Kroonstad was announced as the Kwêla Dorp Van Die Jaar 2022 on Sunday, 31 July, after a competition based on SMS votes.
Celebrating the news, Braam Zwart, the franchisee of Just Property Kroonstad, explained what makes his town special. “Life in Kroonstad is all about savouring the small moments, putting yourself in your friend's shoes, helping a neighbour or colleague, and being part of a great community. I am thrilled that our town and its people have been recognised like this.”
Zwart points to the ‘Ignite and Revive Kroonstad’ initiative, which he believes influenced voters.
The perfect place to bring up kids
Situated midway between Johannesburg and Bloemfontein, close to Welkom and other bigger towns, Kroonstad is the third largest town in the Free State, yet it boasts a rural, peaceful lifestyle.
“Thanks to the low crime rate here, many properties still have open yards with no fencing,” says Just Property Sales Practitioner Hester Viljoen. “And as agents who market properties in every area of our town, we can vouch for the fact that this is a very safe place to live and conduct business. Almost everyone knows everyone. The people here are friendly and always willing to assist a visitor or neighbour.”
“It is a community project in cooperation with the municipality. We aim to restore Kroonstad to its place as the jewel in the Free State crown. Business owners and the public ‘adopt’ a circle or island, fix it up and maintain it for the year at their own expense and in their own time. We focus on working together to make Kroonstad great and taking pride in where we live.”
“It’s a great place to bring up children,” Hester’s colleague Sanet Gericke adds. “There is a wide spectrum of schooling and prominent colleges satisfying a variety of educational needs, from academics to farming and technology. The highlight is the annual Bokkieweek where schools from Cape Town to Musina compete in rugby, hockey, and netball matches, cheered on by thousands of spectators.”
Just Property rental practitioner Shaun Proudfoot agrees. “There is so much to do here. There are still wide-open spaces and reserves like Boskoppie and the White Lion Project, with incredible views to enjoy. Serfontein Dam is a favourite for skiing, and many families enjoy fishing on the Vaal River and Bloemhoek Dam. There is a popular golf course too.”
Kroonstad has currently *38 new property listings, according to Property24 Trends Data, with the average asking price being R850 000 n vs the average selling price of R630 000.
The average sale price for a farm for the 2021 period was about R2 561 285 while erf average sale price for the same period is R578 000.
The latest residential listings on Property24 show that three-bedroom homes are most widely available, at an average list price of R780 000.
74.5% of the sellers are older than 49 years old, while 51.3% of buyers are younger than 49 years old.
Click here to see all the sale and listing price trends in Kroonstad
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Three shopping centres and a mall serve the community, with applications being processed for further commercial development. “Kroonstad being the town of the year has sparked lots of interest from outsiders wanting to move here,” says Zwart.
“Due to increasing demand, the average price of properties has increased rapidly, but the cost of living remains lower than other towns or cities in the area. While R1 million might buy a flat in big cities, it could still get you a mansion in Kroonstad!”
“Kroonstad proved itself to be a great ‘remote working’ location, being around two hours’ drive from Johannesburg and Bloemfontein,” adds Sindiswa Jacobs, a rental and sales practitioner with Just Property Kroonstad. “As a result, rental properties have been in very high demand since the start of Covid-19.”
Just Property Kroonstad has always focused on being accessible for property advice and educating the community on property investment since it was founded in 2007.
“Even if the client decides to deal with someone else, we are still here to assist and guide,” Zwart explains. “This mission has helped to improve the lives and lifestyles of many of our clients down the years to help them make informed decisions. Buying property can be stressful - we take the hassle out of the rental or sales process for our clients.”
The franchise epitomises the values and vision of the fast-growing Just Property brand. And for Zwart and his team, home could not be in a lovelier place than South Africa’s Dorp van die Jaar, the friendly, caring town of Kroonstad.
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*Property24 Listings Data Disclaimer: The trends detailed in this article are based on Property24 listings, current at the time of publishing, and property transfer data supplied by Deeds offices, which typically take 3-4 months to reflect. Suburbs are listed according to Property24's geographical database. In some areas this will include both commercial and residential properties. The age demographic data of buyers, sellers and stable owners is determined over a six-month period. These Property Values should not be used as a substitute for independent professional advice and is subject to Property24.com Terms and Conditions.
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