Looking for a start-up family home on the North Coast?

The North Coast is home to a rapidly flourishing and continually growing estate home market, with many suburbs featuring among the cream of the crop.

The area featured prominently in the AfriAsia Bank’s latest wealth report highlighting the best growing regions in terms of estates.

The North Coast ranked second as one of the leading semigration hot spots in South Africa, with Cape Town taking the top spot, and the Garden Route taking third.

More and more people are choosing to relocate to the North Coast with reasons for doing so ranging from affordability, changes in the job market to quality of life.

But what can your money get you in terms of a home, especially when you are a starter family looking to buy property in an estate?

The Courier spoke with Graham White, managing director of Local Real Estate to find out, especially since the region ranked second in the top three semigration hot spots which have seen massive growth.

White said entry-level properties on the North Coast range from apartments to townhouses, with prices varying from R1.9-million to R3.3-million. The pricing does of course vary from estate to estate, with each having its own unique offer.

White took us through what one can get at Simbithi Eco-Estate, Dunkirk and Brettenwood Coastal Estate, while also providing additional information on what buyers should keep in mind when putting down roots in estates.

“In these three estates, typically, your start up homes are apartments,” White said.

Simbithi measured in at around R2.6-2.8-million, Dunkirk about R2.5-3.3-million and Brettenwood, for a one bedroom apartment, about R1.9-million. Going up to a two bedroom apartment at Brettenwood meant upping your expected price range to R2.8-2.9-million.

With the above costs, you could get a two to three bedroom apartment at Simbithi and two bedroom apartments at Dunkirk.

Sold properties within the past three months that fell into the price bracket for entry level homes within estates ranged from R1.9-2.8-million. One of these properties included a renovated two bedroom unit at Bentley Estate which went for R1.9-million.

Comparing these estates to others on the North Coast, like Palm Lakes Family Estate, prices were similar.

A well-sized three bedroom Palm Lakes apartment boasting picturesque views from every window, a modern kitchen and two bathrooms was priced to go at just over R2.5-million.

Shortens Country Estate had a property listed for R2.8-million, offering three bedrooms, two bathrooms and sized at 180m2.

“First-time buyers need to keep in mind that there are additional costs in these estates which mostly include once-off joining fees, levy stabilisation fees and additional monthly levies,” said White.

Comparing these properties to other regular freestanding properties around Ballito, outside of estates, prices ranged from upwards of R2-million.

“These are older homes, which are larger and have gardens. These homes are usually bought to be renovated,” said Chrissie Johnson, who heads public relations at Local Real Estate.

Commenting on how the local property market had performed over the past year, White said, in general, things had been steady and solid without any major fluctuations.

“The latest figures suggest property prices are inflating at a slower level than at the start of the year.”

He said the strength and emergence of entry level apartments outside of estates was a running theme which will continue into 2023 as demand in that bracket remains high in Ballito.

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