Neighbourhood 20 AUGUST 2017
PROPERTY & LIFESTYLE
The stare case Surfer and entrepreneur, Graeme Bird, tells us about the beauty of life by the sea in Umdloti, page 2
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SUBURB FOCUS: UMDLOTI
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BUSINESS Q&A
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PROPERTY NEWS
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PROPERTY NEWS
20 AUGUST 2017
Neighbourhood
Suburb focus
Umdloti
Entrepreneur and surfer, Graeme Bird, tells us about his neighbourhood WORDS: ANNE SCHAUFFER IMAGES: SUPPLIED, STEPHEN PILBROUGH & PAULO MENEZES
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raeme Bird, co-owner, Poison City Brewing craft beer brand, lives, works and surfs out of KwaZulu-Natal’s little North Coast seaside gem, Umdloti. When Graeme, his wife Kerstin and their two young sons saw photographs of the house they now call home they were “blown away”, even though it was further from the city than they would’ve liked. The property sits on the edge of an indigenous forest with expansive sea views and the house was designed with high ceilings, glass walls and sizeable volumes that allow the living space to seemingly merge with the sea and forest. Less than 200m from the seashore, the house is situated a short way up a coastal dune, which protects it from the elements and creates an unbelievable sense of openness.
DINE OUT: • Bel Punto: for great seafood • Mundo Vida: for delicious bistro fare and breathtaking sea views • Sandbar: for tasty tapas and drinks in a vibey cafe • Tasca Pizza: for amazing pizza • La Casa Nostra: for scrumptious Italian meals out with the family • Caffe Java: for wonderful breakfasts • Bush Tavern: for classic pub grub and ambience
“The real clincher was the main bedroom, a 150m² open-plan space on the third floor, fully open to the sea in front and forest behind. It’s also high enough on a clear day to see the Bluff and the Durban Beachfront in the far distance, which creates a great perspective of this stretch of coastline,” says Graeme. Umdloti has three distinct sectors, with North Beach Road being the tourist strip and Bellamont and South Beach roads being predominantly residential. Graeme’s home is one road behind South Beach Road, so it’s well separated from the main public beach and commercial centre. “This enhances the separation from the bustling urban spaces of La Lucia Ridge, Umhlanga
Village and Umhlanga Newtown Centre a few minutes’ drive away. While many of the surrounding old beach cottages and holiday houses have been renovated to accommodate permanent residents, there’s still a strong sense of living in a remote coastal village,” he says. The sense of community here has resulted in the establishment of an Urban Improvement Precinct which drives environmental and security matters in the South Umdloti area. As a result, the community is actively committed to preserving the surrounding green space. Graeme praises the support received from the eThekweni Municipality to help maintain this sustainable coastal environment. As a surfer, Graeme says nothing beats waking up to the sight and sound of the waves. Sundays involve a surf and then a beach walk with the family to one of the local restaurants. “These local Umdloti places were among the first to stock our Poison City craft beers and it was fantastic how much support I got. They were all proud to stock a local product and especially one from someone who lives in the area. “Living here is as close to nature as you can get and we’re often completely happy to spend our free time at home. We see shoals of fish, dolphins and whales almost daily from our house. The forest is full of life and the sound of birds and even the odd buck. This is enough to make us feel we’re far from the city,” says Graeme.
In a village like Umdloti, you really get to know the people around you and this creates a real sense of community GRAEME BIRD
THINGS TO DO NEARBY: • • • • •
Go surfing at Umdloti Beach. Swim in the local tidal pools. Watch whales and dolphins swim. Enjoy an afternoon of fishing. Visit Sibaya Casino and Entertainment Kingdom.
NATURE NEARBY: • The beaches in Umdloti and neighbouring areas • Hawaan Forest • Umhlanga Ponds • Umhlanga Lagoon Nature Reserve • Mount Moreland
PUBLISHED BY BLACKSTAR PROPERTY PUBLISHING Unit G04, Old Castle Brewery Bldg 6 Beach Road, Woodstock Cape Town, 087 828 0423
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20 AUGUST 2017
Neighbourhood
For rent
Median asking prices
Median monthly asking prices
R3,25m
R16,000
R2,36m In a complex
R2,3m For an apartment
75%
R6,98m For a house
R12,000 In a complex
Monthly bond repayments For a typical property in this area
complex You’ll pay
R31,903 per month
R12,980 For an apartment
R21,000 For a house
Property type 6%
apartment
3
For a typical rental property (three-bedroom apartment)
Property type
house
PROPERTY NEWS
For sale
For a typical property (three-bedroom apartment)
19%
Based on
10% 89%
1%
house apartment
complex
over a period of
at
R3,25m
20
10,5%
median asking price
years
prime
HALF PRICE SUSHI AND COCKTAILS
11AM - 7PM | SUNDAY ALL DAY infodbn@beluga.co.za | www.beluga.co.za | Gateway – 031 584 7430 | Ballito – 032 586 1729
About us Ours Is a story steeped in tribute to Neapolitan-style pizza originating in Naples more than 200 years ago. The guidelines are simple and elegant – basic, fresh ingredients including hand–kneaded dough, mozzarella cheese, basil and olive oil. Neapolitan-style pizzas are noticeably smaller than modern-sized pizzas and baked in wood-fired ovens of exceptional
heat for a very short time. The result – a delicately light and crisp base at the edges with deliciously saucy centre. While paying faithful homage to the original, we remain certain our Neapolitan-inspired Casa Bella signature pizzas, pasta and grills will continue to delight for hundreds of years to come.
Shop 226a Ballito Junction | Tel: 032 586 0621 | Email: ballito@CasaBellaDining.com | www.CasaBellaDining.co.za
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PROPERTY NEWS
20 AUGUST 2017
Neighbourhood
My business I neighbourhood My Chef Express is a same-day meal delivery service offering wholesome, nutritious meals to busy consumers WORDS: TIVANIA MOODLEY
IMAGE: SUPPLIED
t’s exhausting to get home after a long day of work and prepare a meal from scratch. We often surrender to the convenience of fast food to feed our families. Recently, there has been an explosion of meal delivery services offering a healthier and more convenient way of accessing the next best thing to home-cooked food. Jenni Jackson, owner, My Chef Express, tells us about her slice of the food delivery business pie. Q: How did your business start? A: My Chef Express started in March 2017 after my team and I realised that with both parents in a household working, families really struggle. Compromises need to be made – either losing quality time with loved ones or resorting to meals that are full of fat, preservatives or both, resulting in health issues and compounded stress. We believe a family should be eating at least one wholesome, nutritious family meal every day, but without having to spend hours preparing, and that’s how the idea of My Chef Express was born. Q: Why did you choose this area to set up shop? A: Our kitchen is situated in Springfield Park, which is central to all of the areas we service. Q: How did you find your premises? A: My Chef Express is a subsidiary of My Chef and Blue Strawberry Caterers. We were the first tenants in the newly built complex and have been here for 27 years.
Q: Why are the premises ideally suited to your business? A: My Chef Express is designed so that you can call us and we will deliver the same day, so it’s important that our premises are central to the areas we service. Our kitchen in Springfield Park serves as a collection point. Q: Who are your neighbours? A: Windovert blinds and shutters, and Fire Equipment. Q: What are the shop rental/ sales prices like in the area? A: Average. Q: How many people go through your store each day? A: A s our business is conducted online, it’s hard to tell. Q: Do you have any expansion plans? A: We’re still fairly new, but we hope to spread our wings to other provinces in the near future. Q: Do you operate online as well? A: The business is conducted online and via telephone. Q: What’s your most popular item? A: Our butter chicken curry.
SEE FOR YOURSELF: My Chef Express 082 827 6576 mychef.co.za
mall
t n e m e t a t s a e k Ma with ls eP ar
The Pearls Mall boasts convenience and luxury within KwaZulu-Natal’s most premium address, The Pearls of Umhlanga. Mon – Sat: 09h00 – 18h00 Sun & Public Holidays: 09h00 – 16h00
800 parking spaces available 45mins FREE parking
www.thepearls.co.za
facebook.com/thepearlsmall
Contact our sales team: (031) 941 2604
RAINMAKER MARKETING 07/2017
Byourold,style,elegant or sophisticated; no matter what you want to say in Pearls Mall has something to dazzle all types of women!
Only 18 luxury apartments remain within Pearl Sky. Delivery from September 2017
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PROPERTY NEWS
6 AUGUST 2017
Neighbourhood
Building with sandbags This method reduces the cost of construction and is more gentle on the environment WORDS: CANDICE BOTHA IMAGE: ISTOCK
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andbag building is gaining popularity as a green building technique not only because of its environmentally friendly materials and construction methods, but also for the insulation properties of the completed structure. Andy Strydom, founder, Green Perspectives, says that building with sandbags has several advantages. “The bags can be filled with local, natural materials, which lowers the embodied energy commonly associated with the manufacture and transportation of building materials. Because the sandbags can be stacked in a wide variety of shapes, they have the potential to reduce the need for common tensile materials within the structure. The fill
material is generally of mineral composition and is not subject to decomposition (even when damp), not attractive to vermin, or burnable, making it very durable.” Once the bags have been stacked, they’re plastered over conventionally resulting in a building that looks like any other and where cabinets can be mounted and plumbing installed as normal. The difference is in the insulation. “The insulation of a 30cm thick sandbag wall is at least twice as good as the insulation of the standard 28cm external cavity wall. This results in drastically reduced heating and cooling costs over the life of the building, especially when combined with appropriate passive thermal design. Even in hot climates, air-conditioning can often be eliminated. The
life cycle carbon footprint will, therefore, be a fraction of that of a standard house,” says Strydom. Building with sandbags is simple and easy, providing jobs for even unskilled people. “One person familiar with the basics of sandbag building could easily train others to assist in the erection of a structure. This not only makes the process more affordable but also more feasible in remote areas where many common building skills are not to be found,” says Strydom, adding that sandbag building also saves time. Water requirements are minimal as the method requires no mortar and on-site waste generation is almost eliminated. “Appropriately designed sandbag structures will stand for decades, if not centuries, adding to their sustainability as they seldom need to be replaced,” says Strydom.
VICTORY CHRISTIAN ACADEMY
Open day 34 RONAN ROAD, LA LUCIA, DURBAN 7TH SEPTEMBER 2017 GRADE 1 - 12 08:00 - 14:00 031 572 7182
OUR PRIME
PROPERTIES OF THE WEEK
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Shavaun Lindsay Greg Simmonds Michelle Larkens
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PRICED FROM
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T 032 525 4581 E info@brettenwood.co.za W www.brettenwood.co.za