FNB Residential Property Barometer-September 2023 reports on the impact of load-shedding on buyer preferences:
FNB used their FNB Estate Agents Survey results for Quarter 3 of 2023, to qualitatively assess how the unprecedented intensity of load-shedding in the last 12 months has reshaped buyer preferences in the domestic market.
Results suggest greater demand and a willingness to pay a higher price for properties pre-installed with solar solutions. However, this is only limited to the affordable market. Most agents estimate that the premium is generally within the 0-5% range of the purchase price but could go up to over 15% in certain instances. In part, this reflects the inherent supply shortages in this segment, let alone properties with installed solar systems. This often leads to bidding wars among buyers.
In higher-priced segments, however, pre-installed energy solutions play a less significant role in buying decisions, as wealthier buyers prefer customisation. This means that wealthier buyers are more indifferent, likely because they have superior access to savings and funding options, and therefore can always install these themselves with relative ease.

Station WMD
Dawn Nathan-Jones started her illustrious career at 21 when she joined Imperial Care Rental when it was just getting off the ground and only had five cars. Her ability to innovate, reinvent and drive change helped her become CEO of Imperial Group\’s Car Rental Division. In the position for 18 years, she spearheaded the merger of Imperial Car Rental and Europcar, which is now used as a case study for rebranding by local and international business schools. She went on to become one of the \”sharks\’ on M-Net\’s Shark Tank. In 2007, she won the Transnet Foundation\’s Boss of the Year Award. In 2012, she was appointed as Vice President of SAVRALA (Southern African Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association). She is a member of the Business Women\’s Association, International Women\’s Forum, Institute of Directors and advocate of Equal Opportunities for Women and founded the Europcar Jewish Woman in Leadership Award.