Durban gets its own Monopoly game

Property owners in Durban have received both potential bragging rights as well as a renewed interest in the board game Monopoly, as a Durban version has been created and published. The localised game is a testament to not only the tourism enthusiasm for the city but also how seriously real estate investment in the metro is.

For industry insiders it doesn’t come as much of a surprise as they’ve witnessed the city’s real estate hold its value in the most trying of economic hardships for South Africa, or continue to outright climb in value despite devaluation elsewhere in the country.

Michelle Burger, Pam Golding Properties area principal in Durban, stated that “Properties in Durban have held their value over the years, with areas such as Durban North, for example, experiencing sound price appreciation of 7% year on year. In upper Durban North, where homes sell for between R5 million and R10 million, coveted addresses include Westminster Place and Monteith Place.”

Added Burger: “When compared to Cape Town, Durban’s climate sets it apart – winter doesn’t even feel like winter. Property prices are still much more affordable when compared with Cape Town, while Johannesburg does not have the lifestyle appeal of Durban, and of course no beaches, so many Gauteng families are choosing to relocate for these reasons.”

For many, the new Monopoly board game is a testament to what they had known for a long time, that Durban is not only a vital and iconic city, but also one ripe with investment opportunities. “Being a world-renowned surfing city, we are ‘stoked’ at the recognition for Durban,” says Carol Reynolds, Pam Golding Properties area principal for Durban Coastal. “It’s not surprising that Durban features so prominently on the international arena as apart from its high tourism, cultural and leisure appeal, it is home to a host of different residential areas ranging from entry level through to the top echelon, making it the perfect metro to use as a base for Monopoly.”