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Situated on 320 tranquil hectares of subtropical bushveld vegetation, yet only a short drive from the city centre, The Rest Nature Estate has quickly become Nelspruit’s (now Mbombela) most sought-after residential address.
The estate was named by the three Nel brothers, who used to graze their cattle in the area, and after whom Nelspruit was named. They established their family homestead on an exceptional piece of land that boasted a year-long subtropical climate with soothing breezes and spectacular uninterrupted views, and called it The Rest.
Their descendants still own homes on what is now The Rest Nature Estate.
A winning recipe in creating a multi-generational living environment
Having been awarded a 5-star grading and voted The Best Residential Development in South Africa 2017/2018 in The International Africa and Arabia Property Awards, The Rest is currently starting the final stage of a fourphase development.
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Once completed, the estate will consist of 1,000 freehold homes and villas with stands ranging in size from 400 to 16,000 square metres. The Carissa and Combretum villages, which are sold out, incorporate a total of 402 stands under phase one. Albizia Village, which has an additional 251 stands ranging from 400 to 2,200 square metres, forms part of phase two and has only a few properties left to sell with exceptional views. Phase three and four consists of the Gordenia and Eugenia villages. Phase three has been serviced and 25% of erven have been transferred to buyers. Planning has already commenced on phase four.
The estate is home to large groups of mixed ages and cultures, including working professionals and foreign investors wishing to experience life in the lowveld. The safe, convenient, and restful lifestyle makes The Rest an attractive option to active retirees still living an active lifestyle.
Living at The Rest, they get to enjoy greater freedom, while still being close to their family within the estate and just two minutes from the nearby Mediclinic.
Amenities at The Rest include more than 20 kilometres of walking, MTB cycling and jogging tracks on the estate as well as five dams. Home owners have free access to the tennis courts at the Curro Private School within the estate, and a private bird sanctuary created in partnership with BirdLife South Africa. Planning is underway for the establishment of a clubhouse within the next few years.
Embracing nature in all its finest glory
Just over 100 hectares of the estate has been allocated as reserve and is home to a variety of wildlife. Johann Van Heerden, Estate Manager, and the HOA management team are responsible for all the natural areas and have established an active nature trust to ensure that the natural environment is protected.
Bringing nature into the home starts in the planning stages. Buyers have the option of choosing from a selection of impressively designed and individually crafted homes that offer views of the dams and water courses, hillside or woodlands.
Owners are also encouraged to design their own homes in accordance with the estate’s architectural guidelines with the help of professional architects.
There are a number of architectural design options available, and they all complement the beautiful granite koppies and natural surroundings. The installation of solar geysers and rainwater harvesting are highly encouraged, and form part of the architectural guidelines. A number of plots have ‘champion trees’ that may not be removed, with architects having to design pavilion style homes around them – resulting in some spectacular homes that blend in with nature.
No expenses spared
The Rest is owned and financed by the listed insurance giant Sanlam.
Sanlam has invested heavily in the estate, including a state-of-the-art security offering, which is why The Rest is regarded as one of the most secure residential developments in the lowveld. There are 24/7 roving patrols, boomed access gates with biometric access control, thermal CCTV monitoring cameras around the entire perimeter, all backed up by a state of the art electrified security fence.
Levies are set at a competitive R2,150, and every home owner pays the same amount regardless of the size of their property.
Being at the same altitude as White River, the estate is cooler than downtown Nelspruit city which is a 5 minute drive away making The Rest Nature Estate the most desirable and aspirational place to live in the Lowveld.
