Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)

City, mountain and seaside call

Upcountry and internatio­nal visitors fall for the charms of Cape Town

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A HEALTHY tourism industry is good for the economy... and it seems for property in the Western Cape too.

“We notice a definite spike in property enquiries during internatio­nal events hosted here as well as high tourism seasons,” says Berman Brothers Property (BBP) sales manager Bianca Arnsmeyer.

She attributes this heightened interest from upcountry and overseas visitors to the great lifestyle the city presents.

Arnsmeyer says the Atlantic seaboard is one of the areas that gets attention.

“It is easily outperform­ing other property markets around the country in return on investment. At the Legacy – one of BBP’s developmen­ts in Green Point – properties that were selling for R36 000/m2 in 2013 are now being snapped up at R63 000/m2,” says Arnsmeyer.

She says upcountry buyers are sometimes surprised when they realise how expensive Cape Town properties are on average compared with similar homes upcountry.

Rory O’Hagan, CEO of the luxury portfolio division of Chas Everitt Internatio­nal, says Camps Bay is another area attracting upcountry families, many from Gauteng, who are drawn to its larger homes on good-sized stands.

“Over 60% of residents are stable owners aged 35 to 65, and 46% of recent buyers are under 50, many of them from Gauteng, who will stay on at least for the duration of their children’s schooling.

“At an average price of R12 million for a three-bedroom house, Camps Bay also offers great value compared to its neighbours. In Clifton, you’ll struggle to find a two-bedroom apartment for that price.”

Semigrants also love Constantia, a firm favourite for families who want to be close to the quality schools and university in neighbouri­ng Wynberg, Claremont and Rondebosch.

“The influx of buyers from Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal has certainly driven up the demand for smaller, low-maintenanc­e homes in secure lifestyle complexes, but the is another area that has seen phenomenal growth over the past three years, according to Chas Everitt Internatio­nal agent John Silva.

“Most homes here are in the R7m to R12m price bracket,” he says.

Fish Hoek is fast shedding its retirement- village image and has seen solid year-onyear house price growth, says Charlene Faint, Chas Everitt Internatio­nal’s agent in the suburb.

“The homes here tend to be older and quite often in need of renovation, but this seems to appeal to younger and upcountry buyers who acquire them at a good price and then completely update them,” she says.

Families like Noordhoek, because of its relative proximity to a number of good schools, says Chas Everitt Internatio­nal agent Giselle Donaldson-Cross.

This rural suburb, where horses are a common sight on the expanse of sandy white beach that stretches all the way to Kommetjie, is popular with those seeking a country life by the sea.

“Homes on 1 000m2 properties in Belvedere, just above Silvermine Road, enjoy a greater elevation with panoramic sea views, and go for at least R6.5m, while the larger 10 000m2 equestrian estates in Crofters Valley, which stretches from Dassenberg Road to the bottom of Ou Kaapse Weg, will fetch around R13m,” she says.

Hout Bay itself has, in the past three years, seen house prices increase by 60% and apartments by 70%. The average price for a two-bedroom home in the suburb now tops nearly R3m,” says Greg Walton, co-principal of Chas Everitt Internatio­nal in Hout Bay.

Young profession­als are drawn to Hout Bay for its proximity to the CBD – just 25 minutes in traffic. With a sheltered beach, mountains and even vineyards, the area is also seen as a prime tourist destinatio­n and is popular with upcountry buyers and foreigners.

‘The expanse

 ?? PICTURE: CHAS EVERITT ?? A sweeping view of the type of properties available in Constantia. This one is in the Bel Ombre area of Upper Constantia.
PICTURE: CHAS EVERITT A sweeping view of the type of properties available in Constantia. This one is in the Bel Ombre area of Upper Constantia.

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