COME HOME TO MOTHER

With its views and beautiful beaches, Blouberg offers a similar ocean-side lifestyle to that of luxury Clifton or Camps Bay, but at a fraction of the cost of those Atlantic Seaboard areas

WHETHER you call it Blouberg or Blaauwberg – both being acceptable – it’s the popular collective name for a group of Cape Town suburbs including Blouberg Sands, Blouberg Rise, West Beach, Big Bay and Bloubergrant, as well as the original Bloubergstrand seaside village.

On the coast to the west of Parklands and Table View, this area is about 17km from the centre of the city and about 25km from Cape Town International Airport, and has attracted huge development over the past 20 years.

“Thousands of new apartments, townhouses and estate homes have been built here in response to the ever-rising demand from young Capetonians seeking more affordable housing than that available in other parts of the metro, and from an increasing number of buyers from elsewhere in South Africa and abroad,” says Hercules van der

Walt, owner of the local Chas Everitt International franchise.

“Even now the area offers affordable land and there are hundreds of new homes in the pipeline. Although many of the original homes have already been renovated and modernised, the continual influx of new residents ensures home alteration and improvement is also big business here.”

Blouberg has spectacular beaches and has always been a popular holiday destination, especially among wind and kite surfers. As a result, it offers a laid-back coastal lifestyle with a string of restaurants, coffee shops and delis along the shore that provide residents and tourists with some of the best views of Table Mountain and Robben Island.

It is not surprising that modern beachfront apartments sell well to new residents as well as buy-tolet investors who rent to holidaymakers.

“An increasing number of professionals and executives are choosing to live here and commute to the city because they can enjoy a similar lifestyle in Blouberg to that offered in upmarket Atlantic Seaboard suburbs such as Bantry Bay, Clifton and Camps Bay – at a much lower cost.

“Their choice has been made easier since the introduction of the

Kite surfing, with views of Table Mountain, is an extremely popular activity at Bloubergstrand Beach. PICTURES: TRACEY ADAMS/ ANA

– HERCULES VAN DER WALT, OWNER OF THE LOCAL CHAS EVERITT INTERNATIONAL FRANCHISE The area offers relatively affordable land and there are hundreds of new homes in the pipeline.