While seaside property close to Cape Town and even Durban is now fast becoming unaffordable and often unattainable, the demand for a holiday or retirement house close to the beach is shifting to the more affordable small towns along the coast.
These Southern Cape villages, for instance, are within 2 to 6 hours’ drive from Cape Town International Airpot and offer an excellent choice for people looking for a quiet and secure lifestyle in a holiday or retirement destination, says MD for Seeff Country, Ian Badenhorst.
He says with little commercialisation and traffic, yet close to bigger centres for medical, shopping and other conveniences, villages such as Kleinbaai (near Hermanus), Cape Agulhas (Agulhas, Struisbaai and Arniston), Witsand, Jongensfontein and Gouritsmond are now an ideal choice.
“These are also some of the few areas where you can still buy so close to the sea that it is practically your front yard,” says Badenhorst.
He says with prices in the R2 million to R8 million range, you are getting a “great deal”. The Southern Cape is also where you will get the best views of the magnificent Southern Right Whales during winter and spring as they visit the shores for the annual calving season.
Badenhorst says these days, the villages are well connected with satellite television and internet, so you can be as connected or disconnected as you like. Add to that, the inspiring natural surroundings with fynbos as far as the eye can see, a high concentration of nature reserves and a rocky coastline with white beaches (many Blue Flag) as well as rivers.
He says the picturesque surroundings is just the escape that any city dweller would be looking for. The surroundings, white-washed architecture and pretty lighthouses are a big drawcard for artists and photographers. The weather is excellent with plenty of sunshine and a healthy lifestyle, which is appealing for holiday and retirement buyers.
Badenhorst says Lightstone data shows that some 50% to 70% of buyers in these villages are above the fifty age bracket.
“Come as you are, or bring your boat, yacht or surf boards because the water-based activities are plentiful. These beaches are popular for swimming and sunbathing, fishing, boating, yachting, snorkelling and diving. They also offer top-class surfing (including kitesurfing). Outdoor enthusiasts can enjoy the nature reserves, birdwatching galore and a multitude of hiking, cycling and horse riding trails and other adventures,” he says.
While overall market activity is slightly down on the 2016/7 peak levels, activity is still much better than five years ago.
“We are also still seeing good demand from across the country for holiday and retirement properties. Our agents often find that people will buy for holiday and then later retire, or they will buy it for retirement,” says Bedenhorst.
“The fairly conservative price growth over the last few years means that you can still find excellent value.”
Both the FNB Southern Cape House Price and Holiday Towns Indices point to the area as still a good investment given that they have held up well in the challenging economic environment.
What can you buy? Seeff rounds up seven top homes in the area:
1. Gouritsmond - R15 million
In Gouritsmond you can find a 23ha farm with its own private beach, 1km oceanfront stretch, a beautiful stone house with four bedrooms and a second house, says Willie van Rensburg from Seeff Gouritsmond.
He says the village lies on the Gourits River mouth where it meets the warm Indian Ocean. It is characterised by pretty little stone houses dating back to the 1920s. House prices range from R1.5 million to R2.5 million to a top price of R8 million.
For more information, email Willie van Rensburg.
2. Arniston - R9.5 million
The top house on the market in Arniston offers a prime beachfront location and two fully self-contained living units - a four bed unit upstairs and three beds downstairs.
Elaine Beyers from Seeff says this pretty fisherman’s village (also known as Waenhuiskrans) is flanked by the De Mond and De Hoop Nature Reserves, the latter being a wetland with over 100 aquatic bird species and of international importance for migratory birds. House prices range from R2.4 million to R4.5 million to a top price of R9.5 million.
To view this home, click here.
3. Jongensfontein - R8.5 million
Just a stroll from the ocean, this new holiday house in Jongensfontein comes with beach-house finishes, five bedrooms and a swimming pool.
According to Helena Geldenhuys from Seeff, a big attraction is the close proximity to Still Bay where you will find excellent amenities, sports facilities and nature reserves. The waves make it a surfer’s paradise. Jongensfontein house prices range from R1.9 million to R5 million with a top price of R8.5 million. Sea view plots are available from R1.5 million to R4.2 million.
To view this home, click here.
4. Struitsbaai - R7.999 million
This Struisbaai home has fabulous sea views, nine bedrooms, several living rooms and a braai room, which makes this an ideal find for residential or commercial purposes.
Richard Pratt from Seeff notes that house prices range from R1.2 million to R5 million to a top price of R8 million.
To view this home, click here.
5. Witsand - R7.495 million
This recently remodelled house in Witsand has four bedrooms and extras such as a walk-in safe, pizza oven, long verandah that overlooks the river and more.
The village lies on St Sebastian Bay where the Breede River flows into the Indian Ocean, which is a prime area for whale spotting, according to Jo Attenborough from Seeff.
The river estuary provides waterfront living and there is a further 4km pristine beach with pure white sand, hence the village’s name. House prices range from R1.2 million to R5.5 million to a top price of R7.5 million. Ocean or estuary views sell from R2.2 million and vacant land from R300 000.
To view this home click here.
6. Klipfonteyn - R7.48 million
This six bedroom home is located in Klipfonteyn next to Kleinbaai and offers everything that the large family could want, with extras such as a braai room, wine cellar and views throughout.
Anet Rossouw from Seeff says a big attraction of Kleinbaai (near Hermanus), is the famous ‘shark alley’, and it is from this village that the shark-diving boats leave. There is also a golf course that overlooks the sea and fabulous hiking trails. House prices range from R1.5 million to R5 million with a top price of R8 million, while vacant plots sell for R350 000 to R3.2 million.
To view this home, click here.
7. Agulhas - R4.375 million
This rare beachfront home with five bedrooms in Agulhas is located close to the tidal pools.
Belinda Willemse, from Seeff says this village is where you will find the southernmost tip of the African continent and where the Atlantic and Indian oceans meet. It is renowned for shipwrecks and the famous red and white Cape Agulhas Lighthouse. House prices range from R1.25 million to R5 million and vacant land from R200 000 to R900 000.
To view this home, click here.
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