Areas and Places

Western Cape’s seaboard has room for growth

Parklands home, Fine&Country
On the market with Fine&Country Western Seaboard, this three-bedroom family home, which is ideally situated in Parklands North, offers great entertainment features including a conversation pit, a pizza oven as well as a built-in bar.

Candice Fraser, principal of Fine & Country’s new Western Seaboard office, says that in many areas along the Western Seaboard, properties are being sub-divided and new residential development is taking place, providing property buyers with good opportunity for long-term growth.

“The Western Seaboard is attractive to many buyers as it offers value for money and great lifestyle elements,” says Fraser, whose office services the areas from Milnerton, Sunset Beach, Lagoon Beach and West Beach to Big Bay, Table View, Bloubergstrand and Parklands/Parklands North to mention a few.

“The Western Seaboard suburbs are continuing to grow in popularity as the value and the growth of property prices is strong,” says Fraser. “Property growth in these areas is as high as 10% – 15% per annum in some areas, especially in Sunningdale and Parklands North which are exceptionally popular suburbs,” says Fraser. “The property value growth in these regions is attributed to the buying influence of the younger population and first-time buyers, who see value in the area and what it has to offer.”

Fraser says that while Lagoon Beach mainly attracts investment buyers looking for sectional title properties ideal for holiday rentals, areas like Milnerton and Flamingo Vlei are attractive options for families. “The types of property available in the area reflect this as it is made up of a mix of large family homes, retirement villages and small pockets of sectional title apartments.”

She says that Parklands, Parklands North, Table View and Royal Ascott tend to attract predominantly young families and first-time buyers as it offers a mix of secure estates, sectional title complexes and medium-sized family homes. “Sunset Beach on the other hand will appeal to those looking for a large family home or property within a gated estate while West Beach and Sunningdale are mainly made up of family homes.”

The higher end properties and apartments are mainly situated in Bloubergstrand. The popular and trendy Big Bay area offers buyers a blend of large family homes in security estates, townhouses and sectional title apartments.

Talking about popular price brackets among buyers along the Western Seaboard, Fraser points out that entry-level homes are found mainly in Parklands, Parklands North, West Beach, Sunningdale, Table View and Royal Ascot. “The lowest priced homes are typically situated in Parklands East and start at about R 700 000, which will purchase a two-bedroom sectional title apartment”.

Mid-level properties start from around the R1,4 million mark and range up to about R3 million which is a very popular price rang along this stretch of Cape coast, according to Fraser.

Top-end properties, she says, begin at approximately R3,5 million and go up to the R5 million mark. This will typically afford a buyer a family home in Parklands North and on the higher end in Big Bay. The most expensive homes are found in Blouberg, Sunset Beach, Blouberg Extension 1 and here, buyers are looking at R6 million upwards for a property, whether its sectional title, situated within a secure estate or a family home.

Most of the rezoning, subdividing and development is taking place in Milnerton, Table View and surrounds as well as Parklands North.

Fraser says that in the Milnerton area, more and more people are looking to sub-divide their properties as the erf sizes are large. She notes that in Table View and surrounds the trend of sub-dividing properties is also prevalent, however these properties are being rezoned from GR1 to GR5, which allows for more high-density development, specifically for the development of sectional title apartments.

There is also much development taking place in the Parklands North precinct, which is mainly plot and plan style estates being created by developers. “Parklands North is an up and coming area that is highly sought after, especially by first time home buyers and investors,” she says.

Speaking to prospective buyers looking to purchase property on the Western Seaboard, Fraser says that it’s very important to be ‘bond ready’ if finance will be required to purchase a property. Buyers, she says, should also make sure that they deal with a reputable agent who is registered and holds a valid Fidelity Fund Certificate, and also that the seller provides a property disclosure form to avoid having to face legal battles over defects that were not disclosed at the time of sale, that only become apparent once the sale is concluded.

Sellers on the other hand, according to Fraser, need to ensure that their property is in a reasonable condition and well priced in order to sell it within a reasonable amount of time. “Sellers also should be mindful of agents that inflate prices just to get a mandate. They need to take into account the market conditions and sales prices achieved for similar homes in the area, so that the property does not become stale, and buyers lose interest, as this will only be detrimental to the sale.” 

Linda Erasmus, CEO of Fine & Country Sub-Sahara Africa, welcomes the Western Seaboard office to the fold and believes that their professionalism and passion about property will ensure their success.

Fraser has successfully worked in the South African real estate industry for the past 14 years, and during this time owned and operated a respected property firm in the Western Seaboard area over the past nine years. “I realised it was time to take the next step, and when the opportunity came to join the prestigious international brand of Fine & Country, it was an easy decision for both myself and my team, who are very excited to operate in the upper quartile of the market, and be part of this incredible brand.  I felt synergy in our ethos, which I believe to be a fundamental aspect of any business relationship,” Fraser concludes.