Thinking outside the BOX

SHAUN TOWEEL, INTERNATIONAL AWARD-WINNING PROPERTY DEVELOPER, IS A MAN WITH A VISION THAT IS LARGER THAN LIFE

Real estate mogul, Shaun Toweel, has spent the majority of his life in Johannesburg, but recently settled in uMhlanga where the energy and pace best suit his lifestyle. “I originally lived in Ballito, but spending most of my life in Johannesburg, I felt I needed some of that energy that I missed. To me, uMhlanga’s pace fits more with my personality and business profile, as the real estate industry has boomed in this area in the last few years. It has a more cosmopolitan way of life which I need to perform at my optimal best,” he says.

Shaun has been performing at his optimal best for many years, and is often described by others as having the Midas touch. This seven times international property award winner and philantor-capitalist sees an opportunity and creates viable markets where none existed before. To date he has completed over a billion dollars’ worth of real estate and is currently involved in large mix-use developments including residential, retail and commercial components in and around South Africa as well as abroad.

In 2002 he grew his company into a multimillion dollar property portfolio and is the current founder and CEO of a number of real estate companies including Extra Dimensions Property Group based in South Africa, One Luxury Ltd in Mauritius, and Toweel Property Developments and Investments LLC based in the USA.

Over the last 20 years Shaun has developed and built ultra-luxury homes and residential communities, and is internationally recognised as the creative force behind some of the world’s most magnificent mansions ever built. He found his passion for real estate as a young boy, observing the work his father was doing.

“I can recall how amazed I was observing my dad – with his own electrical company – involved in huge developments where the developer would build on average twenty-five homes in one month. I was intrigued by the hundreds of components coming together and then ultimately the final product. I had a creative and inventive mind, coupled with a deep-set entrepreneurial spirit, to one day to be a creator and developer of my very own masterpiece homes,” he says.

The realtor environment has changed dramatically over the last 20 years and even more so following the worldwide coronavirus pandemic and subsequent lockdown in many parts of the globe which has thrown the real estate industry into unchartered waters.

“The impact has been on productivity across most of the real estate sectors. We are now also witnessing a number of issues relating to delays in construction and loss of income from tenants who are defaulting on rental payments. Furthermore, it is expected that real estate investment will decline due to a slow-down in activity in the marketplace and a decrease in investor confidence during these times of uncertainty.”

But how can developers and real estate investors weather the storm and plan for the future? Shaun says it is important for role-players to review insurance policies to ensure they have business interruption cover in place. He is, however, very optimistic about the future post-lockdown.

“I believe there will be a good level of demand once the lockdown is lifted. Remember, a substantial depreciation of the rand will become very favourable for foreign buyers as they will be getting a large gain in value for their USD/Euro. However, we cannot solely rely on a heavy influx of foreign buyers. I, however, believe that in times of economic downturn, good opportunities always present themselves and we need to remain positive and seek these windows of opportunities. Ultimately, in my opinion, property is the most sound, tangible asset as people will always need a place to live,” he explains.

Shaun is excited about the way he expects the real estate industry to develop over the next few years.

“I see the industry developing into more mixed-use communities which I like to refer to as Live, Work, Play. But, I’d like to expand even further on that and incorporate a level of self-sustainability. More than ever, people are starting to see the value of living organically and creating convenient living spaces.”

His new brainchild, YouFarm, is built on these exact principals. “I found I was locked in this world of conventional real estate development and wanted to offer people an organic and sustainable way of living. The design is based on contemporary farming life being the centre, which would feed, provide and teach the purest natural form derived from nature.

“YouFarm in the USA will include a contemporary farm hotel, spa, residences, wellness establishments, bakery, fine dining and wine establishments that are led by the everchanging tapestry of the gardens. The entire development is self-sustainable and designed to be totally independent from the needs of the real world. YouFarm is designed to create a landmark destination whereby people can organically live, work and play.”

Shaun says the YouFarm concept fits perfectly into the current situation we are faced with.

“Incidentally, this model is perfectly adaptable to the current worldwide struggles of a lockdown. Future developments and communities built around this model would have minimal impact in a situation like we are experiencing now, due to the amenities such as the wellness centre, the logistics of not needing to go into public spaces, as all you would need to sustain yourself and your families would be accessible in YouFarm.”