Advertisement
The beautiful scenic city of George is seen as the de facto capital of the Garden Route, with spectacular mountain views, forests, beaches and rich farmlands being a part of the attraction. This urban centre has become a popular retreat for young and old alike.
Just a short drive away, the quaint harbour town of Mossel Bay is touted as the adventure capital of the Garden Route, with some 50 related activities and beautiful golden beaches, and both these centres have high appeal for home buyers from all walks of life.
Only four and half hours’ drive from Cape Town International Airport, or a short two-hour flight from Johannesburg OR Tambo, the Garden Route is home to not only the Big Five, adventure and beach activity, but also excellent medical facilities, schools and other sought-after infrastructure.
According to Pam Golding Properties area principal, Stephen Murray, the area has seen incredible growth since he first took residence in 1995. The question is often posed as to why the Garden Route has seen such remarkable growth, and Murray is of the opinion that it is more than just the natural beauty, golf courses, scenery and the typical infrastructure that attracts buyers. It is evident that the market has reacted favourably to developers who have specifically developed a number of gated estates in the area, and, if one were thinking of relocating, there are excellent offerings between the urban centres of Mossel Bay and the greater George area.
Advertisement
While residential properties and retirement or relocation seem to be the largest driving factors behind the market activity, buyers also appear to be taking advantage of investment opportunities in the housing market facilitated by the still favourable lending conditions, with applications for investment or buy-to-let properties rebounding strongly in recent months. A prime opportunity for such investment is an exciting new development – The Wedge, launching in Mossel Bay soon.
High demand for estate living
The trend towards estate living seems to be here to stay, particularly for existing or built homes in sought-after, established estates such as Pinnacle Point, Gondwana Game Reserve, Fancourt, Kingswood Golf Estate, and Kraaibosch and Welgelegen estates, which have enjoyed robust activity in recent years. Particularly at the upper end of the luxury estate market we have seen constant interest and we don’t believe over the long term that this trend will change. As these estates mature, the value generally appreciates as the availability of property to purchase declines.
It is likely that the strong demand for estates could, in part, be a reflection of an influx of semigrants – especially from Gauteng – who often opt for an estate lifestyle when relocating to coastal towns, and for whom the Western Cape is a preferred destination.
According to Lightstone, Mossel Bay experienced the largest number of sales to semigrators in the Western Cape last year, with a clear preference shown for homes in estates.
Trend to sectional title
It is also evident that a new trend is emerging: the advent of sectional title living in secured estates, particularly because of affordability and the lifestyle environment that goes along with the majority of secured estates.
This underpins value at an estate such as the newly launched Renosterbos Estate in Mossel Bay, which caters for various age groups and buyer profiles with nodes catering to retirement homes, family homes and apartments. This prestigious estate is being developed by Cape Estates Developers who are well known for their Kraaibosch and Welgelegen estates in George, which also have a number of nodes.
Pam Golding Properties Mossel Bay & George specialise in these estate developments and welcome the opportunity to provide you with more information about what is on offer