Due to their desired lifestyle offering in secure, scenic and often breathtaking environments, golf, equestrian and other lifestyle estates in prime locations remain a popular choice for home buyers who seek these attributes in their primary residence, says Dr Andrew Golding, chief executive of the Pam Golding Property group.
“For many buyers, having the peace of mind knowing their families live within a secure estate with access to good schooling and infrastructural facilities – yet within a relaxed, countrified setting, is a top priority when making a residential property purchase decision.
“Sound return on investment is a further consideration, and generally, we find that when comparing the values of homes in such estates against the general residential market, estates outperform the average national house price growth in the medium to longer term,” says Dr Golding.
“A good example of a well-established and successful estate which satisfies all these requirements is Val de Vie Estate in the Franschhoek-Paarl valley in the Boland region of the Western Cape – in the heart of the world-famous, historic Cape Winelands. Marketed by Pam Golding Properties from launch date in 2004, the 532 existing homes in Val de Vie enjoy the best of both worlds, stylish living in a country environment with Cape Town and its international airport less than 40 minutes away.
“Now Val de Vie has launched 142 plot and plan homes in The Vines, set on 12 hectares of prime land with views of the Paarl Mountains and four scenic lakes – and with a choice of beautiful, modern homes designed exclusively for this development by one of South Africa’s most well-known architects, Stefan Antoni of Antoni Associates.
“A critical advantage for buyers in this new phase is that homes are well-priced with the average selling price around approximately the R3 million-R5 million mark. Currently homes on estates in the area are in huge demand in this price band. Effectively new owners are gaining access to an already successfully managed estate at an accessible entry level, with elegant housing set among lakes, vineyards, lush polo fields, farms and beautifully landscaped gardens. Existing homes elsewhere on Val de Vie sell for up to around R15 million and more and achieve excellent rental returns due to a high rental demand, all indicative of the investment potential of this prime location,” says Dr Golding.
Surina Du Toit, Pam Golding Properties area manager in Paarl, Wellington and Franschhoek says: “The Vines offers very good value for money within a price band that is hard to find on an estate, let alone of this calibre. The selling prices from R2.799 million (including VAT) comprise packages which include completed homes as well as architect fees and landscaping.
“Homes in this new development range from single-storey 172-188sqm homes to double-storey residences of 248-264sqm and double-storey, premium homes of 290sqm. Designed in French Provencale and Cape Vernacular style with quality finishes, the stylish, modern homes conform to the overall character of the estate, with open-play layouts which encourage inside-to-outside living for maximum enjoyment of the surrounds. Every square metre is considered and optimised based on external views, the environment and internal flow, while landscaping between homes adds to the village setting and sense of privacy. Importantly, new home owners automatically become part of the established and financially strong Val de Vie homeowners association.”
Residents will enjoy all the facilities on Val de Vie Estate, with access to a fully-equipped gym and sports and leisure centre with tennis and squash courts and heated indoor pool, cycling, running, fly fishing, polo, indoor show-jumping, dressage and a bistro-style restaurant as well as the Kinder Ark pre-school.
State of the art security includes CCTV and video analytics, perimeter control measures and biometric access control, with an off-site monitoring centre and on-site security guards and patrols, as well as an on-site reaction team. Val de Vie Estate has already earned global recognition, notably receiving the Safe Home Award South Africa 2014-2015 at the prestigious African Property Awards.
Adds Du Toit: “The various outdoor activities and access to good schooling is very appealing to families from Pretoria, KwaZulu-Natal, Cape Town’s Northern Suburbs and those relocating from town to enjoy a country estate lifestyle. A huge benefit for home owners in The Vines is the planned bridge over the Berg River, which is estimated to be completed in 2017.”
Val de Vie is situated close to a number of excellent public and private education facilities including Paarl Boys High, Paarl Girls High, La Rochelle Girls, Paarl Gimnasium, Bridge House and Simond Private School, as well as Stellenbosch University. A host of highly-rated wine farms and restaurants are nearby, with the scenic Paarl and Franschhoek mountain ranges and Du Toitskloof Pass a great attraction for hikers, cyclists and photographers. Paarl Mountain Nature Reserve offers trout fishing, mountain biking, hiking and picnics – surrounded by fynbos and massive rounded granite rock formations.
