Business Day HomeFront 19 February 2021

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HOMEFRONT 13 OCTOBER 2016 WWW.BDLIVE.CO.ZA WWW.BUSINESSLIVE.CO.ZA 19 FEBRUARY 2021

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Revamped beach house for sale PAGE 2

Retirement: SA or Mauritius?

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Safe haven Steyn City residential development north of Johannesburg positions itself as a green oasis in the greater Gauteng region famed for big business and international commerce. Homes here are like havens, set amid expansive parklands and running streams with safe walking and cycling routes.

Latest semigration sweet spots Find out more.

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Barefoot luxury

DESIGN

Perched on the edge of a picturesque lagoon on the West Coast, this beach house on a rare 6ha property has been renovated to optimise every bit of its magnificent setting WORDS: SARAH MARJORIBANKS :: PHOTOS: PERFECT HIDEAWAYS

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out Huisie’s picture‑postcard position is the stuff of dreams.

Near the hamlet of Churchhaven in the West Coast National Park, this wooden house is right on the edge of the azure Langebaan lagoon. It is surrounded by indigenous fynbos, with the sandy white beach right on its doorstep – you couldn’t ask for a holiday home that is more connected to the elements.

Hout Huisie was built in the 1960s by the current owner’s grandfather on the farm Schrywershoek before the area was declared a national park. The family spent many wonderful holidays at this “pocket

of paradise” and little has changed on the farm itself.

SPACE AND SOLITUDE Today the park is renowned for its space and solitude, but back then the family didn’t fully comprehend how sought after the location would become.

The off-the-grid house was a simple beach cabin and amenities were very limited – they had to light a donkey (a wood-burning boiler system) to heat water for the bath, and the house would be enveloped with smoke if the wind blew in a certain direction!

After a renovation late last year, however, the house is much more comfortable.

The ceiling was extended

upwards by lifting the trusses and the kitchen was opened up to the lounge area. Glass doors now lead onto the deck and the smoky donkey was replaced with a gas geyser. A woodburning stove for chilly winter nights completes the transformation.

Because Hout Huisie is let as a holiday home, the refurb needed to appeal to a broad spectrum of guests – something the renovation team kept in mind throughout the planning process.

Helen and David Untiedt of Perfect Hideaways, the boutique holiday rental company that manages Hout Huisie’s bookings, provided the overall vision,

whereas contractor David Westbrook was responsible for construction work.

BLANK CANVAS Interior designer Salomé Gunter completely transformed and uplifted the property. “We painted the home white to provide a blank canvas and lighten the space,” she says. “Then, inspired by the lagoon’s colours, we added turquoise and blue to the decor.”

Further inspiration came from the local fauna, with photos of birds from the area featured in circular “portholes” to create a “boaty” feel.

The property truly makes the most of its setting. The beach boma is right at the

edge of the lagoon and the stoep is protected against the weather. From here, one can watch the sunset across the entire lagoon and later count the stars in the expansive night sky. The boma is also a perfect spot from which to appreciate the magnificent birdlife of the area.

Spring is an extra-special time in the West Coast National Park – it is when the renowned wildflowers of the region blanket the landscape in full colour. The weather is then also still cool enough to enjoy evenings around the fire in the boma.

LIVE THE DREAM While it’s one thing to rent a beautiful holiday home, it’s quite another to make

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it your own. Hout Huisie would be a remarkable addition to any portfolio for the few who are able to purchase such a property.

“This is a rare opportunity to buy in an exceptional part of the world, and one of the reasons we decided to launch Perfect Hideaways Invest,” says David Untiedt.

“It offers a range of properties in unusual, quaint or highly desirable locations that are difficult to get your hands on without access to that local word-of-mouth network.”

GET IN TOUCH Hout Huisie is on the market for R39.95m. Call 021 790 0972 or visit perfecthideawaysforsale. co.za for more information.

PUBLICATION ADVERTISING SALES Chantelle Balsdon

chantelle@augmentcreative.com

084 061 7888

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Mont Choisy Golf & Beach Estate in the north of Mauritius

Silver lining

RETIREMENT

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he global workfrom-home trend now entrenched by the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in an uptick in property sales in smaller cities and towns (and islands, for that matter) as people swap city commutes for quality of life.

Decisions to move are based on proximity to family, affordability, lifestyle, safety, security and healthcare. The order of priority depends on life stage and financial wellbeing.

That said, Consolidated Wealth certified financial planner Peter Nieuwoudt flags the need for a long-term strategy to plan and save for retirement – even for those who might not be there yet.

“Investing isn’t a sprint; it’s more like a marathon. You need to focus on cultivating the discipline and persistence necessary to achieve your financial goals,” Nieuwoudt says.

Yet the best-laid plans can go awry. “As the cost of living skyrockets and savings

Evergreen Val de Vie near Paarl

dwindle, purchasing quality retirement accommodation in a secure community with the necessary amenities may no longer seem viable,” says Chris Cilliers, CEO and co-principal of Lew Geffen Sotheby’s International Realty in the Winelands.

“Life rights, the fastest growing scheme on the South African retirement landscape, offer unique advantages to retirees with less capital to invest but are often completely misunderstood,” he says.

Life rights are ideal for those who prefer to leave the challenges and costs associated with house ownership, maintenance and sale to others while maintaining their lifestyle.

Essentially, a capital investment by the retiree secures the right to occupy a unit in a lifestyle estate for the rest of their life, while the developer retains ownership.

If the investor relocates or dies, the unit is ceded back to the development and the investment amount becomes part of the deceased estate.

Buyers are urged to seek advice if necessary to ensure they understand the commitment before signing the contract. It is important to know what events qualify for a refund (usually death or relocation, but only once there is a replacement buyer), how long the refund will take and how much it will be. The latter would depend on the particular contractual agreement.

Val de Vie Evergreen in Paarl is one option for those interested in a life right investment. This project won Best Leisure Development in the World at the 2021 International Property Awards, shortly after winning the category for SA in the regional vote.

Even if a buyer is not ready to move in now but wants to get in at today’s prices, they can secure the deal and let the property for up to five years. The development is marketed

by Lew Geffen Sotheby’s International Realty and the Evergreen sales team.

Unit prices range from R3.45m to R5.5m.

FACILITIES Meanwhile, residents at Oasis Life in Century City just north of Cape Town are attracted by its hospitalitybased lifestyle.

“Besides standard features such as security and modern, top-quality homes, we build our clubhouses in the first phase so that residents can enjoy a variety of facilities from the time they move in,” says Rabie Property Group director Mariska Auret. These include primary healthcare suites, a restaurant, a gym and multifunction rooms.

“We do not offer frail care but our developments are close to hospitals and our residents have preferential access to the Oasis Care Centre in Century City,” says Auret.

In Cape Town’s Southern Suburbs, Auria Senior Living has acquired a majority interest in Woodside Village, Rondebosch, which is currently being refurbished.

Moka Smart City in Mauritius

Auria develops, owns and operates gold-standard senior-living communities, with the award-winning San Sereno in Bryanston as its flagship. Its latest project, Royal View, is a 122-apartment senior-living development at the Royal Johannesburg & Kensington Golf Club. Sales commence in Q2 2021.

“We refer to senior living because this stage of one’s life is not about retiring. It’s about a different set of needs and lifestyle choices defined by happiness, security, peace of mind and health,” says Auria founder and CEO Barry Kaganson. “Our aim is to develop communities that anyone over the age of 70 will choose for their highquality lifestyle and amenities, whether they need assistance or not.”

OFFSHORE APPEAL This year South African buyers continue to demonstrate a strong appetite for offshore property investments. Portugal still enjoys the biggest demand,

Conversations around where to retire are taking a different tack as pandemicinduced economic pressure increases.

Is SA or Mauritius more appealing?

WORDS: DEBBIE HATHWAY :: PHOTOS: SUPPLIED

with the ultimate goal being EU citizenship, followed

by Mauritius as well as Grenada, where US residency is a possibility.

Andrew Golding, chief executive of the Pam Golding Property group, says Mauritius sales were strong in 2020 despite the global lockdown and travel restrictions. This is expected to remain the case in 2021.

“Mauritius as a retirement destination is difficult to beat, given its easy lifestyle, good weather, beaches, water sports, golf courses and sports clubs. Over the past 10 years, the facilities aimed at an active healthy lifestyle have exploded with a host of options both within residential estates and in the towns,” says Pam Golding Properties Mauritius director Richard Haller. “A large contingent of South Africans aged 55+ has chosen Mauritius as a place to reside full or part time.”

What’s more, the island has the best Covid-19 record in Africa – a major incentive to move.

Haller’s recommendations in the north include Mont Choisy Golf & Beach Estate in Grand Baie. Located on a lush site opposite Mont Choisy Beach, the estate is ideal for retirees wanting to enjoy estate living with a host of facilities.

“For those wishing to adopt the famously laid-back island lifestyle and make Mauritius their permanent home, one of only 20 boutique units at Les Résidences de Mont Choisy is for you,” says Haller. Key to its success is the combination of housing and services that allows residents to access swimming pools, a restaurant, a spa, fitness facilities, a beauty salon, a bar lounge and the exclusive Espace Club on site, should they wish to relax in their own environment. This 2Futures development is operated by Aegide-Domitys, the French leaders in senior residence living.

ENL Property Limited consultant Rob Hudson highlights the government legislation that enables

foreign investors aged 50 or over to apply for a renewable 10-year residency permit under certain conditions if they want to make Mauritius their home.

“As a retiree, one does not have to spend the $375,000 on a property to obtain the residency permit. Therefore, at about R2.7m, the ENL Group’s two-bedroom apartments in Moka Smart City represent a far more affordable home option,” says Hudson.

Moka Smart City is 10 to 15 minutes’ drive from the capital Port Louis and 30 minutes from the island’s international airport.

Because many of the tech and financial services companies have moved to this area, it is now the economic heart of Mauritius, much like Sandton was to the Johannesburg CBD about 25 years ago.

Ultimately, the maxim “home is where the heart is” applies. The toss-up is between a world in one country and the little island that could. Heads or tails?

The clubhouse at Rabie Property Group’s Clara Anna Fontein near Durbanville

WATER FALL

HOMEFRONT PROPERTY TREND

Decentralisation: the new normal

Parc at Gold Coast Estate in Sibaya Coastal Precinct on the KwaZulu-Natal North Coast

Semigration to coastal areas continues its momentum, with families and mature buyers reconsidering their life choices. As remote working flexibility increases, more semigrators are signing up.

WORDS: KIM MAXWELL :: PHOTOS: SUPPLIED

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n the latest FNB Estate Agent Survey released this January, 11% of sales in Q4 2020 resulted from the relocation of homeowners to another part of SA. The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and the associated lockdown has been playing a role in the life choices of South Africans.

According to a recent Savills report, lockdown restrictions have disrupted the global economy severely.

Yet residential real estate is proving to be one of the more resilient sectors – also in SA, where the market is showing continuous momentum underpinned by a recordlow interest rate. This is especially evident in the R700,000 to R3m price band.

Pam Golding Properties group chief executive Andrew Golding says the rent versus purchase equation has shifted towards buyers, and this has a significant impact on local housing market activity.

“Homeowners globally have re-evaluated their lifestyles and, in particular, their living spaces. Lightstone Property reports that many countries

are seeing reverse migration as remote working becomes a permanent option across job sectors and industries. It’s resulting in a steady increase in movement to smaller cities and towns where quality of life, family and affordability are highly valued.

“Lightstone points out that in SA the trend is more about a balanced lifestyle.

Purchases in coastal areas are dominated by buyers in their late 20s and 30s and early retirees,” he says.

AFFORDABILITY Younger buyers in particular are finding value in less obvious coastal locations.

Gabbi Botha of Balwin Properties makes the point that, compared with alternatives on the Atlantic Seaboard, Paardevlei Lifestyle Estate in Somerset West offers greater affordability along with competitive safety, luxury and convenience.

“We’re only 1,550 steps from the Strand beachfront, with a private residential pathway to the beach across the road from Strand Golf Club,” she says.

Botha believes Paardevlei Lifestyle Estate represents excellent value for money.

Two-bedroom, twobathroom apartments start from R1,849,900 and include integrated Smeg appliances, fibre- and DStv-ready connections, basement parking and a private store room each. Aside from the convenience of nearby shopping malls and the estate’s numerous amenities at its modern lifestyle centre on site, the setting means “every day feels like a holiday” for residents.

“Our location also plays to our advantage. It is only 25 minutes from Cape Town International Airport, 33 minutes from the city centre and 17 minutes from the Stellenbosch wine farms, so centrality and flexibility of location are prime,” she adds.

Further afield, rural towns such as Rooi Els, Pringle Bay, Betty’s Bay, Kleinmond, Malmesbury, Hermanus, Onrus and Gansbaai are attracting home buyers not only from elsewhere in the Western Cape, but also from Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal.

“Hermanus and Onrus

Paardevlei Lifestyle Estate, a Balwin Properties development in Somerset West

offer all the necessary amenities for buyers of all ages to live here permanently – good schools, medical facilities, shopping centres and enough attractions to please the outdoor enthusiast,” says Annien Borg, MD for Pam Golding Properties in the Boland and Overberg. “Thanks to growing commercial investment in these areas over the past few years and with more people relocating, a number of infrastructure investments and road upgrades have taken place.”

Nicola Lloyd, Pam Golding area manager for Rooi Els, Pringle Bay, Betty’s Bay and Kleinmond, confirms that holiday or retirement “dreams” have become permanent residential locations as more people switch to remote working.

“Besides retirees, we find that more younger buyers, mainly families, are relocating here because access to schools is easier. The major demand is for homes priced between R2m and R3m.”

“More and more people are looking for an all-in-one package – convenience,

The beachfront of Ballito, another KwaZulu-Natal destination popular with commuters and retirees a well-maintained and pleasant environment and homes that are well designed, with extras such as built-in cupboards and fitted kitchens as standard features,” says Rabie Property Group director Miguel Rodrigues.

He believes the current market offers “everything and more” at some of the lowest prices in years.

SMART MOVES How would Rodrigues advise potential semigrators who find that Camps Bay may not be in their price range? “For someone wanting to move to Cape Town, the upper price brackets and living next to a beach is reserved for only a few,” he says. “But walled estates offer a basket of advantages – Burgundy Estate has convenient shopping centres and three schools, as well as a central location near beaches, the CBD and the Durbanville wine route.”

This is where Rabie’s new development Bow Tie offers a stress-free atmosphere with parks and indigenous green corridors on the fringe of Cape Town’s Northern Suburbs. Rodrigues says outdoor enthusiasts will delight in a range of facilities including multipurpose sports fields, a nine-hole mashie golf course, a clubhouse with a tennis court and an expansive canoeing pond, as well as jogging paths and cycle tracks.

Bow Tie prices start from R845,000 for a one-

bedroom apartment and from R1.62m for a twobedroom house (threebedroom options are also available). “The homes combine green building principles, smart design and lush landscaping at a smart price,” Rodrigues says.

Ten minutes from King Shaka International Airport, the sectional title development Parc at Gold Coast Estate in Sibaya Coastal Precinct affords young professionals and families remote working convenience with the option to commute for occasional meetings. And when they’re not working, a subtropical climate and a beach lifestyle sweeten the deal. “It’s the epitome of coastal living – and close to the business hub Umhlanga,” says Rainmaker Marketing director Stephan Botha.

Parc’s two-bedroom villas start from R3.7m. Sectional title is an appealing option for homeowners who don’t fancy the costs or time input of maintaining a freestanding house, and estate security is an obvious benefit.

“KwaZulu-Natal attracts buyers relocating permanently, particularly from Gauteng, but also from Cape Town, Port Elizabeth and East London,” says Greta Daniel, national sales and operations manager for Pam Golding Franchise Services.

PERFECT BALANCE Daniel says demand for homes in Durban North up

to Ballito is consistent in general, but especially for Gauteng family commuters and the growing retirement market relocating to this coastal belt, decentralisation is the new normal.

“The South Coast, with its appealing hamlets – from Scottburgh and Pennington closer to Durban through to Southbroom, San Lameer, Port Shepstone, Margate, Ramsgate and Port Edward down the coast – holds many attractions for home buyers, including semigrators and retirees seeking a coastal lifestyle at an affordable price,” Daniel adds.

Port Elizabeth is another solution for those diverting their focus from unattainable property prices in major metros to a more affordable coastal home. Westbrook Lifestyle Estate MD Clifford Oosthuizen says this destination strikes a balance by offering big-city amenities without some of the more trying aspects associated with many urban metros.

“There are huge discrepancies between house prices by city, meaning buyers often have to sacrifice space for location. For those prepared to make the move, now more feasible than ever with the widespread shift to remote work, estate living is achievable for the price of what would probably get you a small studio flat in the likes of Cape Town,” says Oosthuizen.

Port Elizabeth’s newest suburb Westbrook is currently in development.

The estate has security, walkable streets, parks and play areas, a cycling and running track, schooling and a mixed-use precinct.

The Ridge, the first of nine villages, is completed and sold out. Next in line is River Dale, currently under construction. Here potential investors can buy a threebedroom, two-bathroom freestanding estate home with a double garage at prices starting from R1,335,000.

Unsurprisingly, architects have made design tweaks in residential developments during 2020, as remote working gives many homeowners more flexibility and choice of location.

FNB senior economist Siphamandla Mkhwanazi notes that the pandemic brought about changes in housing specs globally – for example, demand for bigger spaces to facilitate workfrom-home needs. Locally, 2020 surprised many by showing robust homebuying activity. In fact, 2020 registered the highest volume of mortgage approvals in SA in more than a decade.

Stephan Botha reports that residential developers in KwaZulu-Natal are generally incorporating business centres, or pods, and private meeting rooms as part of their communal facility offerings. Back-up power and fibre in a secure estate are a given.

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