Johannesburg - The implementation of e-tolling on Gauteng's major highways could impact on where potential homeowners buy property, a survey has found.
In the survey, conducted by bond originators ooba, 80 percent of respondents said they would consider the location of Gauteng's new toll roads when selecting the location of their next property.
Of the other respondents, 13.12 percent said they would not be influenced, and 6.88 percent said they were not aware of the tolls.
“This significant majority (of respondents) is not unexpected if you take into consideration that the proposed tolls could increase an individual's monthly expenditure by as much as R1 000,” said ooba national sales manager Kevin Mountjoy in a statement on Wednesday.
“The most road travel that any individual undertakes is between their office and their home, so naturally this added cost will influence where people want to live.”
He said the costs of the tolls and the likelihood of being caught in traffic were “key factors” that homebuyers should be giving thought to when considering a new property.
“Property buyers should take into account the location of commercial centres, schools and public transport systems when they buy property,” he said.
“They should also look at where their family and close friends are located, as naturally they will be making those trips often as well.”
He said that before making an offer on a house, potential buyers should drive the various routes they would regularly take during rush hour and investigate alternatives routes. - Sapa