Neighbourhood 8 DECEMBER 2019
PROPERTY & LIFESTYLE
Leading the way Foxcroft restaurant in Constantia has struck the balance between finedining and casual eating, making beautiful dishes more accessible, page 3
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FAMILY-RUN CELLARS
yourneighbourhood.co.za
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THE VOETSTOOTS CLAUSE
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PROPERTY FOCUS: OFFSHORE INVESTMENTS
Connecting homeowners with great communities
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NEWS & LIFESTYLE
8 DECEMBER 2019
Editor’s exclusive CARLA REDELINGHUYS
Neighbourhood
In your hood:
Upper Blaauwklippen Valley
Kleinood | 021 880 2527 | kleinood.com Keermont | 021 880 0397 | keermont.co.za De Trafford | 021 880 1611 | detrafford.co.za
The secret garden awaits Venture into a hidden valley this summer and you’ll discover a clutch of wonderful family-run cellars
Tastes like the real thing A
bout a month ago, we started renovations to our kitchen. I wasn’t home when the builders started gutting the space, leaving all my utensils, crockery, and appliances on and in which to prepare food far out of reach. What’s a girl to do when she has to feed a family? Takeaways are the logical option, but how much grease can one person stomach? Luckily, our fair city has a ready supply of meal prep services, like CHEFS Cape Town, which really came to the rescue in my time of need. Jenny Ward is the masterchef behind the scenes. Q: You added the meal prep service in April. How has the feedback been so far? A: Overwhelmingly positive. Many of our regulars are adopting our plan to solve the everyday question: What’s for dinner? (And now it’s delivered as well!) Q: Why do you think meal prep services have grown in popularity the last few years? A: People have less time and want healthier meal choices. They're also more aware of where their food comes from, the wastage aspect and more. We’ve set out to address all of these needs. Q: What are the main challenges you face? A: Getting people to change their everyday habits and to adopt less wastage when it comes to food. The use of plastic is something we’re constantly looking at new solutions for; we really want to address this and make it less of a bug bear for our consumers. Q: What does the future hold? A: Currently we deliver in the City Bowl, Southern Suburbs and Atlantic Seaboard, but we plan to cover the whole of Cape Town by January and then by mid-2020 to be national. Thanks CHEFS for keeping my family fed! Your customer service and food are hard to beat.
PUBLISHED BY TIMES MEDIA PROPERTY PUBLISHING
WORDS: RICHARD HOLMES IMAGES: SUPPLIED
SIMPLY THE BEST PULLED AUBERGINE
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1. Slice the brinjal as thin as you can and sprinkle with a small amount of fine salt. Allow to sit for 5 to 10 minutes. 2. Using a large pan with a very small amount of olive oil, sear the slices one at a time until lightly charred. 3. Place into a bowl with fresh lemon juice and drizzle with olive oil.
While Alex is taken with the farm’s topography, elevation, and proximity to the ocean’s cooling winds, visitors to the family-owned cellar will be bowled over by its scenic beauty, its sense of quiet charm, and the joy of discovering a little-visited corner of the iconic Stellenbosch winelands.
he Upper Blaauwklippen Valley is a magical place to make wine,” says Alex Starey, winemaker at Keermont. And it’s hard to disagree with him.
While many visitors do a U-turn at the impressive estates of Waterford and Dornier, continuing along the Upper Blaauwklippen Road delivers three of the area’s most charming wineries.
TIME SAVER CHEFS’ Christmas boxes have everything you need for the perfect day. Each menu can be ordered for four, eight, 12, etc. The mains and sides are ready for you to finish off and assemble on the day and then you can choose to add canapés, cheese, dessert and cookies to each box.
Kleinood is the first cellar you’ll find, right across the road from Waterford. It’s the home of winery engineer Gerard de Villiers, who transformed tired pomegranate orchards into vineyards. The family-run cellar focusses on Rhône-style cultivars, ranging from a wonderful rosé to the unusual “Rantsoen” made from the little-known varietal roussanne. Syrah is the flagship here though, and their Tamboerskloof Syrah and flagship John Spicer Syrah boast no shortage of awards.
Delivery and collection are available for 23 and 24 December only. Preorder any time before 21 December at chefscapetown.co.za/collections/ Christmas. Readers can enter the promo code “Sunday Times” at checkout and receive 20% off of their order.
Further up the valley, along a narrow winding road between the vineyards, you’ll find Keermont. Here Alex Starey captures the unique terroir of the valley in his compact collection of wines. The standouts are those wines celebrating unique vineyards: the “Riverside” chenin blanc vines planted nearly a half-century ago, and a range of syrah releases expressing specific sites. Alex also uses only wild yeasts to enhance the expression of terroir. For longer stays, book Keermont’s charming one-bedroom apartment right above the winery.
EXPERIENCE IT FOR YOURSELF CHEFS Cape Town 021 461 0368 chefscapetown.co.za
win WINTER ESCAPES CHEFS Cape Town is giving away a Christmas Box valued at R3,500 to one lucky reader. To enter, simply visit our Facebook page (@YourNeighbourhoodSA).
The highlight of the year in these parts is the annual Upper Blaauwklippen Vintners’ experience, where these three boutique cellars throw open their doors to visitors with guided tastings, cellar visits and vertical tastings of rare vintages. Look out for the next edition in winter 2020.
Last, but certainly not least, is De Trafford, where architect-turnedwinemaker David Trafford has long been famous for his glorious red wines. The De Trafford Blueprint Shiraz is an excellent expression of reflection of this grape on the Helderberg, but also look out for the De Trafford 2015 Cabernet Franc, which bagged a coveted five-star rating in the Platter’s by Diners Club South African Wine Guide 2020.
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8 DECEMBER 2019
Neighbourhood
In your hood:
NEWS & LIFESTYLE
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Constantia
Foxcroft | 021 202 3304 | foxcroft.co.za
Fly the coop Foxcroft’s tasting menu and well-chosen wine pairings celebrate contemporary flavours in an informal setting WORDS: KIT HEATHCOCK
IMAGES: CLAIRE GUNN
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he first sibling of the La Colombe family to leave the nest, Foxcroft has come a long way in its three years at High Constantia. The original sharing plate format has changed to a focussed four-course menu and a longer tasting menu, both with wine pairings. The vibe remains friendly, relaxed and vibrant, and sampling the snacks that kick off our tasting menu we realise that chef Glen Williams really has evolved his own style at Foxcroft.
Our globe-trotting snacks span soft tacos with cauliflower and lime, West Coast oysters with earthy sweet potato puree, and Indian-spiced mini poppadum, then a first course of gorgeous carrot and honey hummus with feta, fig and pickled lemon, scooped up with spicy lavash crisp bread. As Glen says, their approach has “a similar mindset to a fine-dining restaurant but fewer bells and whistles”.
“I come from a fine-dining background, where you’re taught to be a little bit afraid of spices. My dad was a chilli-phile and I’ve always been a fan,” he says.
Among the highlights of our six courses was a warm hug of a mussel chowder – mussels, pickled squid and a succotash of gem squash and sugar snap pea, in a velvety mussel soup, with Arendsig Chardonnay.
“As we’ve grown and found our voice here, we’ve found a lot more spice coming into our menu, more world influences, not being tied down to one style.”
And a stunning pairing of Silwervis Smiley Chenin NV with seared yellowfin tuna, whipped avo, compressed cucumber, spicy salsa macha and jalapeno peppers, pickled radish, the
unusual wine cheerfully complementing hot and sour elements of the dish. The series of Winemaker’s dinners that Foxcroft hosts through the off season has really helped grow its skill with wine pairings. “We bring a winemaker in that we admire, tell them to bring five wines to show off and we build a menu entirely around that. You cook from a different angle – it keeps the team fresh over winter, we discover cool dishes, and pairing on the main menu becomes second nature,” Glen says. Strydom’s The Freshman inspired our dessert, a delightful yogurt and vanilla panna cotta with geranium and green apple granita, sauvignon blanc and elderflower jelly. It’s floral, light and a perfect pairing to complete a tasting menu that has all the fun and less of the formality of your traditional fine-dining experience.
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PROPERTY NEWS
8 DECEMBER 2019
Neighbourhood
Voetstoots: Know what it covers Do you have a leg to stand on if you discover defects when you buy a property? Yes and maybe… WORDS: ANNE SCHAUFFER
IMAGES: SHUTTERSTOCK
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iscovering defects in a property you’ve bought, could be covered by the voetstoots clause in your sale agreement. But that clause is often misunderstood by both buyers and sellers, so it’s a smart idea to know precisely what it covers and what it doesn’t.
What is voetstoots?
Attorney, conveyancer and notary public Sarah Araujo of Araujo Attorneys Inc in KwaZulu-Natal, spells it out, “It’s something most of us have heard of, but few understand the true meaning. The voetstoots clause is commonly seen in sale agreements where immoveable property is being sold, and it’s inserted largely to protect the seller.” Araujo says many sellers mistakenly believe this clause will protect them no matter what defects are on the property… and at the other end of the spectrum, some buyers mistakenly believe that in light of the Consumer Protection Act (CPA), the voetstoots clause has no significance. She says if one is buying a property from a developer who sells property “in the ordinary course of business”, then the CPA would apply, and the buyer would be protected against a myriad defects. “But,” she adds, “if the seller is an ordinary residential homeowner – as is often the case – the CPA does not apply, and the seller is afforded some protection by the voetstoots clause.”
Why only some protection?
Araujo clarifies, “The voetstoots clause in the agreement protects the seller, if: • the seller knew about a defect at the time of the sale. • the seller did not disclose the defect or hid the defect from the purchaser. • the seller’s intention was to defraud or mislead the purchaser.
Then the purchaser would be entitled to recourse in light of the latent defect at the property – it could be anything from a leaking roof to an outbuilding not on the plan.” Araujo cautions, “Bear in mind, though, that fraud is a criminal offence, and therefore all of the elements of the crime need to be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. No small feat. But if successful in proving the existence of a latent defect, the voetstoots clause will not protect the seller and the purchaser will be entitled to either a reduction in the purchase price, or a rescission of the contract.”
Buyer, do your homework
There are a few things which buyers should do to avoid the trauma of contesting defects. The most common one, often discovered down the line, is buildings or alterations which have been done, but didn’t go through the municipal approval’s process and do not appear on the property’s plans. This can be a costly headache, particularly if they “break the rules” in terms of boundaries and so on. And when selling the property, if the next buyer insists on matching the plans to the property, you could be in for a trying and expensive time. In terms of checking the house for defects, don’t be shy. Don’t be afraid to check the pool motor, check for bubbly paint on walls or ceilings which conceals leaks or damp, run the taps – hot and cold – and investigate an overload of Polyfilla which could be concealing bad structural cracks. If in doubt, call in the plumber, the engineer, whichever expert would put your mind at rest – it may be costly now, but it’ll be a great deal more costly and expensive once you’re the owner.
8 DECEMBER 2019
Neighbourhood
Keep your door open to buyers
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ave you noticed how all the “For Sale” boards in the suburbs seem to disappear the minute schools close for the December break? “It’s because sellers have the impression that buyers don’t go property shopping in the festive season,” says Berry Everitt, CEO, Chas Everitt International property group. “This couldn’t be further from the truth. The summer holidays are busy homebuying times because it’s when those who have been transferred for work or those who want to move closer to a school or those who want to move for any other reason are most likely to have the time off to find a new home.” And it can’t sell if it’s off the market. “If your home has already been advertised and begun to attract the attention of buyers, taking it off the market now would be a serious mistake. You’ll lose any marketing momentum your agent
has built up and have to start from the beginning after the holidays. You may not want to hold actual show days during December, but you should be available for any viewings your agent arranges. Remember, if you do sell now, it’s very unlikely you’ll have to move until well into the new year.” Also, your buyer might not be a “typical family”. Working couples, emptynesters and singles make up a large percentage of homebuyers, says Everitt, and for many of them this is not the time to go away on holiday but a very good time to shop for a new home.
PROPERTY NEWS
Unique co-living and -working development in Cape Town
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he Harri, a 39-unit studio and penthouse apartment development will go up on Harrington Street in the thriving East City Precinct between the CBD and District Six and offers residential living as well as co-working offices. “The East City Precinct and surrounds are undergoing a major revival,” says Jeff Kleu, co-developer with Steven Lampert, both of propertydevelopment company Sepia and Silk. Last year, the Cape Town Central
City Improvement District (CCID) identified the area as having the highest overall occupancy rate (97%) of all four of its city precincts. A R75m hotel opened there earlier this year, following three other commercial and retail developments in 2017. Two further residential mixed-use developments are planned for 2020. “Because of our proximity to a fashionable entertainment and retail scene, as well as how we’ve merged micro-apartment living with
The holiday spirit might actually help you sell. “Many owners work hard to get their homes and gardens spruced up and looking their best for family and other visitors at this time of year, and that not only makes them more appealing but also helps potential buyers picture themselves enjoying holidays and good times with friends and family in this setting.”
Should you stay or should you go?
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ew figures released by Lightstone’s property data analysts show that owners are waiting for close to 10 years before selling. What does this mean, and if you want or need to sell now, what can you do to realise the best return on your investment? Paul Stevens, CEO, Just Property, says investors have become more market savvy and are holding on to their properties to maximise capital growth on their properties. These trends are unsurprising, given that the local property market has been under strain for over a decade. So, is your property increasing in value as time goes by? Is your property creating wealth in the long run? If yes, then it’s a good idea to hold onto that property for as long as you possibly can, Stevens says. However, if your personal circumstances or goals have changed, selling may be the right thing to do.
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pristine co-working office spaces to create a co-living environment, The Harri is appealing to many professionals working for established creative, technology and design firms in the area, as well as visitors wanting a different inner-city tourism experience,” says Kleu. The 32 studio apartments vary in size from 24m2 to 49 m2 (furnished or unfurnished), with prices starting from R999,995, including VAT. The Harri’s on-site amenities include WiFi, a concierge, a housekeeping service, a laundry room, 24-hour access-controlled security, innovative storage units, vehicle and bicycle parking, and a restaurant on the ground floor. The co-living and co-working spaces opposite the residential side of the building, include fireplace lounges, TV rooms with large smart TVs and access to Netflix, open-plan kitchenette and dining areas, a rooftop terrace with a gas braai and mini-bar, and slick and contemporary co-working offices. Scheduled for completion in October next year, the development has been pre-approved by bond originator Ooba for 90% home loan finance, and apartments can be secured with a nonrefundable security deposit of R1,000, with seven days to pay the balance.
Then, when is the right time to sell? Stevens recommends keeping an eye on market trends and consulting an area expert as to the growth and current value of your property. One’s personal situation will, of course, also have a bearing. Do you need something bigger? Will holding onto the property cause financial strain? Have you received an offer that’s above the market value of your house? Have you seen a “bargain” property and need to sell your current home to realise the opportunity? These are all good reasons to sell. Finally, sellers have to ensure they’re financially prepared for the possibility that their property does not sell quickly, Steven says. “If you’re in a worst-case scenario and really need a quick sale, ready yourself to negotiate on your asking price. If a property doesn’t sell, it’s usually because it’s overpriced. Today’s purchasers are very well informed.”
Seeff Group scoops big award
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or the second time, Seeff Properties has been awarded first place for “best customer experience” in the Estate Agents Industry in the Ask Afrika Orange Index Awards 2019/2020.
stereotypes, it benchmarks how consumers expect to be treated, based on differing expectations, and provides a navigating light for brands to influence the consumer experience within a changing marketplace.
The index is the largest and most widely-referenced service excellence benchmark in South Africa. The index compares service performance across more than thirty industries and the research is conducted independently.
“In a world where we’ve seen a shift from transaction to service, this is an important achievement,” says Ted Frazer, national marketing manager for the group. “It can be quite a challenge in the real estate sector which is highly competitive with a large number of operators and a fairly homogenous offering. The award highlights that despite technological advances and enabling, the human touch remains vital.”
The index uses the most relevant service benchmarks, providing an overview of each customer touchpoint and a robust sample of participants. Removing all
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PROPERTY NEWS
8 DECEMBER 2019
Neighbourhood
Property focus
LACEWORKS, NOTTINGHAM
PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
Here’s looking at Plan B
More and more South Africans are leaving the country in search of greener pastures. We assess their options.
MAURITIUS
WORDS: DEBBIE HATHWAY IMAGES: SUPPLIED & SHUTTERSTOCK
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housands of people are applying to residence and citizenship-by-investment programmes annually, and demand for second citizenship is accelerating.
Foreign shores Pam Golding International is experiencing heightened demand for international property, fuelled by investor desire to diversify investment portfolios with a rand hedge. “The need to diversify, coupled with demand for offshore citizenship, has seen increased uptake by buyers investing in residential property in Portugal, via the Golden Visa programme, as well as a surge in interest in the US EB-5 programme for access to a Green Card, and the Grenada citizenshipby-investment programme,” says Pam Golding Property Group CEO Andrew Golding. “Notwithstanding, property in Mauritius and the UK remain firm favourites with South African investors.”
GRENADA
In Portugal, buyers invest mainly for EU residency, with the €350,000 (± R5,7m) Golden Visa developments in Lisbon, Porto and Cascais being the most popular. Golding says in
Mauritius they’re motivated by a combination of residency and leisure or second home acquisitions, whereas in the UK it’s about investment in hard currency, a hedge against political instability and diversification. Portugal and the UK offer South Africans affordable investment opportunities with good returns, says Lisa Bathurst, international property specialist and founder of Hurst & Wills. Relatively low cost of living and a nonhabitual tax regime with tax incentives are Portugal’s drawcards. “It also has more affordable Golden Visa options available from €280,000 (±R4,5m) for property bought in low-density, rehabilitation areas,” she says. “The vibrant walled city of Evora, two hours from Lisbon, falls into this category.” In the €500,000 (±R8m) Golden Visa category, Bathurst recommends looking at properties in prime areas that offer genuine guaranteed returns. “Do thorough due diligence when purchasing any property overseas, especially one that claims a guaranteed rent,” she advises. “It’s safer to use independent experts to make sure you get a property that suits your wealth strategy and
citizenship goals. We have residential and resort-style investments on offer in Lisbon, with guarantees of up to 4%, owner usage, and fully managed and furnished options, starting from €265,000 (±R4,3m).”
Golden Visa Pam Golding International is about to launch its first apartment development in Porto, Portugal, which qualifies for the €350,000 Golden Visa investment. “It should be very attractive to South Africans wishing to enter the programme but who don’t want to spend as much as €500,000,” says Pam Golding International MD Chris Immelman. “Up to now the €350,000 options were only available in private equity funds, where you would purchase shares in a hotel development. Santa Catarina Place affords investors full ownership of an apartment in the heart of downtown Porto.” It’s not surprising that Lisbon is on investors’ radar. The 2019 Emerging Trends in Europe report rates it as the top city in Europe for overall investment and development prospects, having leapfrogged 10 places to number one.
8 DECEMBER 2019
Neighbourhood
Meanwhile, in the UK the political uncertainty around Brexit that has weighed down the market may soon be resolved. And for many Londoners who have put their lives on hold for the past three years, the finale can’t come quick enough. “Property transactions have fallen by about one-fifth in the London market since the vote, with buyers and sellers reluctant to commit until the postBrexit landscape becomes clearer,” says Mike Smuts, MD of London property specialists Smuts & Taylor. “And yet the average asking price has climbed by 2.4% in October to £618,432 (±R11,8m) according to the latest Rightmove asking price index. This meek recovery is being driven by ultra-low mortgage rates, a robust employment market and a general lack of supply, with about 30% fewer properties coming to market than at the same time last year.”
Increased activity Smuts explains that increased activity from international buyers, particularly in London’s Prime and Ultra-Prime neighbourhoods, is another reason for the rise in the overall asking price. “Any political uncertainty has been offset by a sharp fall in sterling and, with vendors being more open to offers, this has created a favourable investment opportunity for foreign buyers who continue to view central
London as a safe haven for their wealth. This is mainly due to the inherent long-term political and economic stability of the UK, its robust legal system and transparent tax regime.” Even though the UK does not offer a residency programme, Bathurst agrees that it’s one of the best property investment destinations. “Our clients have also had a lot of success with student accommodation in the UK. This is one of the most resilient asset classes and has outperformed most of the property types, even during the 2008 recession,” she says. “A case in point is Laceworks in Nottingham. It’s sold out and now fully constructed, on time, with 100% occupancy. Our clients are already receiving their guaranteed returns as promised.” Financial services company Sable International has offices in the UK, SA and Australia and facilitates citizenship and immigration applications, among others. “South Africans are very comfortable going where people can speak English,” says group commercial director Andrew Rissik. “And culturally, places like the US, the UK and Australia work well. It comes down to our schooling system, the way we do business, the legal system, everything.”
Take the plunge With #Tax2020 looming, Rissik advises clients to make up their
PROPERTY NEWS
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minds about where they want to live and pay tax. “Currently, if you spend more than 183 days out of SA, you don’t need to pay tax here. Those at risk are people whose families live here and whose kids are being educated here,” he says. “They may spend six months or more out of the country, whatever the minimum requirements are in that tax year, but Sars sees them returning home, so they are deemed to be taxresident here. From 1 March next year, the first R1m they earn will be exempt but after that they’ll pay tax.” According to Investec.com, impending changes can only be mitigated by way of cessation of South African tax residency and not through formal financial emigration i.e. emigration for exchange control purposes. Where tax residency is based on the concepts of either being “ordinarily resident” or “physically present” in SA, unless a tax treaty determines otherwise, exchange control residency is based on the concepts of “domicile”, “citizenship” or “permanent residence” status in SA. Where a person financially emigrates from SA for exchange control purposes and obtains the right to reside in another jurisdiction, it doesn’t necessarily mean that tax residency has ceased as well.” Rissik says there’s been a lot of scaremongering and bad advice in the market in this regard. “I recommend that affected individuals get professional advice on their particular circumstances and plan around that when it comes to #Tax2020.”
GRENADA
South Africans are very comfortable going where people can speak English. And culturally, places like the US, the UK and Australia work well. It comes down to our schooling system, the way we do business, the legal system, everything. ANDREW RISSIK, GROUP COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR, SABLE INTERNATIONAL
PORTO, PORTUGAL
LACEWORKS, NOTTINGHAM
ISLAND IN THE SUN If your heart’s desire is to gear down to island style, Mauritius ticks the right boxes. Live – and work, if you must – with an idyllic retirement in mind. Mauritius has jumped seven places to rank 13th out of 190 countries in The World Bank’s 2020 Ease of Doing Business Report, reaffirming its leading position in Africa. You can buy prime property from $160,000 (±R2,3m) or secure permanent residency for you and your immediate family with an investment of $500,000 (±R7,3m) or more. The island offers a safe, secure living environment that attracts a rapidly growing expat and business community. Capital growth has averaged 7% per annum for the past four years. There’s no inheritance tax or capital gains tax. Mauritius is less than a four-hour flight from Joburg. LISBON, PORTUGAL