Women are strengthening their grip on South Africa’s property market, outnumbering men among sole owners of nonsubsidised properties, though men continue to own higher-value assets, according to property data company Lightstone.
The latest Lightstone analysis, which focuses on properties registered to a single individual, shows that women have become a force in the residential market as owners and buyers.
The shift is particularly evident among younger buyers. Lightstone found that sole women buyers overtook sole male buyers at age 29 and remained ahead across all subsequent age groups.
The trend is concentrated in the country’s major urban centres. The five largest metros accounted for 60% of purchases by women buyers, with Johannesburg, Tshwane and Ekurhuleni accounting for 66% of the 42,323 purchases made by single women across those municipalities.
Cape Town recorded the highest average purchase price at R1.8m, followed by Johannesburg at R1.3m, eThekwini and Tshwane at R1.2m, and Ekurhuleni at R1m.
The type of property women are buying also provides an indication of their preferences. Women are more strongly represented among owners of sectional-title properties and estates than men, potentially reflecting the appeal of security and lifestyle features.
For every 100 male sectional-title owners, there are 130 women owners. In estates, the ratio was 112 women for every 100 men, while freehold ownership was closer to parity at 103 to every 100 men.
This growing ownership base is being matched by women’s participation in the financing of property purchases.
BetterBond, a mortgage originator, said just more than half of its bond applications over the past year came from women, compared with 49.89% from men.
With the prime lending rate at 10.5% and the national bond approval ratio climbing to 63.5%, “more women are making deliberate financial decisions and investing in property as part of their long-term wealth planning”, said BetterBond’s national head of sales, Bradd Bendall.
The financing data is significant because it suggests the rise in ownership by women is not simply a legacy of past purchases. Women are actively participating in the market and securing funding to acquire property.
Lightstone’s data shows that women aged 35 to 55 accounted for the largest share of women buyers in 2025, purchasing about 34,200 properties. This was followed by women under 35, who bought 21,400 properties, while those aged 55 and older bought 14,100.
Most purchases were concentrated below R1m, followed by properties priced at R1m-R2m. Yet women are also moving into higher-value segments. About 5,900 women aged 35 to 55 bought properties worth more than R2m in 2025.
BetterBond’s figures further show that buyers spent an average of R737,000 on deposits in the 12 months to January, underlining the financial commitment involved in entering the market.
The growing participation of women reflects a broader shift in how property is viewed — from a traditional homeownership milestone to an instrument for building financial security, said Bendall.
“For many women, homeownership is no longer a milestone but a cornerstone of wealth creation and long-term financial security,” he said.
Business Day
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