South Africa’s workforce is changing shape. A growing number of people are building income not from a single employer but from several side hustles and small gigs: a freelance contract here, a content channel there, a side business that’s quietly become the main hustle. Solopreneurs, creators, and multi-hyphenate professionals are no longer a niche; they’re a meaningful and growing segment of the buyer pool, and they don’t shop for property the same way a traditional nine-to-five buyer does.

“We’re seeing more buyers who work entirely for themselves, and their criteria look different,” says Michelle Cohen, Principal at Leapfrog Johannesburg North East. “A spare room isn’t just a spare room to them. It’s a studio, an office, sometimes even inventory storage. That changes what they’re willing to pay a premium for.”

The home office has become non-negotiable

For a salaried employee, a home office is a nice-to-have. For someone whose income depends entirely on their ability to work from home, it’s become more of a must-have. A dedicated, closable space with good natural light and enough room for a proper desk setup is increasingly becoming something that could make or break a sale.

Good connectivity 

For content creators uploading video, consultants on back-to-back video calls, or online sellers managing storefronts, unreliable fibre or patchy mobile coverage is a genuine threat to income. Buyers in this category are asking pointed questions about actual, verified connectivity speeds in an area and which service providers are available. It’s not just whether fibre is “available.” It needs to be quick, too, because slow internet can often feel worse than no internet.

Flexible, multi-use spaces 

Traditional buyers often prioritise bedroom count. Solopreneurs and creators are increasingly prioritising adaptability: a garage that could become a workshop, a granny flat that could be a studio or short-term income stream, a garden room that works as both a filming space and a quiet retreat.

“They’re not necessarily looking for the biggest home,” notes Cohen. “They’re looking for the most useful one that could be many things at once.”

Location logic is shifting

When your income isn’t tied to a specific office address, proximity to the CBD matters less than it used to. What matters more is proximity to a decent coffee shop with reliable Wi-Fi, a coworking space for the days you need to get out of the house, and a lifestyle-friendly neighbourhood that supports a working day that doesn’t follow office hours. This is part of what’s fuelling interest in smaller towns and lifestyle nodes that once seemed too far from “where the jobs are.”

What this means for sellers and investors

For sellers, a flexible, well-connected space with a genuine work-from-home setup can be a real selling point worth highlighting, rather than burying it in the listing description. For investors, properties with adaptable secondary spaces, granny flats, outbuildings and garden studios may find a wider and more resilient pool of tenants and buyers as this segment of the workforce grows.

“This isn’t a passing trend,” says Cohen. “The way people earn a living has permanently diversified, and property that doesn’t accommodate that reality is going to feel increasingly dated to a growing share of the market.”

The takeaway for buyers, sellers, and investors alike is the same: a home’s value is no longer just about bedrooms and bathrooms. It’s increasingly about how well it can flex to support the way its owner actually earns a living.