This Sunset Beach four-star guesthouse is for sale through Pam Golding Properties at R12.95 million.
Cape Town’s Western Seaboard has been abuzz with construction activity, including everything from new transport infrastructure, shopping centres and hospitals to school expansions and new secure estates.
The result is an overall improvement in the standard of living for residents, who now have easier access to work, plus a wider range of improved medical, schooling and shopping facilities. The spin-offs are being felt in the property market in the form of increased demand from buyers. Pam Golding Properties reports an increase in unit sales and rand turnover, when comparing sales for March to May 2010 against the same period in 2009.
PGP’s branch manager for the Western Seaboard, Ivan Swart, says the area has a huge variety of homes on offer, from affordable bachelor pads and starter homes to luxury beachfront mansions and penthouse apartments.
“The result is that it attracts an extremely diverse range of buyers – all of whom benefit in some way from the recent developments in the area,” he says. “For those in lower price brackets who tend to be more dependent on public transport, the near-completion of the Integrated Rapid Transit system link is a huge plus, offering far greater ease of movement to and from their places of work, and a welcome relief from the traffic congestion which has plagued this area in the past.
“The planned road connecting Sunningdale and Parklands to the N7 will also improve access to the CBD and other commercial nodes. New shopping centres such as the Eden on the Bay development, and the expansion of the West Coast Village in Sunningdale, have also been a draw-card for buyers who don’t want to have to travel too far from home for groceries and entertainment.
“Another welcome addition to the area is the new Netcare hospital in Sunningdale, which provides a much-needed second private hospital in addition to the Milnerton Medi-Clinic. There has also been an increase in the number of private schools in the area, offering parents more choice, and many of the existing schools are expanding their campuses to offer better facilities and accommodate more pupils.”
PGP’s MD for the Western Cape metro region, Laurie Wener, says at the moment there is particular demand from buyers wanting starter homes or modest properties in the price band from R500 000 to R2.5 million.
“As a result, suburbs like Parklands, Sunningdale and Big Bay are seeing an increase in buyer activity,” she says, “Price is key in these areas, where you can still buy a secure apartment for under R500 000, and the average price is around R1.25 million. The demand for affordable, secure homes was demonstrated well by the Villa Viola development, which had one-bedroom apartments priced from just R430 000. All 13 units were sold within two weeks of the launch.”
Swart says demand is not limited to the lower price brackets, and you can get excellent value for money when buying more luxurious homes on the Western Seaboard, paying substantially less than in other areas, even for homes immediately on the beachfront.
“In Blouberg, for example, you can still buy a beachfront studio flat for R1 million, or pay around R1.85 million to R2.5 million for a two-bedroom unit. A 200 m2 penthouse can be had for about R6 million, and you can buy a 400 m2 penthouse with spectacular views for R15 million. These prices compare very favourably to other beachfront property areas around South Africa.”
Prices for free-standing houses vary significantly from on suburb to another. You can buy a starter two-bedroom house with a single garage in Sunningdale or Parklands from around R700 000, or pay R1.5 million for a three-bedroom home with a double garage. Well-appointed family homes are for sale in suburbs like Atlantic Beach, Big Bay, Flamingo Vlei and Sunset Beach, from around R2 million to R5 million, and luxury homes can be found from R6 million to R15 million in suburbs like Sunset Links, Atlantic Beach Golf Estate and Bloubergstrand.
