Johannesburg is getting denser in some parts of the city, spreading into new areas in others — and the latest property figures show just how differently the city's regions are developing.
Almost 972,000 properties were registered in Johannesburg by the end of April this year, with sectional-title homes now accounting for almost 300,000 of them.
The figures, contained in the City of Johannesburg's Deeds Data Analysis for the year from May 1, 2025 to April 30, 2026, show major differences in where people are buying, where new homes are being built and where commercial development is taking place.
According to the Johannesburg Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI), the city had approximately 971,879 registered properties by the end of April — comprising 681,577 full-title properties and 290,302 sectional-title units.
And while full-title properties still make up the majority, sectional title is becoming an increasingly important part of Johannesburg's property market.
That is particularly clear from the transfer figures.
During the year under review, the City recorded 51,481 deeds transfers.
Of these, 24,595 were full-title transfers, compared with 26,886 sectional-title transfers.
The JCCI says the fact that sectional-title transfers exceeded full-title transfers is significant because it suggests higher-density living is becoming an increasingly important part of the city's property market.
“For businesses, this matters because higher residential density often creates stronger demand for retail, transport, healthcare, education, financial services and other forms of commercial activity,” the JCCI says.
Where Johannesburg is growing
The figures also show why it is misleading to talk about Johannesburg as one property market.
The City is divided into seven administrative regions, covering very different parts of Johannesburg.
Region A covers the northern growth corridor bordering Centurian to the North and Mogale City to the west, and areas include Diepsloot, Midrand, and Ivory Park.
Region B covers areas including Randburg, Northcliff, Rosebank, Bryanston and surrounding northern and north-western suburbs.
Region C includes Roodepoort, Florida, Honeydew and surrounding areas.
Region D covers Greater Soweto, including areas such as Orlando, Diepkloof, Meadowlands and surrounding townships.
Region E includes Sandton and Alexandra, as well as areas such as Morningside, Wynberg, Woodmead and surrounding suburbs.
Region F covers much of the inner city and Johannesburg South, including areas such as Hillbrow, Berea, Yeoville, Braamfontein, Fordsburg, Rosettenville and surrounding areas.
Region G covers much of Johannesburg's southern development corridor, including Lenasia, Eldorado Park, Ennerdale, Orange Farm, Protea and surrounding areas.
The JCCI says Regions A, C and E contain some of the highest concentrations of sectional-title properties, while Region G is overwhelmingly dominated by full-title properties.
“These differences reflect the very different forms of development taking place across Johannesburg,” the Chamber says.
Some areas are being driven more strongly by private-sector investment and densification, while others continue to be shaped by affordable housing delivery, township development and government-led programmes.
The south is building houses. The north is going up.
The first-time registration figures show an even sharper divide.
Region G accounts for more than 60% of new full-title registrations, while Regions A, B and E lead new sectional-title registrations.
The JCCI says the figures show where different types of growth are taking place.
The northern parts of Johannesburg continue to attract significant private-sector development, while the southern regions remain strongly associated with affordable housing and broader socio-economic development.
It means the city's property growth is taking different forms depending on where you look.
R347,000 in one region. More than R1.8m in another.
The differences become even more striking when property values are considered.
The JCCI says the average value of newly registered residential properties ranged from approximately R347,000 in Region G to more than R1.8 million in Region E.
Region E includes Sandton and Alexandra, while Region G stretches across parts of Johannesburg's deep south, including Lenasia, Eldorado Park, Ennerdale and Orange Farm.
“The City's own analysis identifies a clear distinction between higher-value residential investment in the north and more affordable housing markets in the south,” the JCCI says.
But the Chamber says the difference should not simply be viewed as stronger and weaker markets.
They represent different opportunities for business.
Higher-income areas may support premium services and investment, while expanding affordable housing areas create demand for everyday goods and services, transport, financial services, healthcare, education and infrastructure.
Where the businesses are going
The commercial property figures tell another story.
Region F, recorded the largest share of new business and commercial property registrations during the year, at approximately 31%.
Region C followed with just over 23%.
The figures show why residential development is only one part of Johannesburg's changing property landscape.
“Commercial growth may follow different patterns and can provide useful signals about where new centres of economic activity are emerging,” the JCCI says.
More homes mean more pressure
The Chamber says the growing number of properties and developments also raises a more immediate issue for Johannesburg: infrastructure.
Areas recording high levels of property transfers and new registrations are likely to face greater pressure on municipal infrastructure and services, it says.
“The City's own findings highlight that development hotspots will require greater investment in infrastructure and municipal services as growth continues,” the JCCI says.
For businesses, it says, new development depends not only on investor confidence but also on reliable electricity, water, roads, transport and other essential services.
The JCCI says the deeds data provides an indication of where Johannesburg could be heading.
New registrations show where development is taking place, transfers show where demand remains active, property values reveal different consumer markets and commercial registrations point towards emerging economic centres.
Joburg's uneven growth
The Chamber says the clearest message from the data is that Johannesburg is continuing to grow, but not evenly.
Different parts of the city are developing in different ways, creating different challenges and opportunities for businesses.
“Understanding those patterns can help businesses make better decisions about investment, expansion and market development,” it says.
But the JCCI warns that the city's infrastructure, planning and service delivery must keep pace with its changing economic geography.
“Growth on its own is not enough,” it says.
“It must be supported by an environment in which businesses can invest with confidence, communities can access opportunity and development can be sustained over the long term.”
'Joburg doesn't need another glossy turnaround strategy'
Dianne Davies, an independent adviser, says Johannesburg's challenge goes beyond property development.
“Johannesburg does not need another glossy turnaround strategy but needs disciplined execution,” she says.
Davies says the city's decline has been driven by weak revenue collection, ageing infrastructure, water and electricity losses, poor maintenance, procurement failures and unstable governance.
Yet she says Johannesburg still has one of Africa's strongest economic foundations and that recovery is possible if the basics are fixed first.
A credible rescue, she says, must focus on restoring financial discipline, rebuilding water, electricity and road infrastructure, enforcing accountability, protecting key economic nodes, attracting private investment and measuring results publicly.
For Davies, the test is ultimately what residents see and experience.
Can they see cleaner streets, more reliable services, fewer outages, safer neighbourhoods and better value for every rand spent?
If Johannesburg can move from promises to measurable delivery, she says, it can once again become one of Africa's leading cities.
What the rental market is telling investors
The city's changing property landscape is also creating opportunities for landlords.
Johannesburg's rental market offers attractive gross yields in some established nodes, relatively low vacancy rates and sustained demand, according to Garreth Gibson, who manages Johannesburg rentals for Pam Golding Properties.
But Gibson warns investors against looking only at the headline rental yield.
“Investors considering buy-to-let should, however, look beyond the headline rental yield and assess the overall income and cost profile of a property,” he says.
“Gross yield is really the starting point when assessing a potential rental investment. The figure that ultimately matters to a landlord is the net yield – the income remaining after the associated operating costs have been deducted.”
Gibson says gross rental yields of around 16% can still be achieved in parts of the Sandton market, depending on the property, purchase price and rental income.
The latest figures therefore paint a picture of a Johannesburg that is still growing — but in very different ways.
In the north, sectional-title development is reshaping established and expanding suburbs.
In the south, full-title and affordable housing continue to drive growth.
In the inner city and other areas, commercial development is creating new economic activity.
And across all of them is the same question: can Johannesburg's infrastructure and services keep up with the city its property market is already creating?