“We Need To Do Something”: Cape Town Gent Shows How Foreign Property Ownership Is Driving Up Prices

• A Cape Town content creator used real Property24 listings to show how foreign ownership is pushing house prices out of reach for locals
• Some properties jumped by over R2 million in just a few years, with no major renovations done
• South Africans shared their thoughts, with many saying they have given up on ever owning a home

Darren from Cape Town posted a video on 11 January 2026 that got South Africans talking about property ownership. He broke down how foreign nationals buying property in South Africa is driving prices up and locking locals out of the market. Using real listings on Property24, he showed just how steep the markups have become. He did this by checking the transfer history on two properties.

He pointed to a five-bedroom, three-bathroom home listed at R3.7 million. When he checked the transfer history, the same property sold for R1.78 million in 2017. He explained that that is an R2 million jump with no major investment made to the home. He then looked at a second property, a seven-bedroom home listed at R2.5 million. It sold for just R460,000 six years ago, which was roughly five times the previous price.

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Darren explained that the real problem is what happens when locals try to push back. If South Africans band together and refuse to buy overpriced homes to bring demand and prices down, foreign buyers simply fill that gap. He pointed to countries like Canada, where residents can only own one residential property. In the UAE, foreigners can only buy in specific areas. South Africa has no such protections in place.

He said the real estate agents have little reason to push back since their commissions grow with the price. His biggest concern was for younger South Africans. He said people under 40, and even some under 50, simply cannot afford to buy homes anymore. The bottom line is the risk of becoming permanent tenants in their own cities.

Watch the TikTok clip below:

Mzansi debates foreign property ownership

South Africans had a lot to say in the comments section on TikToker @darrencampher.com's clip:

@Lai Lai 🍉🇿🇦 shared:

"Exactly! I'll be 42, and I can't afford to buy."

@Ted said:

"I bought mine for 1.1M, 18 years later, am told it's worth 1M, less than I paid."

@Silence pointed out:

"This type of pricing cuts out most South Africans. Banks only finance what a property is actually worth, so buyers need a huge cash deposit."

@dbe854 noted:

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"Getting out of the township isn't about the house, it's about what you will have access to."

@brolinmeyer_cpt vented:

"They want R3 million for properties with black mould on the walls. The realtor can't even answer basic questions."

@Just Nia concluded:

"Cape Town housing market needs to be sent to court. This is ridiculous."

More on property and housing struggles

• Briefly News recently reported on a Cape Town woman whose apartment hunting experience showed just how brutal the rental process has become.
• A woman posted a TikTok video of a Cape Town apartment listing that left viewers stunned by what their money actually gets them in the city.
• A young South African woman became a homeowner at 21 on a low income, and her husband's one piece of financial advice made all the difference.

Source: Briefly News