• A woman based in Cape Town who goes by the TikTok handle @tay_talk_tok shared her disbelief over the tiny apartment, humorously pointing out the absurdity of the price.
• One woman in South Africa caused a massive stir online after calling out the steep price of a two-bedroom apartment in Cape Town’s upscale Sea Point area.

Source: Briefly News