Impendle
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Overview
Annual Rev
R160.9k
12 mo avg
↑1%
from prior 12 mo
Occupancy rate
🔒 3•%
12 mo avg
••.•%
from prior 12 mo
Avg daily rate
🔒 R1•••
12 mo avg
••.•%
from prior 12 mo
Lead time
25 days
12 mo avg
↓4 days
from prior 12 mo
Revpar
R379
12 mo avg
↓8%
from prior 12 mo
Methodology note: Figures reflect Impendle market data as of June 2026. Data covers Airbnb, VRBO, and Booking.com listings. Values are seasonally influenced; rounding applied for readability.
Revenue per listing by bedroom
Bedroom count:
0
1
2
3
4+
Short-term rental supply growth
Performance metrics by bedroom
Bedrooms
Annual Rev
Supply
Revenue boost by amenity
| Amenity | Listings With | Revenue Boost | Revenue With | Revenue Without |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washing Machine | 72 (38%) | +R 93,311 (+46%) | R 298,049 | R 204,738 |
| 🔒 Amenity | 🔒 5• (••%) | 🔒 +$5••• (+••%) | 🔒 $7•••• | 🔒 $7•••• |
| 🔒 Amenity | 🔒 5• (••%) | 🔒 +$5••• (+••%) | 🔒 $7•••• | 🔒 $7•••• |
| 🔒 Amenity | 🔒 5• (••%) | 🔒 +$5••• (+••%) | 🔒 $7•••• | 🔒 $7•••• |
| 🔒 Amenity | 🔒 5• (••%) | 🔒 +$5••• (+••%) | 🔒 $7•••• | 🔒 $7•••• |
| 🔒 Amenity | 🔒 5• (••%) | 🔒 +$5••• (+••%) | 🔒 $7•••• | 🔒 $7•••• |
| 🔒 Amenity | 🔒 5• (••%) | 🔒 +$5••• (+••%) | 🔒 $7•••• | 🔒 $7•••• |
Nightly rate by day of week
Occupancy rate by day of week
Listings by channel
Listings by rental type
Listings by amenities
Listings by size
4+ bedrooms (0%)
Listings by availability
Length of stay by bedroom
3 bedrooms (5.2 nights)
2 bedrooms (4.4 nights)
1 bedroom (4.4 nights)
4+ bedrooms (3.8 nights)
Studio (2.7 nights)
Cleaning fee by bedroom
Studio (ZAR 0)
1 bedroom (ZAR 0)
2 bedrooms (ZAR 0)
3 bedrooms (ZAR 0)
4+ bedrooms (ZAR 0)
Professional host share
Professionally managed (61%)
Independent hosts (39%)
As of June 2026, Pietermaritzburg, Howick, Underberg have 391 active Airbnb and VRBO listings. This represents a 6% decrease from the previous year.
The average Airbnb or VRBO in Impendle generates R147K per year. High-performing properties earn R353K/year, while low-performing properties earn R58K/year. Declining supply paired with revenue growth suggests strengthening demand fundamentals, though the 26% occupancy rate and wide performance gap indicate a bifurcated market where differentiation significantly impacts returns.
Airbnb and VRBO can be profitable in Impendle. Average annual revenue is R147K with 26% occupancy. High-performing properties earn up to R353K/year. Declining supply paired with growing revenue suggests tightening market conditions, though the substantial gap between average and top performers indicates uneven competition where property differentiation significantly influences returns.
The average occupancy rate for Airbnbs and VRBOs in Impendle is 26%. This occupancy level, combined with an average nightly rate of R1K, results in a RevPAR (revenue per available room) of R314 per day.
3-bedroom properties demonstrate the strongest performance in Impendle, with annual revenue of R251K. These properties balance operating costs and rental demand most effectively in the Impendle market. Property performance varies significantly by location, amenities, and management quality.
Short-term rental regulations vary by jurisdiction in the Impendle area. I don't have reliable, current data on short-term rental regulations or enforcement realities for Pietermaritzburg, Howick, and Underberg in South Africa. These smaller South African municipalities have limited publicly documented STR frameworks, and enforcement information is not readily available through standard sources. I recommend contacting each municipality's town planning or licensing department directly for accurate local requirements and compliance expectations. Always verify current regulations with local authorities and obtain necessary permits before operating a short-term rental.
The Impendle Airbnb and VRBO market is currently showing balanced with strong demand conditions. Supply has declined 6% year-over-year, while RevPAR has increased 7%. This indicates healthy demand growth outpacing supply. The significant gap between average revenue ($147K) and top performers ($353K) suggests considerable performance variance, reflecting selective demand concentration rather than broad-based market strength.
Launch around September, 2-3 months before peak winter season (December peaks). This pre-peak timing lets you build reviews when competition is -56% lower than peak months. Avoid launching during peak season when established listings dominate, or slow months (September-November) when gaining traction is harder.
The most common amenities in Impendle listings include: Kitchen (98%), Tv (79%), Heating (68%), Private Yard (68%), Bbq (66%). Amenities that boost revenue the most include Washing Machine, Pool, Tv, with Washing Machine properties earning approximately 52% more (R313K/year vs R206K/year).
Monthly estimated revenue per listing in Impendle over the last 12 months: May: R8K, June: R10K, July: R12K, August: R8K, September: R8K, October: R8K, November: R6K, December: R15K, January: R10K, February: R9K, March: R9K, April: R13K. These figures are based on RevPAR (revenue per available room) multiplied by the number of days in each month.
The overall average nightly rate in Impendle is R1K, up 23% year-over-year. By property size: 1-bedroom properties average R1K/night, 2-bedroom properties average R2K/night, 3-bedroom properties average R2K/night, 4+ bedroom properties average R3K/night. Rates peak in December and are lowest in September.
Guests in Impendle book an average of 25 days in advance, down 16% from last year. By property size: 1-bedroom: 21 days, 2-bedroom: 27 days, 3-bedroom: 33 days, 4+ bedroom: 33 days. Larger properties tend to have longer booking windows as guests plan group trips further ahead.
Over the past year, the Impendle Airbnb and VRBO market has seen the following changes: supply declined 6%, revenue per listing increased 7%, occupancy fell 7%, average nightly rates increased 23%, and lead time decreased 16%. The combination of rising rates amid falling occupancy suggests hosts are competing on price while demand softens, with the substantial gap between average ($147K) and top-performing listings ($353K) indicating significant performance variance driven by property-level factors.
In Impendle, Saturday sees the highest booking demand while Monday has the lowest. Nightly rates peak on Saturday and are lowest on Wednesday. Weekends show 61% higher occupancy than weekdays.