Neighbourhood PTA - 26 August 2018

Neighbourhood 26 AUGUST 2018

PROPERTY & LIFESTYLE

On trend One of Pretoria’s oldest suburbs, Menlo Park has managed to revamp itself and stay relevant for students and younger families, too, page 2 2

SUBURB FOCUS: MENLO PARK

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PROPERTY NEWS

26 AUGUST 2018

Neighbourhood

Suburb focus

Menlo Park Here’s what’s happening in property in the area WORDS: BETSIE LOOCK-VAN DER MERWE IMAGES: RENE WALKER & GOOGLE MAPS

*Map not to scale

T

he leafy suburb of Menlo Park forms part of Pretoria’s older, well-established, elite residential region referred to as the Old East. Lying between the inner city and the N1 freeway, with the neighbouring suburbs of Waterkloof, Brooklyn and Lynnwood, Menlo Park boasts a sought-after location in the Jacaranda City.

The suburb is also close to the University of Pretoria and its main roads offer easy access to neighbouring schools, hospitals, business services and large shopping malls like Menlyn Park and Brooklyn Mall.

Dating back to the 1960s, properties in Menlo Park were traditionally built on large stands accommodating affluent residents in spacious family homes. In recent years, the demand for residential property in this central area resulted in many of these stands being subdivided into more than one property, or clusters of small, modern security complexes suitable for today’s urban lifestyle. Properties here still don’t come cheap, but promise good returns.

Trends show a significant drop in properties sold to senior residents above the age of 64, while a hefty 77,7% of recent property buyers in Menlo Park are aged between 18 and 49.

A huge portion of properties currently in the market comprises contemporary, lock-up-and-go, onebedroom apartments with an entrylevel price tag of R1m and more.

As a result of many modern developments and revamps, the suburb today boasts a fresh, trendy look and feel.

Larger luxury units suitable for professional couples or young families can reach a selling price of between R2m and R3m. Sophistication and

Although Menlo Park is geographically relatively small, the suburb has its own schools, community shopping centres, a village square housing a theatre and restaurants, sports amenities, churches, community initiatives and residents’ associations.

MENLOPARK VERF & HARDEWARE

Property

high-tech architecture combined with comfortable and secure living in a beautiful tree-filled environment is the key focus of these new cluster developments.

It’s still possible to find an old-style family home in the hood, though, some of which can do with a little tender loving care and creativity, while others are beautifully renovated and modernised.

Student accommodation is high in demand in the area, and commercial properties and limited vacant land are also available for sale.

Schooling

Menlo Park is the proud home of the top-performing secondary school Hoërskool Menlopark which was established in 1963. The school is situated on a municipal bus route and also offers hostel facilities.

Menlo Park also offers easy access to the acclaimed Pretoria Boys High School and Pretoria High School for Girls, as well as to their Afrikaansmedium counterparts, namely Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool and Afrikaanse Hoër Meisieskool.

Pro Arte Alphen Park is a high school in the area focusing on education in the arts while at the same time offering an academic curriculum. The prestigious TuksSport High School is only a 5km drive from the neighbourhood.

The neighbourhood is close to many convenience stores.

We enjoy attending family-friendly events in the hood, especially the Lions Club’s markets around Christmas in their hall.

Primary schools to consider are Laerskool Menlopark as well as Laerskool Lynnwood, Brooklyn Primary School and Waterkloof Primary School in Menlo Park’s neighbouring suburbs.

In addition to the University of Pretoria, Menlo Park and its surrounds are also

CARMEN MOCKE, RESIDENT

HOSPITALS: • • • • •

Life Groenkloof Hospital Mediclinic Heart Hospital Mediclinic Muelmed Hospital Netcare Jakaranda Hospital Zuid-Afrikaans Hospital

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Visit yourneighbourhood.co.za or call 087 828 0423 Sales & Marketing Manager: Michèle Jones michele.jones@thecreativegroup.info Production (Editorial & Property Advertising): Lucea Goosen pretoria@yourneighbourhood.co.za Online coordinator: Chantelle Balsdon chantelle@augmentcreative.com

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26 AUGUST 2018

Neighbourhood

etoria, also

PROPERTY NEWS

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home to the Campus of Performing Arts, Isa Carstens Academy and the International Hotel School.

Explore

Menlo Park is a young-at-heart, community-oriented neighbourhood with ample recreational and leisure amenities to keep its residents entertained.

Resident Mark Marais says he loves to chill at the Hazel Food Market on Saturday mornings or hangs out at Greenlyn Village Centre, while The Club in Hazelwood, a stone’s throw away from Menlo Park, is his favourite retail and lifestyle centre in the vicinity.

Carmen Mocke, resident and owner of Kids Can Cook Academy, recommends Menlyn Boutique Hotel Restaurant in nearby Ashlea Gardens for a modern fine-dining experience.

FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT

SHOP:

EAT:

• Menlo SuperSpar: local grocery store • Greenlyn Village Centre: mostly entertainment and restaurants • Menlyn Park Shopping Centre: comprehensive shopping facilities close by • Brooklyn Mall: all-inclusive upmarket centre just up the road from Menlo Park • Lynnpark Shopping Centre: local convenience shops and stores

• Dros Atterbury: rustic chain braai restaurant and wine cellar • Modern Italian Kitchen: especially famous for their pizza • The Daily Coffee Cafe: renowned for its five-senses coffee • Eisbein & Co: traditional German cuisine • Zest Bistro: family-run cosy French bistro • Heavenly Coffees: boutique coffee roastery

Greenlyn Village Centre in the heart of Menlo Park also homes the Brooklyn Theatre where lovers of performing arts can watch their favourite musicals or other performances. The state-ofthe-art Atterbury Theatre is situated just across the road from Menlo Park in Lynnwood Manor, while the nearby Menlyn Shopping Centre and Brooklyn Mall both have movie theatres.

The neighbourhood is home to the Menlo-Alkant Tennis Club as well as Menlo Park Wrestling Club. Pretoria Country Club is just a few blocks from Menlo Park and offers golfing, bowling, tennis, squash and bridge.

THE DAILY COFFEE CAFE

For sale

For rent

Median asking price:

Median asking price:

R2,8m

R13,900

Monthly bond repayments

For a typical property (three-bedroom house)

For a typical property (two-bedroom apartment)

For a typical property in this area

R2,3m

R1,72m

R2,85m

In a complex

For an apartment

For a house

You’ll pay

R27,021

R18,000

R12,500

R18,600

In a complex

For an apartment

For a house

per month

53%

Property type:

Property type:

house

apartment

25%

SHOW HOUSE

R2,8m

44%

median asking price

apartment

22%

over a period of 20 years at 10% prime

complex

33% house

Based on

22%

ool n the g an ious km

imary chool urbs.

 

26 August 2018, Sunday 14:00 - 17:00 NEW ON THE MARKET!!

This beautiful, stylishly renovated home with extreme security is going to sell fast! Do not delay to view!

complex

Menlo Park R 3 700 000 482 Mackenzie Street

Open plan living, surrounded by a manageable, low maintenance garden. Ex-Diplomat home with all the security measures you can think of.

Three bedrooms, 2 bathrooms + Open plan living areas flowing onto a covered patio and large sparkling salt chlorinated pool.

A gem with lots of natural light streaming in. Centrally situated between all schools in Menlo Park & Lynnwood, with quick access to the N1, and major shopping centres.

Awaiting your call to view! So much more than meets the eye...

House size - 350m2 Stand - 1123m2

Zandra Labuschagne 082 773 0791 zandral@aidapta.co.za

Everything we touch turns to sold @

Web Id - 25821 Maria Prelorenzo 082 490 1557 mariap@aidapta.co.za

Menlyn loves fashion. Menlyn loves local. We are proud to host the South African season of Project Runway. Experience the best of local and international fashion. Join us for weekly Challenge Showdowns at Menlyn Park with Project Runway and you could win great prizes. Saturdays from 1 September to 6 October 2018 between 12h00 – 13h00 in the Ackermans Court.

Experience more at

www.menlynpark.co.za

R\VERBED 10080 1907

The home of

Neighbourhood

My business neighbourhood Vuyela Pop-up Boutique sells unique, local clothes and furniture in Rietondale WORDS: WORDS: ZENA LE ROUX

IMAGES: SUPPLIED

NEXT POP-UP: Join Saranie at the next Vuyela Pop-up Boutique on Friday, 31 August. Email her to receive your invitation.

S

aranie Harvey runs a seasonal pop-up boutique from her home where she sells unique clothes and furniture from South African designers. This way she creates a platform in her neighbourhood for people to connect and enjoy a cup of coffee or even a glass of bubbly while they peruse the wares. She tells us more about her unique shopping experience.

Q: How did your business start?

A: I started with this initiative almost three years ago as I struggled to find clothes that I liked in any chain stores. It was also a challenge to find good-quality craftsmanship in furniture (Industrial by Nature is one of the furniture designers I showcase). After doing a bit of research, I discovered some South African designers who make the most beautiful clothes and furniture. That’s when I decided to start hosting pop-up boutiques. I run the Vuyela Popup Boutique seasonally with the next instalment taking place on 31 August. There will be a new surprise designer on showcase – hint: she often appears on SA Fashion Week and caters to women over 35 with fuller figures.

Q: Why did you choose this area to set up shop?

A: I run the pop-up boutiques from

my home in Rietondale. I choose this area to live in because of the lovely park and the beautiful trees.

It also works great for the pop-up boutiques as many of the women who live in the area enjoy the convenience of buying clothing in a home environment rather than going to a shopping centre or mall.

Q: How did you find your premises?

A: A n estate agent assisted us in finding the property. I simply clear the lounge and dining room and have enough space to put clothing rails up.

Q: Why are they ideally suited to your business?

A: I run my business from home and it is ideal as I don’t have the expense of renting a premise. The lounge and dining room have a great flow to the outside deck where visitors can enjoy coffee or bubbles while connecting with like-minded people. There’s also enough space for people to move about without feeling too crowded.

Q: Who are your neighbours?

A: Residential owners.

Q: What are the rental/sales prices like in this area?

A: It has always been quite affordable, but it went up since

the Department of International Relations and Cooperation building was built in Soutpansberg Road.

Q: How many people visit your business each day?

A: I can expect about 50 to 60 people at any of my events.

Q: Do you have any expansion plans?

A: I am working on a few new ideas, but so far, I have been very lucky in the sense that the business promoted itself. My customers tend to tell other customers, and so the business grows.

Q: Do you operate online as well?

A: No – I’m only the distributor, but the fashion designers all operate online.

Q: What’s your most popular item?

A: It must be the unique style and bold artistic prints of Sway, they are Cape Town-based designers.

SEE FOR YOURSELF: Vuyela Pop-up Boutique 082 771 5466 saranie@iafrica.com

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PROPERTY NEWS RETIREMENT FOCUS

26 AUGUST 2018

Current property market in Randburg

E

loise de Stefanis, residential sales director, Seeff Randburg, says even though the year started off with positive predictions, the marketplace has been slow.

“The market in Randburg changed rapidly from a seller’s market at the end of 2017 to a full-blown buyer’s market at present. Even though stock levels were low at the beginning of the year, we are now experiencing a more stable market with reasonable stock levels. Buyers, however, show a reduced appetite for commitment.”

De Stefanis ascribes this to the political climate in the past few months followed by a tough and challenging climate in the property industry as a whole.

“The average price band of properties advertised in the Randburg trading area is currently at around R1,8m, while the average

sales price for 2018 is R1,5m. The most important factor for sellers remains to price their properties correctly from the start. The banks’ lending criteria is favourable for first-time buyers and we are regularly getting 100% bonds approved in Randburg. This is stimulating the property market and allowing sales to continue.”

De Stefanis concludes that the next six months will probably show a slow, but positive growth in the Randburg area.

“While we don’t expect a fun fare, we are confident that professional agents have the opportunity to grow their market share and add value to serious sellers and buyers.

The political climate has cooled down and regardless of what surprises lie ahead, we expect an uptick in business and higher levels of consumer confidence to spill over to the property market.”

Your home may well be your most valuable asset and your insurance is what looks after that asset. Always look at getting professional advice and assistance in choosing your insurance when securing your home through a financial services institute.

MIKE GREEFF, CEO, GREEFF CHRISTIE’S INTERNATIONAL REAL ESTATE

Neighbourhood

The demand for student housing on the rise in Cape Town A ccording to StudentatHome, Cape Town has seen a stream of national and international students coming into the city to further their education at tertiary institutes.

This has caused a high demand for student lodging, especially for the private accommodation sector, due to universities and colleges not being able to accommodate all the students.

There is an influx of student developments in the city seeing property developers rapidly responding to the needs of the market. “There is not

only a South African demand; there is a worldwide need for quality student accommodation,” explains Emily Whitefield, CEO, StudentAtHome.

“Private student accommodation is a growing property opportunity in South Africa, with over 30,000 students currently studying in the city centre,” says Whitefield. “There is significant evidence within the current situation that the private sector will become progressively more involved in student housing, as it isn’t only viable, but are among the most attractive

investments one can currently make in South Africa,” says Cédric Le Bon, sales manager and senior broker, Greeff Christie’s International Real Estate.

The CBD, in particular, has seen a boom for all types of accommodation, but students will see high rent rates due to the general high standard of living.

“Another big factor which has increased the rental and sales prices in the CBD has been the profitability of short-term holiday rentals which has in effect created a shortage of available apartments for long-term rentals, including student accommodation,” Le Bon explains.

Eco-friendly estate in Umhlanga

K

indlewood Estate in Mount Edgecombe on the KwaZuluNatal North Coast is designed to meet the needs of all lifestyles and ages – from first-time buyers to retired couples.

The estate has incorporated sustainable design features such as grey-water harvesting and solar energy and offers walking paths and wetland areas with indigenous flora and fauna.

Leisure facilities include a lap pool, tennis court and children’s play area.

The development has electrified perimeter fencing, camera surveillance and permanent gate monitoring. “In just more than a decade, Kindlewood has grown into an inviting, environmentally friendly estate which has homes and facilities suited to every phase of life,” says Mondli Msani, development manager, Tongaat Hulett Developments.

The estate comprises Norfolk Valley, The Links, Kindlewood Crest, The Kindles, Kariwood, Edenwood, The Wolds and the newly launched Mount Edgecombe Retirement Village.

The estate is close to Umhlanga Ridge, the Gateway Theatre of Shopping and other evolving retail facilities, becoming a residential location of choice for many people working within the greater Umhlanga area.

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