The launch of the Gautrain route through to Pretoria is making the East Rand more accessible for home buyers, and has already created a surge in interest in homes in the Kempton Park area, says Nelson Ferreira, Pam Golding Properties (PGP) area principal on the East Rand, operating in Benoni, Boksburg, Brakpan and Kempton Park.

Ferreira reports a marketed increase in sales turnover from March to October 2011, which at R143 million is 57.5 percent up on the same period last year.

“More established corporate executives are buying homes in the established suburbs of Glen Marais, Van Riebeeckpark and Aston Manor and then commute to work in Sandton or Pretoria on the Gautrain links. This trend has extended to all facets of business, with attorneys commuting to Sandton’s Advocate Chambers and local corporate executives using the link to do business in Sandton, Rosebank and Pretoria,” he says.

“Furthermore, the Gautrain has made the East Rand more accessible for families who are buying homes here, with their children using the service to commute to schools and the University of Pretoria. Parents are no longer limited to shopping at the local malls, and long drives to Sandton City, Rosebank Mall and Menlyn Mall (Pretoria) are a thing of the past due to the speed, comfort and security of the Gautrain system.”

Ferreira says PGP is also meeting a growing demand from younger business people, who buy starter homes priced between R950 000 and R1.8 million in Boksburg, Benoni and Kempton Park.

“Previously you would hear of people selling to move closer to work in the ‘north’, but now most of our sales across four offices are for those upgrading or downgrading on the East Rand, providing an important indicator of investor confidence in these stable areas. Home buyers are moving closer to a lifestyle of convenience and I believe that is why so many shopping centres are being built within an eight kilometre radius of each other. Coupled with the Gautrain, East Rand residents are experiencing a positive change in lifestyle.”

He says there is also a marked upturn in home buyers with increasing buying power moving into the area, and as their disposable income increases so too does their choice in homes.

“To meet a growing demand we are selling affordable homes in the townships ranging from R260 000 for 51m2 units on 100m2 of land to R560 000 for a three-bedroom, one bathroom, 180m2 unit on 800m2. We continue to sell a large number of units in the R850 000 to R1.8 million price range for established homes, bought by young families with a view to upgrading the interiors and restyling the home to.

“From R2m upwards buyers are generally those who own sizeable businesses and want to live within easy reach of their places of work. These include luxury homes in Rynfield, Lakefield and Farrarmere (Benoni), Glen Marais (Kempton Park), and Bartlett and Golden Crescent (Boksburg) which attract buyers of homes priced up to about R13m,” he says.

PGP also sold two large buildings in Kempton Park. One of these was an office park a stone’s throw from the Rhodesfield Gautrain Station and next to the R21, close to OR Tambo International Airport, which was bought by international investors for R8m.

The second was a large block of apartments in Kempton Park, which was sold to a local investor for R5.5m.

“Underpinning these sales is a growing trend towards the acquisition or construction of office buildings – another positive indicator of investor confidence in the East Rand from a business and residential perspective,” says Ferreira.

“As a result of the renewed optimism we are positioning ourselves to open three new offices on the East Rand in 2012 to complement our brand new East Rand sales and head office on the predominantly business strip of Lakefield Avenue, Benoni.”

He says show house attendance has improved, and is drawing serious buyers as opposed to browsers, and the number of enquiries off the PGP website has increased dramatically across all price ranges.

Call Nelson Ferreira on 011 8929966 or 082 258 8833 or email nelson.ferreira@pamgolding.co.za.