"There's no doubt that this is an increasingly evident trend, further evidenced by the fact that approximately 90% of buyers in the Paarl and Wellington areas are seeking a lifestyle farm in order to escape from a city environment. Predominantly a wine farming district with other agricultural activities such as fruit, wheat and buchu farming, lifestyle appeal remains a key factor," says Annien Borg, managing director of Pam Golding Properties (PGP) Boland region.Borg explains that wine farms command a substantially higher selling price than any other category - most likely due to the typical lifestyle buyer pursuing an ideology which a wine farm promises - coupled with the fact that the area offers sound value for money. These towns have a sound service infrastructure and good retail centres.
"While schooling in both towns is excellent, Paarl is home to some of the best schools in the Western Cape and Wellington is home to the Huguenot College and various faculties of the Cape Technikon," she says.
James Visser, PGP's agricultural agent in the Drakenstein municipal district which includes Paarl, Wellington, Hermon, Gouda, Saron, Simondium and Paardeberg among others, says buyers of such farms generally have existing incomes and do not need to rely on the farm to generate or supplement their income.
"Ambience and aesthetics in the form of a country-living lifestyle are more important to them than agricultural viability. Since they regard the property as a potential home rather than a business, size is not really an influencing factor.
"That said, there does seem to be a tendency towards smaller rather than larger, perhaps more daunting properties. Security is an important factor given that many buyers are relocating from suburban areas with high crime rates where they have been conditioned to living with maximum security. Proximity to schools is also a consideration as many buyers have school-going children," he says.
Visser explains that a buyer does not need to be a farmer in order to own a farm.
"Farm ownership is often transferred with existing management in place, which can include management and dispersal of the harvest and in some instances, also wine making facilities and expertise. With the help and advice of any number of consultants in the industry a purchaser doesn't need previous farming or wine making experience. A wine farm does not necessarily produce its own wine - the grapes are more often sold to co-operative, estate or boutique wineries."
He says a consideration that is very important, irrespective of the size of the farm, is water.
"Household or drinking water is usually supplied from a borehole, while irrigation water is either from storage dams - filled by winter rains and run-off, or from extensive irrigation schemes sourced from the Berg River. A large farm dam is attractive to the lifestyle buyer for its aesthetic appeal rather than its value as an agricultural water source," adds Visser.
The Paarl and Wellington areas are traditionally home to many farms with historic homesteads and outbuildings, most of them with very old oak trees and other appealing features. Visser says these properties provide much of what the lifestyle buyer is seeking, especially if they have hospitality such as B&B or conference venue conversions in mind.
As an example, Visser mentions a 37 hectare historic lifestyle wine farm in Paarl priced at R13,85m currently marketed by PGP. Historical buildings on the farm include the four bedroom (three en suite) Cape Dutch homestead with extensive views, two bedroom cottage, boutique wine cellar, maturation cellar and store room.
The property includes a three bedroom manager's house, staff accommodation, offices, landscaped garden, thatched lapa, swimming pool, Koi pond, large dam and established Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon vineyards.
A more contemporary property which would appeal to the lifestyle buyer is a beautiful 5 hectare olive farm recently listed in Wellington, priced at R5,85m.
Image 1: This 37 hectare historic wine farm in Paarl is marketed at R13,85m.
For more information contact James Visser on 021 871 1480 or send an email.
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