Top emerging suburbs in South Africa

As the year draws to a close and new trends begin to emerge, many home buyers and property investors might be wondering what suburbs to look out for in the upcoming year.

Using a combination of recent online search interest and internal data, REMAX Southern Africa has identified three suburbs that are rapidly emerging as top choices for 2026. These areas reflect where South Africans are actively searching, and where they are choosing to invest.

“When we compare where interest is spiking online to where sales are actually closing, a strong picture forms of which suburbs are emerging in the upcoming year,” explains Adrian Goslett, CEO and regional director of REMAX Southern Africa. According to the National Housing Report for Q3 of 2025, the following five suburbs were identified as the most searched areas:

1.             Parklands, Western Cape

2.             Morningside, Gauteng

3.             Bryanston, Gauteng

4.             Faerie Glen, Gauteng

5.             Protea Glen, Gauteng

These figures coincide with the data provided by the REMAX Network that reported the following five suburbs as having the greatest number of sales achieved during the third quarter of 2025:

1.             Bryanston, Gauteng

2.             Glen Marais, Gauteng

3.             Morningside, KwaZulu-Natal

4.             Parklands, Western Cape

5.             Morningside, Gauteng

Combined, these figures point to three suburbs where buyer attention is rising and where real transactions are confirming demand:

 

Parklands, Western Cape

According to the REMAX network, Parklands continues to surge in popularity, holding the top spot on the most-searched list and featuring strongly in sales across the broader area. What draws many prospective buyers to the suburb is its affordability in relation to other areas along the Cape’s coastline.

Morningside, Gauteng

Morningside ranks second and appears repeatedly among the top sales suburbs, indicating high demand. The suburb’s appeal is a result of the area’s combination of established freehold homes, upmarket clusters, and lock-up-and-go apartments in close proximity to the economic hub of Sandton. The area also offers premium schooling, business access, and lifestyle amenities that many buyers are favouring.

Bryanston, Gauteng

Bryanston remains one of Johannesburg’s most consistent performers and a clear emerging suburb in 2026. This is owed to the area’s improved infrastructure, ongoing redevelopments, and high demand for family-oriented homes and gated communities. Being in close proximity to the corporate area, many individuals are seeking homes that offer more space without being too far from the city’s primary employment hub.

“For prospective buyers, emerging suburbs offer a chance to enter markets before pricing fully adjusts to rising demand. As a general rule of thumb, properties that cater to today’s priorities, whether it be reliable security, outdoor space, or work-from-home flexibility, are especially sought after, Goslett adds.

Issued by Kesia Abrahams