Last few beachfront apartments at The Pearls in Umhlanga

If you want to see your investment double in a short space of time, invest in a good development project. 

Although The Pearls of Umhlanga is currently enduring its final phase, Pearl Sky, those who have invested in the iconic structure have already seen their capital appreciate more than 100% since its launch in 2004.

Many believe that investing in property is a fail proof way to appreciate their capital, and therefore they look for the best ‘deal’ or cheapest option to invest in, waiting for years to see the noteworthy growth. However, developments such as The Pearls of Umhlanga have proved that the better option would be to invest in a sizeable, premier development from the get go, where the reward is gained faster and is ultimately far greater.   

This is according to Sudhir Pragjee, Director of The Pearls of Umhlanga Development, who says ideally situated in Umhlanga, The Pearls is the perfect example of how fast your investment can grow if you invest in a great location and lifestyle, and is underpinned by a reputable developer. The location of The Pearls of Umhlanga alone makes it a prized investment. 

A global wealth intelligence and market research company, New World Wealth, recently ranked Umhlanga as among the most exclusive towns, suburbs and roads in South Africa based on the number of R20 million ($1.3 million) homes in each area. Umhlanga’s own Lagoon Drive, home to The Pearls of Umhlanga, was listed among the top, and the only road mentioned from KwaZulu-Natal. 

Although The Pearls of Umhlanga is currently enduring its final phase, Pearl Sky, those who have invested in the iconic structure have already seen their capital appreciate more than 100% since its launch in 2004. Pragjee says The Pearls of Umhlanga is an exceptional development that has put KwaZulu-Natal on the map, becoming an iconic structure in the region. A further example of the excellent returns that can be made if one chooses the right investment, is the fact that those who bought into Pearl Sky in 2015 for R40 000 per square metre, have already seen their capital appreciation grow by 20% in 16 months, as the current selling rate at Pearl Sky is R60 000 per square metre. 

According to ABSA’s findings, the house price growth for 2016 was forecast to be around 5% to 6%, which, in turn, is more or less the same as banks had said 2015 had seen in house price growth. 

Neville Berkowitz, a property economist and adviser, analyses homes sold and transferred in all the Deeds Offices around the country. He says the average home in South Africa in 2014 transacted at the Deeds Office for R1.2 million, while in 2015 they went for R1.23 million. This in itself shows less than a 5% house price growth, and reiterates that a good investment like The Pearls of Umhlanga, even during property market downturns, will always rank high and produce good capital appreciation results. 

Pragjee says with over 90% sold, only 35 sea-facing units are left. “This is significant, as we see the contrast between how the property market is struggling, against how exceptionally well The Pearls of Umhlanga continues to perform. People see the value in this development, and as we have continued with our project, it has become much easier to sell, as investors are seeing how exceptional the structure is and the prestige that it exudes.”