The Pezula Private Castle on Noetzie Beach in Knysna is for sale through Seeff Properties.

Alan Evans, principal of Seeff Knysna, says this luxury private beach residence was voted best property in the world at the CNBC International Property Awards in Orlando in 2008, and Noetzie Beach has been voted one of the three top beaches in South Africa.

Priced at R56m, this house is built into the cliff-face and offers direct beach access. The entire castle complex offers five spacious luxury suites in three separate castles, all with sumptuous bathrooms, vast living areas and private terraces overlooking the beach.

The main castle stands in its own private garden with direct access to the secluded beach, and has two living rooms with wood-burning fireplaces, a 10-seater dining room and three spacious suites. Facilities include a heated rim-flow pool, a thatched gazebo perched on the rocks, huge terraces with panoramic views of beach and sea, and a gym. The suites have walk-in wardrobes, individual climate control and Wi-Fi Internet connectivity, and lead out through double doors onto private terraces. The bathrooms have walk-in wardrobes, and heated marble floors and towel rails.

Adjacent to the main castle is the honeymoon castle. Totally secluded and private, it is decorated as a luxury beach apartment in shades of cream and blue with quirky accessories that give it a nautical flavour. Downstairs the honeymoon castle’s open-plan living area has a dining room, a kitchen, a lounge with a wood-burning fireplace and an adjoining bathroom. The living area opens onto a wide terrace shaded with a rustic reed canopy alongside a heated plunge pool.

Upstairs there is a large bedroom with a wood-burning fireplace and a huge bathroom with heated marble floors.

The cliff castle, set against the cliff face above the main castle, has panoramic views of the beach and sea.

Evans says the entire property forms part of the accommodation for the Pezula Hotel, Spa & Golf course. It is owned in a company and is part of the hotel letting units. The castles are let out at more than R100 000 a night including meals and drinks served by a private butler and a chauffeur service to the hotel and resort facilities. A buyer for the castles can continue the letting arrangements currently in place.

Call Alan Evans on 083 308 2595 or email alane@seeff.com.

Anne Porter Knight Frank is marketing a home in Rondebosch that has two remarkable “extras”, one of which would be unlikely to crop up more than once every century.

The home has a 300 year old 9m deep well – in itself not such an unusual feature – but this well just might have treasure buried in the silt that lies at its bottom.

“The unconfirmed story,” says Sylvia Muzzell of Anne Porter Knight Frank, “is that after Napoleon died on St Helena – to the end closely guarded by British troops – his steward settled in South Africa and owned this property. He was a married man but not always faithful to his wife who, on discovering that he had had a liaison with another lady, threw the jewellery that he had given her down the well, from where, it is said, it has never been recovered.”

Any recovery, she says, would be difficult because the well has several metres of water in it year-round. Although this is used to irrigate the garden it has never dried up. Getting to the base of the well would, therefore, probably involve employing a diver.

“It is, of course, quite possible that the story is totally apocryphal or that any jewels there are of minimal value – but who knows.”

The house is on the steep slopes of Devils Peak and within two minutes’ walk of UCT’s Middle Campus. However, as it is not on a through road, it is exceptionally quiet and peaceful.

“The house is deceptive,” says Jeanne Cowan, also of Anne Porter Knight Frank, “because from the street it looks like a small English cottage. On entering, you discover that over the years the owners have built extensively on the lower slopes and have created a home that is, in fact, big enough for two families: it has four bedrooms, three bathrooms, four living rooms, a study, a pool and ample parking space.”

The home has all the much-admired features of an earlier era: high ceilings, sash windows, Oregon pine floors, solid wood doors and cast iron fireplaces. Full length windows on main living rooms opens out the views of Devil’s Peak and the southern spine of the Table Mountain range.

The owner has said that homes in this street tend not to be sold but are usually passed on from one generation of the family to another.

“We are, therefore, breaking with the tradition,” she says, “but we do hope the new owners will appreciate the home as much as we do.”

Trix Pienaar’s holiday home on a slightly elevated 987 m2 plot in Pringle Bay is for sale through Seeff Pringle Bay at R3.2m.

‘Trix se Trein’ is across the road from the beach, with north west-facing sea views. This home includes and is built around half a first-class train coach and a whole second-class coach for personnel, originally bought at an auction with four others, to be used in a TV series directed by Dirk de Villiers. The whole series took place in the coaches, and when it finished, Trix bought one of them. The interior of the coach is all Burmese teak, with original fixtures and fittings.

MD of Seeff Pringle Bay, John du Toit, says Trix began her train house in 1976 and it took over a year to complete. It was one of the first houses in Pringle Bay.

The coach was transported by road from Franschhoek, and came along the Gordon’s Bay coastal road before it was tarred. This part of the journey alone took a whole day, and Trix has a movie of this which will be put on to DVD for the buyer of this property.

“The coach house was designed by architect Chris de Hart, who was involved in the restoration of Long Street in Cape Town to its original state. The only craftsmen qualified enough to work with the solid Burmese teak interior were Malay master carpenters from Cape Town. They did all the woodwork without electricity as there was none in Pringle Bay in those days. The original teak and leather were used to make built-in cupboards and fittings and transform the coach into a home. Even the kitchen fridge is covered with leather.

“Trix and her friends spent several years going to auctions to buy original SA Railways fittings and fixtures and various loose items. For example, the house has an original teak waiting bench from some station, two teak chairs from a station waiting room, and lamps from trains are used as lighting. Over the years most of the who’s who in acting as well as artists have visited Trix there. The house, like its owner, has lots of history.”

Inside ‘Trix se Trein’.

This home consists of a single garage, three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen and dining area with on original railways dining table, and an enclosed veranda with an indoor braai. There is a walk-in closet (one of the single compartments), and the home runs on electricity, apart from the gas-heated geyser.

Du Toit says besides making an unusual holiday home for someone, especially if they have kids, it will be an excellent investment for some entrepreneur to make substantial holiday/weekend rental income, as the property is sure to prove popular with tourists.

Call MD John du Toit on 084 460 6070; 028 273 8808, or email pringlebay@seeff.com.

The Airlie Country Pre-school in Constantia is for sale at R5,5 million, along with the main house to which it is attached.

Greeff Properties’ Constantia agent, Janine Stevenson, says she and her directors very much want to see the school continue for years to come.

“It was started in 1974 and has been nurtured by its three owners who have dedicated time and love to its creation. The sense of welcome is almost tangible as you enter the school gates and many children have passed happily through it on their way to formal schooling.

“The school consists of three large and spacious classrooms with a large garden in which the children are allowed to run freely. The classrooms and the garden are equipped to develop the whole child and all amenities are planned to allow the school to function effectively and efficiently.”

She says the main house has been renovated to capture the feel of an old farm house, and its origins date back to the original Airlie Homestead. Features include an open plan living area space with wooden beams and high ceilings, a refurbished kitchen and three bedrooms, all with wooden floors, built in cupboards and doors opening onto an outside living area. There is secure off-street parking for 16 cars.

The Bloomberg luxury beachfront complex in Camps Bay is for sale at R30m through Seeff Camps Bay.

Seeff’s Renette Israeli says a landmark beach villa hotel like this is not often available in Camps Bay – they are sought after by investors but rarely available. This one is on the Camps Bay promenade, just 10 metres from the beach.

Currently managed as a five-star self-catering hotel, The Bloomberg has nine furnished one-bedroom apartments with fitted kitchens, air-conditioning and DSTV. All apartments have sea views and there is a sea-facing swimming pool in the complex. The units each sleep four, and have one en suite bedroom and sleeper couches in the living rooms. Units are furnished in neutral shades.

Security features include locks at the main entrance and direct access from the lift. Parking is a hot commodity on the Camps Bay promenade, and The Bloomberg has 13 undercover secure basement bays.

“The Bloomberg is being sold as a single property, but a sectional title register has been opened for the building, so the new owners could sell off flats individually if they choose. Income-generation options vary from a high daily rate (in and out of season) to weekly or monthly rentals.”

She says The Bloomberg is ideally suited to individual holiday travellers, small families and corporate vacations. Companies or film crews could book the entire complex or several units.

An historic property, Ferry House in Old Belvidere on the west bank of the Knysna Lagoon, is for sale through Seeff Knysna.

Nestled in a private, sheltered, sunny spot on the water’s edge of the Knysna lagoon, Ferry House is set in over 11 000 m2 of trees and lawns and has 210 m of lagoon frontage.

Alan Evans of Seeff Knysna, says this property includes a main house as well as three secluded guest cottages, a boathouse and two jetties.

“With sailing, skiing, boating, canoeing and fishing on your doorstep – in places the property boundary pegs are in the lagoon – Ferry House is perfect for a secure, relaxed indoor-outdoor lifestyle.”

Ferry House’s tradition of hospitality spans 150 years, having been an inn and pub from 1856 to 1930. It is in the Belvidere area, which was established in 1830 when George Rex (the founder of Knysna) sold a farm named Belvidere to his son-in-law for the £750.

Ferry House was built between 1850 and 1854 from local bricks, yellowwood and thatch which was later replaced by imported corrugated iron. The deep water anchorage, 50m from the front door, was a popular loading point for sailing ships.

By the 1860s and 1870s the area was a hive of activity – a shop and a pub were in full swing and beds were available for sailors, travellers and late-night revellers. After World War I the nearby forests were almost depleted of indigenous timber and, without the regular visits of sailors and timber men, the inn became quieter. In the 1930s it became a private home. However, Ferry House remained a landmark visited by prominent travellers and explorers, and called at different times Ferry Inn, Brighton Hotel, Roberts Hotel and The Landing.

“Today Ferry House retains the charm of a bygone era and is well-maintained,” says Evans. “The collection of buildings comprising Ferry House trace its history. The main double-storey Georgian wing was once the dining room and pub below the owners’ quarters. The Victorian verandas and balcony were later additions. The present dining room and Lagoon Cottage were the Brighton Hotel guest accommodation. The kitchen and staff complex are 1920s colonial wood and iron. Ferry Cottage is part of the shop and timber store, extended during World War II by ship owner, Skipper Wenborne, as he waited for the return of his wife Grace who was interned in France by the Nazis. Rose Cottage was the original servant’s quarters.”

Property A (3 981 m2) includes the main house, Lagoon Cottage and Rose Cottage. On the ground floor the main house has a living room opening onto a wide veranda and outdoor living area facing the pool, study, library, dining room, kitchen, breakfast nook and pantry, foyer, laundry, staff accommodation and toilets, and on the first floor a master bedroom with a private balcony, a dressing room, a second bedroom and two bathrooms.

Lagoon Cottage has a main en suite bedroom and a second bedroom, both opening onto a veranda, with a guest toilet. Rose Cottage has a main en suite bedroom, a second bedroom, a living room and a garden patio. There is also a single garage and two double carports, a swimming pool and a Victorian fishpond.

Property B (7 427 m2), on a separate erf with an alternative entrance, includes Ferry Cottage, a large boathouse and modern double garage with a loft. The cottage has two bedrooms and a living room opening onto a vine-covered pergola, a bathroom and a kitchenette. Evans says the boathouse could be converted into a waterfront cottage. The double garage has a separate store, loft accommodation with a balcony, and a workshop. Plans have been approved for a second house to be built on this stand.

Evans says this property offers a number of different options for the canny investor.

“Both properties may be bought for R11.9m. This includes property A , Ferry House and two cottages on one stand and property B, Ferry cottage and boathouse on the adjoining stand. Or the main house and the two cottages (property A) can be bought on its own for R7.9m. The adjoining stand has building plans approved for a second house.

“A property like this rarely comes on the market, especially in a much sought after suburb like Old Belvidere which has magnificent lagoon views and a north-facing aspect. It will make an ideal home for an executive family wishing to move to a quieter life in Knysna. The present owner will however have to approve any prospective buyers, since he insists that they appreciate and are sensitive to the property’s character and history,” says Evans.

Call Alan Evans on 083 308 2595 or email alane@seeff.com.

At this time of the year, the mountainous regions of the Western and Eastern Cape offer home buyers cosy winter getaways with scenic slow-clad vistas and the promise of crackling log fires.

Wayne Rubidge, Pam Golding Properties (PGP) area principal for the Karoo and North Eastern Cape regions says the popular mountainous areas include the Western Cape’s Klein Karoo, in particular in the vicinity of the Swartberg Mountains where towns such as Prince Albert, one of the Karoo’s most exclusive towns, are highly sought after among home buyers from around the country. In this town, over the past eight months PGP has sold 12 properties worth a total R13 million with the highest price being R2.7 million for a historic Karoo home.

He says the Eastern Cape arguably has the best snow, particularly around Rhodes in the Southern Drakensburg and the mountainous area north of Graaff-Reinet, which annually receives heavy snowfalls  and is transformed into a ‘little Switzerland’ for a couple of weeks each year. Snow towns include the picturesque villages of Rhodes, Lady Grey and Nieu Bethesda.

“Mountain getaways and small farms above 3 500 feet are the most popular category of property when it comes to snow in sun-rich South Africa. Probably because of our abundance of sunny days, images of picture-perfect snow scenes, exhilarating crisp, clean air, log fires and the accompaniments of winter add appeal to this special category of property.

“Buyers from South Africa and Europe have realised the advantages of this type of property. These include a healthy climate, abundant mountain spring water supplied to the underground aquifers by the melting snow, and beautiful mountain scenery with snow-capped peaks which grace the landscape,” says Rubidge.

Snowy mountain properties in the Karoo Highlands ranges, which form part of the great escarpment, are priced from R2 000 – R5 000 a hectare. These include a 844 ha property in Nieu Bethesda with views of the snowcapped Compassberg, which is the highest peak in the Cape Province at 8 200 feet. Priced at R2.98 million, this property has the remnants of an old stone motel that was used in the days of ox wagons trekking north into the interior, as well as a river running through it.

On the northern slopes of the Sneeuberg Mountain Range is a 300 ha property which is part of a 2 000 ha private nature reserve with a watermill that needs restoration and a historic shed with reed ceilings and cobbled floor. This property is priced at R2.8m.

On special promotion is an investment opportunity in the 5 000 ha High Karoo Park which is surrounded by the highest peaks in the Northern Cape Province. This property has abundant water that filters from the snow capped mountains into the fountains and streams. A 10% shareholding in the High Karoo Park can be acquired for US$250 000, and this includes the right to use existing historic farmhouses, or you can refurbish your own stone cottage.

In the North Eastern Cape near Rhodes, home of the first South African ski resort, is a 222 ha farm with 1.5km of river frontage with wild trout fishing. There is mountain spring water for the house, which is furnished and has 3G cellphone reception. The farm is for sale at R3.5 million through Pam Golding Properties.

“Mostly grassland in nature, the vegetation in most of these mountain ranges changes as the altitude gradient increases. Wildlife and nature are the sought after experience with hiking, horse riding, trout fishing popular activities. Game in these areas can include species such as zebra and other grazers that thrive on high altitude grassland plateaux. Wingshooting and birding are also popular in these pristine mountainous regions with clean air, fresh water and an unforgettable environment,” says Rubidge.

Visit www.karooproperty.co.za, email karoo@pamgolding.co.za or call Wayne Rubidge on 082 4329 364.

With Gauteng city dwellers continuing to seek easily accessible weekend getaway properties – particularly those with appealing leisure activities – the Vaal Dam area has the rare advantage of offering water sports and game viewing, says Phil Medlock, area principal for Pam Golding Properties.

“This is set to be the next ‘hot’ area in which to invest. City residents are looking for breakaway investment properties without having to drive hundreds of kilometres and here they can experience bush, wildlife and waterfront activities within a two-hour drive of central Gauteng,” he says.

Pam Golding Properties is marketing a 200ha game farm on one of the quietest parts of the dam with over three kilometres of water frontage an easy 90 minute drive from central Gauteng.

“Currently used by a syndicate as a weekend getaway, the farm is an ideal investment as it has 15 approved 2 ha subdivisions, each with 100 metres of water frontage, as well as a four bedroom farmhouse manager’s home, various outbuildings, boreholes and pumping rights for the dam.

“It is very unusual to find a property with such extensive dam frontage, and the subdivisions are already approved following a rezoning process, which can take anything up to four years to complete. This farm offers a very sound return on the investment of R17 million. The farm is game-fenced with quality grazing and over 180 head of game, and comes equipped with a tractor and farming implements,” says Medlock.

Another game farm on the market is situated on 200 ha with over 300 head of different species of game and with scenic views over the dam. Run as a self-catering guest farm it can accommodate up to 26 people in various forms of accommodation ranging from bush camps to a farmhouse, as well as two converted silos. There are also mini-conferencing facilities, making this an ideal breakaway venue. Game-fenced and with its own large dam, there is excellent game viewing over walking trails or by vehicle. Over 100 species of birds have been identified on the farm, which forms part of a conservancy.

Says Medlock: “In addition to the game a further 60 ha has been set aside for cattle grazing. Well situated just 70km from OR Tambo Airport this well run and well maintained farm has huge potential for expansion. It is priced at R6.99 million.”

Another game farm listed by PGP is set on 780 ha in the Frankfort district, about 150km from Johannesburg. Renowned as one of the best hunting farms in the Free State, this fenced game farm is in superb condition and run as a going concern with lodge accommodation as well as caravan and camping sites, and is popular among hunters during winter. With its own large dam and scenic views this game farm is priced at R15 million.

Call Phil Medlock on 082 784 7355 or 016 3711489 or email phil.medlock@pamgolding.co.za.

Kingna Lodge, a historic boutique lodge in the town of Montagu and personal choice of past presidents and Nobel Peace Prize winners Nelson Mandela and FW De Klerk, is for sale.

Established in 1898, Kingna Lodge offers six en suite antique filled Victorian bedrooms, all individually decorated to enhance the 100 year old Victorian building.

This property is for sale at R7.5 million and is to be sold lock, stock and barrel, says Len Pears, director of Quagga Property Brokers.

“The property is private and secure with a magnificent garden in park settings where you can relax to the sounds of fountains and running water. A private enclosed swimming pool, a historical wine bar, a Victorian library and a covered veranda add to the grace and elegance associated with a Grand Victorian Villa built in 1898.”

Kingna Lodge offers conference facilities as well as wedding and function facilities. It has an established international and local clientele, who take full advantage of the lodge’s proximity to all attractions in Montagu.

Call Len Pears on 021 712 8825 or 08 28 28 28 58 or visit www.quaggapropertybrokers.co.za.

“I am told that almost one third of South Africa’s sectional title schemes have financial problems – and in most cases the trustees are blamed for this, particularly when they have allowed some members to default on levy payments.

“Body corporate members seem to forget that the trustees are also shareholders in these schemes, that they face difficult challenges and that their fortunes are also linked to the success or failure of the scheme. It is also often forgotten that they are unpaid volunteers.”

She says body corporate members also often fail to recognise and accept the financial realities of sectional title schemes. These are that the body corporate has general insurance, maintenance, gardening, electricity and other expenses, over and above those paid by members on their units, and these have to be paid for by the levies.

“Members often also do not accept that these costs rise each year, and that levies have to rise in line with them. Sometimes the reaction to the inevitable levy increases is so negative that members default on their payments. Those doing this should take note that a new High Court ruling has laid it down that members who don’t pay their levies – no matter what their complaint or problem – are acting contrary to the law and are liable for their arrears and for compound interest charge on them.”

Sectional title schemes with unhealthy balance sheets are often red-lined by the banks, making it impossible for new buyers to get bonds to buy units in the complex.

“All body corporate members should, from day one, be involved with their trustees’ affairs and ensure that they are keeping the scheme on a safe path – paying their debts, maintaining the complex and ensuring that it is secure. If this is done, the value of their sectional title units will appreciate fast, because it is in this category that demand for the next decade will be strongest,” says Steward.

An award-winning wine estate is for sale in the Franschhoek Valley through Pam Golding Properties at R39 million.

The 34ha Môreson Estate is spread across three separate title deeds. The farm lies on the Happy Valley Road in a quiet corner of the valley, alongside the Franschhoek River. It forms part of the ‘Golden Mile’ of leading wine estates, with close neighbours including La Motte and Eikehof.

Môreson was established in 1986 and its first wines bottled in 1994. Since then, it has come to be recognised as one of the country’s leading estates, winning numerous local and international awards. A total of 15ha is planted to vineyards, including Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay varietals. The estate buys in its red grapes from other farms, crushing them on site to produce numerous acclaimed wines including their famous Môreson Pinotage – its 2008 vintage has just been awarded 4½ stars in WINE magazine’s annual category tasting.

The sandy soil, warm summers and wet winters provide the ideal terroir for the production of some 210 000 litres of wine a year – around 24 000 cases.

Beside its wines, Môreson is also increasingly well known for its restaurant, Bread and Wine, which is outsourced and independently run by the team at Le Quartier Francais. The restaurant is open daily, and also offers bread-making and other cookery classes, and caters for private functions, including the many country weddings held on the farm.

PGP’s area manager for the Franschhoek Valley, Surina du Toit, says the farm’s main homestead is a modern Spanish-style home with over 700 m2 of living space, in lush gardens with many mature trees.

“There are five en suite bedrooms in the house, and a separate guest suite housed in a tower, along with a private underground wine storage cellar. The home has several large entertainment rooms, including a bar and snooker room, and is wireless-enabled with high-speed internet access,” she says.

“It is also air-conditioned and has under-floor heating. There is a farmstyle kitchen with a separate laundry, a 20m swimming pool, floodlit tennis court and a purpose-built gymnasium with a sauna. There are also numerous other buildings on the property – totalling over 6 200 m2 of built space. These include executive offices with their own boardroom and conference room, the 350 tonne winery, cellar and tasting areas, as well as 14 other dwellings suitable for staff, guests or corporate use.”

PGP’s MD for the Boland and Overberg regions, Annien Borg, says the farm has its own private grass airstrip and hangar for easy access by air, and has ample water supply and excellent security.

Call James Visser on 021 871 1480 or 082 578 2161.

The developers of the luxury Cape Town hotel, 15 on Orange, have released the building’s final four penthouse apartments for sale.

The first eight penthouses were quickly snapped up by buyers with an eye for artistic design and prime location, and are almost ready for occupation. Pam Golding Properties is marketing the remaining units.

Buyers will have access to the full range of luxury hotel services and amenities, from housekeeping, butlers and room service to valet parking and the in-house spa and wellness centre. The apartments range in price from R6.8 million to R20 million.

PGP’s area manager for the City Bowl and Atlantic Seaboard, Basil Moraitis, says the hotel, which opened in late 2009, is already setting a new benchmark for exclusive hospitality and ultra-modern style.

“The 15 on Orange hotel is in the heart of Cape Town’s diplomatic and legal district, close to museums, the Company’s Gardens, the Labia Theatre, and several popular restaurants and night-spots. Its lounges and cocktail bar are already among the leading spots for sundowners and after-work drinks.”

PGP’s MD for the Western Cape metro region, Laurie Wener, says the four penthouses represent the last opportunity to secure a stylish rooftop apartment with excellent security and every possible convenience at your fingertips – not to mention magnificent views over Cape Town.

When not in use, residents’ apartments can be added to the hotel rental pool, managed through the central reservation system, and earn rental income. Wener says the apartments would also be ideal purchases for diplomats and legal professionals, given their proximity to several embassies and the courts.

The four apartments offer a choice of two- and three-bedroom layouts, and some have private swimming pools. They range in size from 180 m2 to 337 m2, and each comes with two secure undercover parking bays.

PGP will be holding an expo in the hotel’s foyer until July 11, showcasing the penthouse apartments as well as other properties from its Atlantic Seaboard and City Bowl portfolio.

One of Wellington’s oldest properties is for sale, located on Burg Street in the very heart of the scenic Cape Winelands town.

Pam Golding Properties is marketing Twist Niet, a portion of one of the town’s original farms dating back to the early 1800s. The original homestead still stands on the 4 400 m2 property, which is for sale at R8 million.

The Wellington valley was settled by French Huguenot farmers in the late 17th century. Originally named Limietvallei, they later called it Val du Charron (Wagonmakers’ Valley) – but it was renamed Wellington in 1840 by the British governor, Sir George Napier, in honour of the Duke of Wellington’s victory over Napoleon at Waterloo in 1815.

One of the valley’s original farms was the property named Champagne, a 25ha farm lying on the banks of the Spruit River. The farm was granted to the Huguenot Herculé Verdeaux in 1699 by Cape governor Simon van der Stel, and became renowned for its beautiful orchards and vineyards.

In 1768 it was bought by Daniel Retief, uncle of the famous Great Trek leader, Piet Retief. The land was divided into two portions in 1801, one of which was bought by Gabriel Hermanus le Roux, and which later became known as Twist Niet. It was le Roux who probably built the T-shaped Cape Dutch homestead some time around 1811, which still stands today. A church was built on the other portion of the original farm in the 1830s, and the Wellington CBD grew up around this centre. Today the town has a population of around 50 000 people, and is renowned for its wine, brandy, olives, berries and citrus fruit, as well as some of the country’s best dried fruit.

The homestead on Twist Niet was declared a national monument in 1967. At some point in its history, probably the late 1800s, it was renovated in the Victorian style, with the original thatched roof being replaced with an iron one, and the original windows replaced with sash windows. However many of the original Cape Dutch features remain, including the thick walls, gables bearing the date 1811, the original front doorframe and fireplaces, as well as many of the ceilings.

PGP’s area manager for Wellington, Surina du Toit, says this makes the property an ideal purchase for those with a love of restoring old homes.

“There is huge potential for this property to be restored to its former glory,” she says, “and it could make a beautiful setting for an authentic Cape Dutch guesthouse, a restaurant, or perhaps corporate headquarters. Alternatively it would make a wonderful family home.”

PGP’s MD for the Boland and Overberg regions, Annien Borg, says: “The importance and charm of this property lies as much in its history as in its architecture. But with the proper love and attention, it could be restored to its true Cape Dutch heritage.”

The house has four bedrooms and three bathrooms, and the master suite has its own dressing room. There are three reception rooms as well as a loft space which could be converted into an office or additional bedroom. The farmstyle kitchen has a separate scullery and laundry. The large garden is watered by two boreholes and includes huge oak trees and a swimming pool. The home is protected by perimeter fencing and a security gate as well as an alarm system.

Call Lynette Kannemeyer on 082 672 1022, or 021 873 4557 or email wellington@pamgolding.co.za.

Under R3 million for luxury living on the urban edge

The developers of The Orangerie in Gardens, Cape Town, have released the final units in the complex.

Situated at the top of the Company’s Gardens, next to the Mount Nelson Hotel, the complex occupies 8 000 m2 of land, and consists of 94 apartments in a tranquil green environment with a central waterway as one of its highlights.

Pam Golding Properties is marketing the final 13 units, which consist of one- and two-bedroom apartments, including two penthouse units, ranging in size from 69 m2 to 127 m2 and priced from R1.85 million to R3.050 million.

PGP’s area manager for the City Bowl and Atlantic Seaboard, Basil Moraitis, says The Orangerie is now complete and has been landscaped.

“The owner mix already includes a number of young professionals as well as overseas-based buyers who intend to use their apartments for holiday purposes,” he says.

“There are a number of expatriate South Africans and some investment buyers who intend earning rental income from the property. The final apartments that are now available for sale all have secure undercover parking bays, and include some garden units as well as upper-floor apartments with balconies to maximise the mountain and city views.”

PGP’s MD for the Western Cape metro region, Laurie Wener, says the location is a major drawcard for this complex.

“There are not many opportunities to acquire brand new homes in the heart of a heritage precinct. The Orangerie is surrounded on all sides by historic buildings like the Mount Nelson, the Labia Theatre and the University of Cape Town’s Hiddingh campus. It is close to new hotel, 15 on Orange, and is also within walking distance of Kloof Street with its boutiques, lifestyle stores and restaurants. It is an easy walk to the national museum, the planetarium and St George’s Cathedral – as well as the legal district, making this an ideal purchase for legal professionals who want to live close to work.”

On July 15, two northern suburb properties with retail and office space belonging to the King Financial Services group will be offered on the auction floor.

Both properties are liquidation sales and are situated close to an abundance of prime real estate, including office complexes with a variety of businesses, restaurants, car dealerships, and a number of head offices of various large national corporations.

The first property, 255 Durban Road, is a1 170m² building consisting of a ground-floor retail car showroom, first-floor office space and basement parking with 14 bays. The retail showroom has standard accommodation, with partitioned office space off the showroom floor, a reception area, three partitioned office suites, a kitchenette and ablution facilities.

The office space consists of a first-floor reception entrance, with offices, a kitchenette and entertainment room opening up off either side.

The ground-floor showroom tenant is Barloworld South Africa, which has expressed an interest in renewing its lease. The first-floor office space and basement parking are open for new tenants.

Checkers Midville shopping centre in Durbanville

The second property, Checkers Midville Durbanville shopping centre, is in the heart of Durbanville, close to other successful shopping centres and office buildings. This neighbourhood shopping centre on 13 Wellington Road offers retail space, office space and ample parking. The gross lettable area of the site is 4 649 m2 and with Checkers as a strong anchor tenant, the property generates an annual income of R4 million. The lease with Checkers is in place until 2015.

The properties will be auctioned at Auction Alliance’s multiple commercial auction at the Crystal Towers Hotel and Spa at noon on July 15.

Two historic properties have come onto the market in the picturesque Overberg town of Stanford, just a few kilometres inland from Hermanus in the Western Cape.

Both properties are existing hospitality venues, with the potential for ongoing income for their new owners. Pam Golding Properties is marketing Bodi Khaya, a guest farm and spiritual retreat that is for sale at R13 million, and Stanford House, a small country hotel priced at R10 million.

Bodi Khaya is on one of the oldest farms in the Stanford area, originally known as Baviaansfontein. It was granted to farmer Hendrik Cloete, one of the Cape’s largest landowners, in 1791. Although kept in the Cloete family for generations, the original farm was sub-divided several times.

By the 1950s it was known as Wesselshoek and was owned by the acclaimed author Stuart Cloete, whose novel Turning Wheels had earlier been banned in South Africa for depicting a mixed-race relationship. Cloete loved the farm deeply, but his wife feared its beauty distracted him too much from his work, and convinced him to sell it to avoid their financial ruin. However, its role as a source of inspiration for writers was not over, as the property later came to be owned in the early 2000s by renowned war correspondent and author Peter Younghusband, who admired its natural beauty, and restored the original name of Baviaans Fonteyn.

Since 2003, the 100 ha property has been run as a retreat, conference and wedding venue. The natural setting includes pristine fynbos, an ancient Milkwood forest, a mountain backdrop and the farm’s own stream, abundant birdlife and magnificent walks in the unspoiled countryside. Many of the original buildings are still in place, and have been sensitively restored to modern standards of comfort, without losing their historic and aesthetic appeal. The old farmhouse and outbuildings have been converted into guest cottages and staff accommodation, and still have many of their original beams, ceilings, flagstone floors and gables. The layout allows for up to 13 guests at a time.

PGP’s area manager for Stanford, Adrian Kuiper, says: “With its designated meditation areas, labyrinth and ample guest accommodation, the property could continue to operate as a retreat – or the new owner could convert it into a guest farm, a small boutique hotel, or a tranquil rehabilitation centre.”

Stanford House is part of a country hotel with 20 cottages.

Situated on the town’s main thoroughfare of Queen Victoria Street, Stanford House occupies an erf of close to 6 000 m2. What began life as a simple cowshed in the 1850s, was transformed into a magnificent Victorian homestead by builder Michael Walsh in 1890. He partitioned the building into a series of inter-leading rooms, earning it the dual names of The Walsh House and Die Langhuis.

The building was renovated in the 1990s to restore its earlier grandeur, and 20 luxurious courtyard cottages were built behind the main residence, close to the river. These now form the accommodation suites of the current hotel, and all have their own private patios facing a garden and a pool courtyard. The hotel also has a modern conference centre which can accommodate up to 40 people, and the original Langhuis is now the Stanford Arms pub.

PGP’s MD for the Boland and Overberg regions, Annien Borg, says the hotel is a popular venue for country weddings and corporate retreats, and the old English-style pub is the venue of choice for locals to enjoy big-screen rugby and soccer action.

“More and more people are discovering the charms of Stanford,” she says, “especially its convenience as a weekend getaway for Capetonians, who need only drive an hour and a half to get here. With its beautiful views of the Klein River Mountains, its Victorian architecture, and heritage status to preserve its character, the village should continue to attract holidaymakers and conference groups for many years to come. The chance to own the main hotel on the main thoroughfare is a superb investment opportunity for any buyer, especially those with experience in the hospitality industry.”

Call Jill Smith on 083 700 4103 or Tracy Brady on 082 441 8307, or email stanford@pamgolding.co.za.