We all need somewhere to live, but that doesn't mean that buying property should be the default decision. Most of all, it doesn't mean that buying any property at any price is sensible. Data-led decision making is crucial when buying a home, especially in South Africa where house prices don't automatically go up. Hayley Ivins-Downes and the team at Lightstone Property are passionate about helping South Africans apply more science to the emotiv decision of buying a home. With incredible data on property across the country, Lightstone makes it easier to avoid turning a dream home into a nightmare. On this podcast, Hayley unpacked topics like: Relative property values across provinces and the trend over the years Development activity and the types of properties being built The effect of the interest rate cycle Semigration trends and the impact they have on values How the average age of buyers has increased vs. ten years ago The question on everyone's lips in Cape Town: has the property trend reached a relative peak? Property is one of the most important financial decisions you can make. If you do the research before you buy stocks, you should certainly do it before you buy property. You can learn more about Lightstone here.