The conversion of commercial spaces into residential units is nothing new to the South African property sector. It’s a trend that began well before Covid-19, but it has accelerated significantly in the last two years, says Malusi Mthuli; KZN Provincial Head: FNB Commercial Property Finance.
Lockdown forced companies to accept that a remote workforce is not only viable but can also deliver improved cost and productivity efficiencies.
But at the same time, the pandemic has also delivered a number of benefits on the supply side of the residential property equation, as historically high barriers to entry have tumbled for developers and investors who recognise the valuable opportunities in the commercial to residential conversion space.
On the demand side, banks are also largely coming to the residential property party, with more relaxed home loan qualification criteria and a willingness to once again consider loans to 100% or even 110% of value for qualifying applicants. For example, offering a small studio apartment in the heart of Sandton for under R1 million is bound to generate a massive amount of interest amongst young, upwardly mobile employees who would otherwise be paying the equivalent of their bond repayments on that amount to rent a similar unit.
Linked to the above point, the most successful conversion projects are also those that have achieved the right balance between living and lifestyle spaces. The majority of the buyers of these small, high-density residential units either don’t feel the need to own a vehicle, or would prefer to use it as little as possible.
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