It’s not the easiest time to be listing property for sale in Oudtshoorn, or anywhere else in South Africa for that matter, as the tough financial conditions are impacting both buyers and sellers in the property market.

In the Western Cape, there was the water crisis that had everyone in a panic, while a weakening rand, the VAT increase, surging petrol prices and then the technical recession all played a part in leaving household budgets in tatters.

However despite this bleak outlook, property experts are pointing to possible signs of improvement. A good example of this is the Atlantic Seaboard near the Mother City. This area boasts one of the best property markets in the country, and despite this area normally always being in demand, 2017 proved to be tough.

The Atlantic Seaboard had gone through four years of unprecedented growth, but then there was a sudden downturn in regards to sales as well as growth prices in the area. This is not out of the ordinary though, with Lew Geffen Sotheby's International Realty CEO, Brendan Miller, providing some clarity on things.

"Although there have certainly been extenuating influential factors like the water crisis and political instability and the land expropriation issue certainly hasn’t stimulated the market, we mustn’t forget that the property industry always works in cycles. There are upswings and there are price correction phases and right now we are in the latter – it was inevitable, after such a growth period," he said.

At the start of 2018, investor interest brought about some optimism, but the market has been rather subdued since then. However, Miller feels that the fourth quarter will see some improvement as the price corrections take place. In the rental market there was a similar need for adjustments, after stock began piling up in the area for the first time in almost a decade.