Who buys here
Lightstone data, reported in July 2026 by Daily Investor and BusinessTech, recorded 1,118 foreign-buyer transactions in Sea Point, the most in Cape Town. That counts transactions, not homes, so it does not tell you how many homes are held by foreign owners.
For Bantry Bay, the same data says properties bought by foreign buyers are currently valued 31% higher: R15.1 million against R11.5 million for those bought by South Africans. That is a comparison of current values, not of what was paid.
What the Sea Point figures say
SAPS counts crime by police precinct, not by suburb. The Sea Point precinct covers more than one of the suburbs named above, so these numbers are precinct-wide. For April 2025 to March 2026 it recorded 3,703 crimes, up 11% on the year before. The newest quarter, April to June 2026, recorded 886 crimes against 802 in the same quarter of 2025. One quarter is only an early sign.
Theft from vehicles was 1,002, which is more than a quarter of everything recorded. Common robbery was 115, residential burglary 96 and aggravated robbery 56. Burglary is about a tenth of theft from vehicles.
For an absent owner, that pattern points at different things from a quiet-suburb pattern. The exposure is a vehicle left in the street or the garage, a visitor's car, and who can walk into the building. The rise of 11% is worth watching over the next release, but one year is not a trend.
Flats and the body corporate
If you own a sectional-title flat, the entrance, lifts, garage and intercom belong to the scheme. A body corporate runs shared access control that you do not control alone, so the protection of your unit partly depends on its rules, its budget and whether those who hold access cards or remotes are kept up to date. A standalone house has nothing shared, so everything is yours to arrange.
Either way, ask who has a key, a card or a remote for your home, and what happens when a contractor or tenant leaves.
Questions to ask before you leave
These follow from vehicles and shared entrances being the main matter. If you want to know what we can offer for an empty home, ask us.
- Ask the body corporate or managing agent how building access is controlled and who reviews the access list.
- Ask how often access cards, remotes and codes are removed for people who no longer need them.
- Ask what protection exists for the garage and for parked vehicles, and who is liable.
- Ask whether anyone checks the street outside as well as the entrance.
- Ask what is reported to you, how fast, and in what language and time zone.
- Check the provider's PSiRA registration on the PSiRA website.
Questions people ask
Does 1,118 mean 1,118 foreign-owned flats in Sea Point?
No. It is a count of transactions with foreign buyers, which may include the same home sold more than once.
Why does the Sea Point guide talk about cars?
Because theft from vehicles, at 1,002, is more than a quarter of the precinct's total, while residential burglary is 96.
What does 31% higher in Bantry Bay mean?
Homes bought by foreign buyers are currently valued at R15.1 million on average, against R11.5 million for homes bought by South Africans. It is a current valuation, not a price paid.
Sources
- Daily Investor: The most expensive suburb in South Africa, where two out of every three properties are sold to foreigners (Lightstone data)
- BusinessTech: Wealthy foreigners are taking over one of South Africa's richest seaside villages (Lightstone data)
- Business Day: How foreign buyers snapped up R153bn in Cape Town luxury homes in ten years (individual buyers only, companies and trusts excluded)
- South African Police Service: crime statistics by police precinct
Foreign-buyer figures: Lightstone data reported in July 2026, individual buyers only, companies and trusts excluded.
Own a home here and live abroad?
Tell us about the property and when you are away. We will tell you plainly what we can and cannot do.