# Mossel bay



## gwnorth (Feb 13, 2014)

Hi all.I am a Canadian with a wife and 2 small children who is tired of the dreary weather in Canada and looking for change and some adventure.My neighbour is from SA and raves about Mossel Bay.I've done some research on this area and Fish Hoek.I have a pension and assets such that i could buy a house outright for up to 6million rand and have about 50k rand per month to live on. I would definately visit a few times and have an extended stay before making such a huge decision to move.Can anyone tell me what life is like in Mossel Bay or give some insight into good areas to live on the Garden Route.Crime,education for my children in particular..thanks!


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## shumifan49 (Sep 18, 2013)

I am in a somewhat similar position, except that I was born and lived in South Africa until I was 40. I have figured that if I take about 3mil rand to SA it should set me up quite nicely with a reasonable house(pool etc) in a safe area and get a nice car and jet ski etc. Thereafter 50k a month should do the job nicely depending on lifestyle and on the age of your children and the schooling that you want for them.
I have decided to retain the bulk of my assets in the UK, where I am now, to provide a backdoor in case the SA economy totally folds or it becomes poltically unstable.
Crime: The more isolated you are the more vulnerable you are, so find a nice suburb to live in, rather than a small holding where the nearest neighbours are far away. Be careful at all times and make sure you have armed response and a well seured home.
I have no input regarding Mossel Bay area as I lived, and have family and friends, in the Jo'brg area.

Look at property24.com to see property prices in the areas you are interested in. Bear in mind that if in an estate you have monthly community fees to pay.


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## Johanna (Apr 13, 2009)

gwnorth said:


> Hi all.I am a Canadian with a wife and 2 small children who is tired of the dreary weather in Canada and looking for change and some adventure.My neighbour is from SA and raves about Mossel Bay.I've done some research on this area and Fish Hoek.I have a pension and assets such that i could buy a house outright for up to 6million rand and have about 50k rand per month to live on. I would definately visit a few times and have an extended stay before making such a huge decision to move.Can anyone tell me what life is like in Mossel Bay or give some insight into good areas to live on the Garden Route.Crime,education for my children in particular..thanks!


 Mosselbay is a great place to live in, best climate in all of South Africa. Excellent hospitals, doctors, specialists, etc.
You should be able to live comfortably on your current budget for a number of years.

I have a friend who has a north facing house in Mossel Bay ( gets sun in winter and is cool during summer ), overlooks the harbour and the Outeniqua mountains.


Very good choice !


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## Johanna (Apr 13, 2009)

I live on the Garden Route


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## arking (Jan 20, 2014)

*Re*

Hiya

I think the Cape is a beautiful place to stay and it has great facilities for kids.

Have you thought of maybe living in Stellenbosch or Somerset west closer to Cape Town. I have a friend living in Stellenbosch with 2 young kids and she says the community is excellent. Somerset West also has great estates to live.
Six Million rand is a lot of money to spend outright on a house. My advice would be spend about Three million to Four Million on a beautiful house with in an Estate. 
50 thousand rand should be enough but it depends on what type of schooling you would want for the kids then Private or Model C which the Cape Boasts some excellent schools.
As always crime is in issue in SA but should definitely not scare you off. Buying a house in a gated community with security is a good idea. There are some beautiful large estates in the Cape. They live happy lives here.
Have a look at other expat blogs from people who have moved to SA from other countries. 
It may be a good idea to first rent a house in a good area to try it out first instead of committing to buy and then you are not happy in the area.
But the Cape is a beautiful place and its very difficult to advise on one area only.

Good luck with your decision.


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## gwnorth (Feb 13, 2014)

Thanks for all the advice. 6 million was an upper limit but I agree that 4 should do the job.I grew up near the water and would love to live on/near the ocean.Unfortunately it costs a min of 15 million rand to live on the ocean around here(British Columbia) and in Mossel Bay etc it is actually do-able.I was concentrating on the Garden route for the ocean and safety as some on these forums talk of imminent death if you leave your house in a big city.Are there decent universities in George or is Capetown the place to be for uni? That is also a consideration i have to contend with so i thought Fish Hoek might do the job as well.It's close to Capetown and appears safe and small townish.


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## arking (Jan 20, 2014)

Cape Town is a wonderful place to visit and I most definitely feel safe when I visit there. I've lived in Johanessburg and plan on moving back there before the end of the year. I wish I could live in the Cape unfortunately my job prospects are higher in Johanessburg. The Cape has a huge amount of foreigners international people mainly from Europe who absolutely love living in the City. I would highly recommend a visit to check out areas before you settle. There are universities in Cape town and many international students at the Stellenbosch university.
Check out the House and Leisure magazine from Zinio. I get a monthly online copy from Zinio. It will give you an idea of the type of house you may be looking for. It will also show the area that house is in. The magazine is a great lifestyle magazine. You are able to see trends artists furniture costs etc and restaurants, houses etc. You can also buy backdated copies.
The garden route is a wonderful place it's a great place to visit on holiday most people from all over the country even Cape Town flog it in the summer holidays. It's wild rugged beautiful but I honestly can't say how it is to live along the garden route. Though it beautiful it seems more like holiday destination laid back to quiet. My friend raves about Jeffrey's bay. You will have to visit the Cape to make an informed decision.


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## hedgehog1 (Sep 21, 2013)

Hi.
You have plenty of finances to buy and live a very healthy lifestyle in SA. There is a huge, and very good Uni in Cape Town and just as good one in Stellenbosh, although smaller and doesn't offer as much as Cape Town. 
If you were thinking of living in Mossel Bay, I must admit that I much preferred the other Garden Route places, like George, Knysna and of course Plettenburg Bay. Its all beautiful, the sea is so warm and security living on the Garden Route is far safer than Cape Town, being a big town. I've just returned last week from an sightseeing tour of the area as I've decided I prefer to live in the quieter GR area and was looking at houses, jobs, etc and was very happy with everything I saw and heard. I popped into an estate agent who took me to see a few houses which gave me a great idea on what I can afford now, and everyone is so friendly and willing to give advice and information. I never once felt threatened or worried about whether I was 'safe' or not.
I 've always loved CT and have family and friends who live there who think its the best place to be. But it is far more expensive to buy houses, and the sea isn't as warm as on the Western Cape. Whilst there's no question that its a wonderful city, you have to have a security fence/house alarm/ be generally careful leaving you car locked etc etc which is why I'm looking at Kysna to move to.
A few years ago, I spent a few days driving from Plettenburg Bay down and all around Cape Town to get an idea of what was available house/area-wise, and then to Stellenbosch. It was a wonderful trip which is where I decided which area I wanted to live in. I strongly believe you should do the same - including visiting both universities. There are wonderful B&B's and lodges everywhere to stay in, and not only will you have answers to many of your questions, you'll have a holiday of a lifetime at the same time! Don't forget to visit one or any of the wildlife places or go on a safari!


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## gwnorth (Feb 13, 2014)

My wife and I won't be working so my main consideration is my children. I feel I should live a reasonable distance from a larger city so they can access University(my dream..lol) and employment opportunities.


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## gwnorth (Feb 13, 2014)

Can any-one tell me how the Fish Hoek/Hout bay area compares to the Garden Route..thanks


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## Jem62 (Jul 25, 2012)

Fish Hoek and Hout Bay are both stunning places to live, with your budget you'll be able to afford a house with a full seaview see property24.com It all depends whether you need to be in close proximity to the City, International Airport and Universities. Both these seaside towns have all the amenities you may need for daily living such as large shopping centres. You cannot make a mistake choosing either of these two towns. The Garden Route are for those who really want space and tranquillity away from a large City. If you are planning to make such a commitment, you must spend time over here to see things for yourself.


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## hedgehog1 (Sep 21, 2013)

I usually go on 'Seeff Cape Town' and 'property24.co.z'a which gives me a big variety of properties to view and an idea of prices etc. I think the Southern areas are a more expensive place to live, but there are many beautiful suburbs which I'm sure you'll love.


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## gwnorth (Feb 13, 2014)

My South African neighbour just told me that Fish Hoek has primarily Afrikaan speakers and Mossel Bay has many more English speakers. Can anyone confirm this and would it be difficult to live in Fish Hoek as an English only speaker.


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## Johanna (Apr 13, 2009)

gwnorth said:


> My South African neighbour just told me that Fish Hoek has primarily Afrikaan speakers and Mossel Bay has many more English speakers. Can anyone confirm this and would it be difficult to live in Fish Hoek as an English only speaker.


Mosselb Bay ( in my opinion) has many more Afrikaans speaking people than does Fish Hoek.


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