South Africa remains a popular choice for Germans who are looking to relocate to warmer climes, says Dina Porteous, area principal in the Margate area for Pam Golding Properties.

Yvonne Booysen, manager of PGP Margate's rental division, together with Gaby Moessner, manager of the Pam Golding Property group's German office, recently attended the high-profile Sud-afrika Tage 2009 show in Germany, an event which attracted high net worth investors and incorporated travel, trade and business meetings. The latter included a business conference highlighting investment opportunities in Southern Africa.

"Our exhibit was a focal point of the expo," says Porteous, "attracting a great deal of interest from visitors. It is abundantly clear that what sells South Africa abroad ? and in Germany ? is our abundance of sunshine coupled with our friendly people and beautiful homes including those in our portfolio of properties which we marketed over there."

Sud-Afrika Magazine, a publication which focuses on Southern Africa and is a popular subscription magazine in Germany, hosts this annual show. Three locations in various parts of Germany are selected by the publishers of the magazine and they then invite their subscribers and the general public to attend these annual exhibitions, offering them the opportunity to have one-on-one contact with exhibitors.

This year the show was held in Mainz on the outskirts of Frankfurt, in Neuss in the Koln, Dusseldorf region and in Hamburg. Each show was a two-day event linked to food, music and general information on Southern Africa. The exhibitors ranged from tour operators and immigration experts to arts and crafts specialists, 4 x 4 trails, luxury hotels and wine farms.

Shows based around a SA theme

"The shows are based around a South African theme and specially prepared lunches and dinners form part of the event," says Porteous. "Guests are invited to experience a 'taste' of Africa with a selection of South African dishes on offer. Boerewors was on the menu at the dinner in Hamburg ? not quite the same as the boerewors back home but close."

"This is a discerning market and overseas buyers are extremely well informed about the South African property market ? in particular regarding market related prices," comments Gaby Moessner. "Those visiting the PGP stand were mainly between 40 and 55 years of age and focused on acquiring property as a business or as a second home for holidays ? also with rental income in mind. The advantage of acquiring lock-up-and-go apartments and homes was also a major draw card among those seeking property in South Africa. Of interest were homes across the board and priced from as little as R1-million to over R5-million.

"Many clients who had previously been in contact with our German office and were in the process of planning a trip to South Africa during 2009 took the opportunity to talk to us in person and discuss their investment ideas in detail. We also saw a large number of new clients planning to invest in South Africa who asked us for advice regarding the best areas to consider taking into account price, climate and their business considerations. The process of making such an investment decision often takes up to 12 months and this expo was the ideal platform to discuss matters in detail," says Moessner.

"There is still keen interest from the German market regarding the purchase of property in South Africa ? surprisingly so at a time when the global economic climate is volatile and occupies almost every news bulletin, both in Germany and elsewhere on the globe," says Porteous. "Positively, the crime issue does not feature too much in conversations about day to day life in South Africa."

The Western Cape remains the most popular relocation choice

Porteous says potential German buyers in general prefer standalone homes rather than those in golfing or townhouse developments. "In Germany space is at a premium so this is a top priority when it comes to buying property in South Africa. The Western Cape ? including the Overberg region ? remains the most popular relocation choice with bed and breakfast properties a fashionable choice for the younger generation who wants to generate an income from an investment in South Africa. This is followed by the Eastern Cape ? with the focus on natural, unspoilt environments and value for money. The hot climate in KwaZulu-Natal often deters German buyers from purchasing property in this region with the climate in the Western Cape more suited to their needs.

"It was refreshing to gain another perspective of South Africa from those in another country such as Germany and reinforced how lucky we are to live in this delightful, interesting and complex country," adds Porteous.