Whitewashed homes and ocean vistas luring buyers to Paternoster

Aside from the beautiful coastline and white-washed architecture of Paternoster, just about 90 minutes outside of Cape Town, it is an ideal base for people looking to catch a glimpse of the stunning flower carpet that envelops the area during spring.

This three bedroom, two bathroom cottage in Paternoster, Western Cape, has a fireplace and covered patio with built-in braai. It is on the market for R1.75 million - click here to view.

Paternoster is one of the few quaint fishing villages on the beautiful Western Cape coastline. Marina Enslin, Seeff Paternoster agent, says Paternoster is a popular weekend and holiday getaway town, and one of the Cape’s premier tourist attractions. It is one of oldest fishing villages in the country, and has retained its Cape fisherman’s architectural look and feel due to strict building regulations in the village.

The village is quaint, fronted by beautiful white beaches and the blue Atlantic Ocean that stretches as far as the eye can see. All-round, there are rolling dunes and fynbos which bursts into a flower carpet that stretches across the West Coast during late winter and over the spring. The 'postcard-pretty' village is also popular with artists and photographers, and the area is renowned for its fish, crayfish and spotting whales and dolphins. As with the rest of the West Coast, it is a water sport and nature lover’s paradise, says Enslin.

This three bedroom, three bathroom home in Paternoster, Western Cape, offers uninterrupted views of the Atlantic Ocean. It is on the market for R4.9 million - click here to view.

Approximately 5km from the town is the Columbine Nature Reserve which covers an area of 263ha along the rocky stretch of coastline. The bay, which is part of the reserve, has many picnic spots and braai facilities. A key attraction is the Cape Columbine lighthouse, the last manually-controlled lighthouse in SA. It was built in 1936 on Castle Rock and its light casts a beam visible from about 50km. it is usually the first SA lighthouse seen by ships coming from Europe.

Paternoster is just over 10 minutes’ drive from Vredenburg and about 30 minutes from Langebaan where you can find a wide range of amenities, including the West Coast Mall, a big regional mall. Although largely non-commercialised, there are loads of attractions such as quaint eateries and the waterfront area. Strandloper is a famous landmark and one of only a handful of eateries on the beach located in the Cape, says Enslin.

This three bedroom, two bathroom home in Paternoster, Western Cape, is within a walking distance to the beach and amenities. It is on the market for R2.195 million - click here to view.

Property prices in exclusive coastal resorts in the area tend to trend slightly higher than most areas, she says.

There are five sectional title properties for sale in Die Kom, ranging from R1.85 million for a two bedroom, one bathroom unit with limited views to R3.6 million for a three bedroom, three bathroom unit with unobstructed views. All units have granite tops in the kitchen, inside fireplaces, outside braais with a view and underfloor heating and heated towel rails.

This two bedroom, one bathroom apartment in Paternoster, Western Cape, has a covered patio with built-in braai and sea views. It is on the market for R1.85 million - click here to view.

Full title erven range from R300 000 for a 300sqm erf furthest away from the beach to R4 million for a 425sqm erf. Full title houses range from R1.66 million for a two bedroom, one bathroom house to R8.3 million for a six bedroom and six bathroom house with greenbelt on three sides and lovely views.

There are still opportunities in the Oyster Close Development, which offers erven for sale, situated on the beach in a lovely area, with prices ranging from R975 000 for a 380sqm erf in the third row from the beach to R2.975 million for a 340sqm erf in the front row. Architectural guidelines ensure that all properties, even in the third row, will have views. First-row properties have a height restriction of 4 metres, second-row properties may build double-storey on 50% of the footprint, and third-row properties may build double-storey on 100% of the footprint. Because sales are directly from the development, there is no transfer duty.

This three bedroom, two bathroom home in Paternoster, Western Cape, offers a patio, built-in braai and lovely ocean views. It is on the market for R6.5 million - click here to view.

The area also has a busy rental market. Long-term rentals range from R3 000 per month for a bachelor unit to R12 000 for a three bedroom, two bathroom house. Holiday rentals range from R500 per night in low season for a room with en-suite bathroom, fridge and coffee-making facilities to R7 000 per night in high season for a five bedroom, five bathroom house right on the beach.

Aside from holiday-home buyers, Paternoster is popular for retirement, and draws buyers from the Cape and Gauteng as well as many of the inland provinces and, of course, a good share of UK and European buyers, says Enslin.