Driven by a desire to escape the daily grind, people are looking for ways to bypass rising fuel costs, hours lost to gridlock traffic, and ongoing municipal service challenges. As a result, the property market today is rediscovering the value of proximity, mixed-use areas, and neighbourhood convenience.
Decades ago, neighbourhoods were designed around walking and local daily life.
This is because there is a lot of talk about the "15-minute city" as a modern, forward-thinking way to plan our suburbs.
The family GP, the corner café, the school, and the neighbourhood park were all on or just off the same main street, a short walk from one's front door, says Gerhard Kotze, CEO and franchisor at RealNet Properties SA.
He says as car ownership and highway planning expanded, development shifted toward dispersed suburbs and commute-heavy living.
