There are areas in South Africa where residential development has temporarily come to a complete standstill – but Parklands, the area to the north of Cape Town and close to the West Coast, is definitely not one of them, says Daphney Klopper, the Rawson Property Group’s franchisee for Table View and a co-franchisee for Parklands.
In Parklands, said Klopper, new homes are now being sold off-plan at a rate of two a day. These homes are mostly freehold, standing on their own plots, which measure 250 m2 to 550 m2, on average. Local developers are often involved, and, she said, what is available here offers value that is ‘unbeatable’ anywhere else in the Greater Cape Town area.
“For R1,450,000, the buyer is able to get a 180 m2, three bedroom home with two bathrooms, a study, a living area, a fully equipped open-plan kitchen flanked by a scullery, a double garage and a swimming pool. What is more, the gardens, which are walled in, are established on handover.”
There has, said Klopper, been absolutely no compromise on quality and finishes in these new homes. Granite, Caesarstone or similar tops are now standard in the kitchens and bathrooms, floors are of expensive large tiling or laminated wood and the outer doors are completely solid. Subtle track or down lighting is always available and the standard kitchen equipment includes ovens, hobs and extractor fans.
For a price of R1 million, said Klopper, it is possible to get a slightly smaller version of the 180 m2 home, in which there has, again, been no compromise on quality – and for those with greater means, houses up to R2 million in value are also available, incorporating four or five ‘luxury’ extras.
Asked how the developers manage to achieve so much, Klopper said that Parklands’ great advantage is that it is still able offer developers land at affordable and reasonable prices.
“It has to be emphasized,” she added, “that Parklands has almost no old homes and maintains its pristine fresh look. It also should be stressed that it is exceptionally well serviced by communal facilities: we have many major shopping and other centres, all relatively new, and these are home to, among others, a huge new Virgin Active gym, a Food Lovers Market and numerous restaurants and bistros. The area also has its own private and state schools, all well run and producing good results. Then, too, Parklands is now benefitting greatly from the My Citi rapid transport bus service, soon to be extended to Melkbosstrand.”
Both of her franchises, said Klopper, are involved with the new developments and expect to continue selling here for a long time to come. Buy-to-let investors comprise a good portion of the buyers, the rents for freehold houses in the area usually being from R7,000 upwards.
Klopper revealed that she has invested steadily in both Table View and Parklands homes and has seen her portfolio appreciate at a rate of 35 to 55% in the six years that she has been involved in this type of activity.
“There are some,” she said, “who might consider this an unspectacular growth rate, but it has to be realized that we are talking about a period where for at least four of the six years, South Africa’s housing sector was officially in recession. The fact that, unlike so many other areas which simply stagnated, we achieved this sort of growth augers very well for the future — I am confident that the growth rate will increase to close on its former, very satisfactory ± 15% per annum rate.”
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