You’ve lived at home, you lived in that squalid share house politely called a digs and you’ve just about had your fill of your current abode. Good thing you’ve just been given a fat pay rise and are ready to live life in the lap of luxury. Time to move on up big spender, so where can you get some real bang for your buck?

The Cape Town rental market can be a pretty fierce one so it pays to have done your homework or, better yet, get someone else to do it for you. Many young professionals in Cape Town are moving to either the City Bowl or Sea Point, a combination of work convenience and the ability to crawl from bar to bar.

We did a little price comparison at Pam Golding Properties as to what a R38 000 apartment rental looks like in Sea Point, then snooped in Gardens and found a R36 000 loft on the market. First your basics…

OK that should set the scene, and you may have noticed you’re scoring an extra room in the Sea Point rental. Let’s start there and take a peek at a few pictures.

That view huh, not too shabby? Now for a stroll around your Gardens loft apartment.

Say hello to feeling a boss on the Upper East Side of Manhattan without all those children running around.

So where would you rather call home if you had R40 000 to drop on either of these rentals? Tough call, but if you have that kind of money maybe you should take some of Pam Golding’s tips and look at buying your own little nest. You can also tune into The Abstract Aimee Show certain Saturdays between 10AM and 12AM to listen to the experts discuss the property market and how to navigate your way around it.

If any of you are thinking about either of those rentals and are looking for a house-sitter, my rates are more than competitive. Just leave the fridge well-stocked and make sure you to text before you come home.