Neighbourhood 21 JANUARY 2018
PROPERTY & LIFESTYLE
Up your street Architect Rodney Choromanski explains how Greenwood Park and Red Hill have become such close-knit communities, page 2
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SUBURB FOCUS: RED HILL & GREENWOOD PARK
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BUSINESS Q&A
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PROPERTY NEWS
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PROPERTY NEWS
21 JANUARY 2018
Neighbourhood
Suburb focus
Red Hill & Greenwood Park Architect, Rodney Choromanski, tells us about his neighbourhood WORDS: ANNE SCHAUFFER IMAGES: STEPHEN PILBROUGH, GOOGLE MAPS, GOOGLE & ISTOCK
N
ortheast of Greenwood Park, divided by the old and winding Chris Hani Road (North Coast Road), Red Hill hugs the hill behind Durban North. As two neighbouring suburbs which fringe the industrial and commercial hubs along and around Chris Hani Road, this belt has had a good share of complex South African social history. Architect Rodney
*Map not to scale
Choromanski has been at the heart of the community for many years.
Home sweet home
Rodney describes his home as straddling the suburbs of Red Hill and Greenwood Park. His parents were dislocated from their family during the Group Areas Act of 1950 and he says that as a family they had little choice but to settle in this district, where they initially occupied two rooms within the three-bedroom house. “My home is a modified wood and iron dwelling, which formed part of the larger old colonial Duikerfontein farmstead, about 10km north of the Durban CBD and 3km west of the Durban beach strip. Our 1,100m2 property was jointly owned
by my parents and relatives, and I took it over. I’ve subdivided the land to accommodate my brother’s family and my home. The plots of land in our area allowed for subdivisions through the amended municipal bylaws which supported densification and encouraged homeowners to develop part of their land for sale, extended families or rental income. Over time, we’ve made it home through strong community cohesion, events and basic social infrastructure,” he says. Rodney appreciates the natural beauty of his neighbourhood and says the residents form a closeknit community. “The indigenous subtropical landscape within our district has had minimal disturbance by property developments and still supports an abundance of fruit trees. Red Hill and the surrounding areas are a close supporting community who attend the local schools, religious
institutions, local events and so on, which has created our own identity.”
Neighbourhood gems Rodney is deeply involved with his community on many levels. The multicultural area has a history of talented artists, musicians, athletes, teachers, political activists, religious leaders, artisans and more. This has led to the development of churches, temples, mosques, schools, soccer fields, informal shops and more, which serve as cultural event spaces and meeting places as there’s still no established community hall available to serve the area. For him, his studio is the heart of his home. It accommodates an array of
Our district has no boundaries and connects into surrounding communities, which has attracted residents from various economic levels and created a really unique settlement within which to live RODNEY CHOROMANSKI
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21 JANUARY 2018
Neighbourhood
musical instruments and was created in memory of his late mother, who was a classical pianist and tutored many children from the community. “This space and my love for the arts were the beginnings of my architectural practice, which also assisted in nurturing musicians and creatives. This inspired me in 1995 to cocreate the Community Art Centre, with an artist, Leonie Hall, which we located in an existing 100-yearold Presbyterian wood and iron church along a significant arterial route at the edge of Red Hill. The art centre operated until mid-1997 and served the local and surrounding community by bringing together different cultures in our new democracy.”
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PROPERTY NEWS
Perfect Sunday Rodney says his perfect day would include “listening to, and the performance of, music within our community and surrounding areas, family and cultural events, reading, connecting to the art circuit and galleries.” He’s a great fan of the Durban beachfront promenade and the warm Indian Ocean. “This has created an edge to our city and I thoroughly enjoy the culture which has developed here. I’m a surfer and swimmer, always have been, so this is my happy place.”
SEE: EAT: • Kung Thai Restaurant, Durban North: for authentic Thai cuisine • Spiga D’Oro, Durban North: for Italian dishes made with fresh ingredients • Ocean Basket, Durban North: for family-friendly dining • The Wok Box, Durban North: for tasty Thai food
SCHOOLS NEARBY: • • • • •
• See the free-flight bird show at 11am and 2pm at the Umgeni River Bird Park from Tuesday to Sunday. • Explore the trails at the Virginia Nature Reserve with your pooch. • Explore the Beachwood Mangroves Nature Reserve with the North Durban Ezemvelo honorary officers. • Wind down with live music at the Soul Sundays Sessions at Crusaders Sports Club.
Briardene Primary School St Michaels Primary School Greenwood Park Primary School Parkhill Secondary School North Crest Primary School
For sale in Greenwood Park
For rent in Greenwood Park
Median asking price:
Median asking price:
R1,25m
R6,500
Monthly bond repayments
For a typical property (three-bedroom house)
For a typical property (two-bedroom house)
For a typical property in this area
R850,000
R862,500
R1,3m
In a complex
For an apartment
For a house
You’ll pay
R12,271
R6,000
R5,500
R9,500
In a complex
For an apartment
For a house
per month
Property Type:
58% house
20%
apartment
22% complex
36%
Property Type:
House
Based on
R1,25m
34%
median asking price
apartment
30%
over a period of 20 years at 10,25% prime
complex
CONSISTENT 100% PASS RATE Top Performer Sejal Mahadeo
The Principal, Governing Body and Staff wish to congratulate the ir Class of 2017 on the in s ult res superb the NSC exams
7th in Umlazi District Dux Learner 7 As, including IEB Advanced Programme Mathematics
Other Top Performers 7 As: Santhuri Govender, Nikita Munsamy, Darshna Naidoo 6 As: Merissa Chetty, Aarya Purasaram, Talia Ramananan 5As: Shauna Francis, Ying-Fei Huang, Kiara Manickum, Kimeera Moodley, Chloé Naidoo, Raeesa Shaik Fareed
Highest Marks Include Accounting 97% Afrikaans 97% Business Studies 95% Dramatic Arts 90% French 91% History 92% Information Technology 95% isiZulu 96% Life Sciences 93% Mathematics 95% Physical Sciences 96% Visual Arts 97%
031 571 1100
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21 JANUARY 2018
Neighbourhood
PROPERTY NEWS
My business neighbourhood M KZN Top Model South Africa in Kloof focuses on building self-confidence and teaching leadership skills WORDS: TIVANIA MOODLEY
IMAGE: IMPRESSIVE IMAGERY
odelling schools have evolved to empower girls and boys, providing them with the tools to build selfconfidence and leadership skills. Zakhele Khumalo, owner, KZN Top Model South Africa, recognised the benefit of having a new breed of young people who can bring hope to their communities. He tells us more. Q: How did your business start? A: I do a lot of charity work and decided to form this organisation to give back to the youth by giving them a platform to exhibit their talent in order for them to gain more confidence. This platform shows them that they can be anything they want to be in life. Q: Why did you choose this area to set up shop? A: T he brand operates from Maple Crescent in Kloof. I chose this area because it’s central, easily accessible and popular within the community. Q: How did you find your premises? A: T he premises were recommended by a prominent government employee. Q: Why are the premises ideally suited to your business? A: T he environment is fully equipped with all the amenities required to run a business efficiently. It’s also convenient, safe and clean.
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Q: Who are your neighbours? A: Retail shops, banks, car dealerships and restaurants. Q: What are the shop rental/ sales prices like in this area? A: O ur rent is quite affordable for the area. Q: How many people visit your business each day? A: We receive more than 50 requests daily from people interested in becoming part of our brand. Q: Do you have any expansion plans? A: We’re looking at expanding within South Africa and becoming a national brand that’s synonymous with youth empowerment. Q: Do you operate online as well? A: Yes. We’re on all major social media platforms: Facebook (goo.gl/ FK4Ma2), Twitter (@KZNTMSA) and Instagram (@kzntmsa). Q: What’s your most popular service? A: Our charity events are well-received and focus on youth development.
SEE FOR YOURSELF: KZN Top Model South Africa 079 503 4494 goo.gl/FK4Ma2
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PROPERTY NEWS
21 JANUARY 2018
Firdale in Newlands
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ith an increasing number of property buyers seeking homes in secure estates, the new development Firdale in sought-after Newlands will answer this demand in Cape Town’s Southern Suburbs. Marketed by Greeff Properties, Firdale is priced from R8,95m to R9,45m and includes three freehold south-entry, north-facing homes, each with three spacious bedrooms, two full bathrooms
Neighbourhood
Zimbali Lakes Resort
and a guest loo, a second full lounge on the upper level, a wood-burning fireplace and a double lock-up garage. “We’re extremely excited about the launch of Firdale. These homes are a fantastic addition to an already established area,” says Mike Greeff, CEO, Greeff Properties, Christie’s International Real Estate. Firdale is expected to be completed by December 2018.
Areas which are performing well in terms of demand and trading activity include Morningside and the Durban beachfront. I believe in the long term we’ll see even more interest in people moving to the beachfront for the lifestyle on offer and convenience of location. MICHELLE BURGER, AREA PRINCIPAL, PAM GOLDING PROPERTIES DURBAN
Growthpoint converts warehouse to retail park
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rowthpoint has undertaken an R85m revamp of M1 Place in Marlboro, Sandton. The ageing retail warehousing property nearing the end of its life cycle has been converted into a modern retail park. The one-year upgrade and expansion project has modernised the retail park and increased its size from 13,800m2 to 23,000m2. The revamp has also enabled each of its trio of original tenants to expand into bigger spaces and add three new names to its mix.
Internally, the building was completely gutted and renewed, with everything refinished to modern specifications, from lighting to tiles. Externally, the building’s glass façade was fully upgraded and modernised, as was the brickwork on the façade of the property. This ensured the existing main property matched the façade of the new building created for The Galleria. Also, the M1 Place’s resource efficiency was boosted by installing energy-efficient lighting and some lower-energy air-conditioners.
Influence of social media on property
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aul Stevens, CEO, Just Property, has noted how social media impacts public perception of an area. “This is a little-explored driver of demand for property and therefore the value of your property. It’s also something that the man/woman in the street can influence, unlike fiscal policy.” While traditional media may focus on the “bad news” in areas, social media community groups tend to amplify the “good news”. Consider a Facebook group of mothers where a member posts that she’s moved to a new area and asks other members which school nearby would suit her particular child. If the overwhelming responses from mothers living in the area favour one particular school and trumpet its academic, cultural and sporting successes, that school’s standing will rise in the eyes of all the other
members. What’s not so apparent, says Stevens, is that the area is also promoted. All the members of the parenting group realise that there’s an excellent school in the area and it becomes more desirable to them. Similarly, a Facebook community page for a particular residential node fosters a strong sense of safety and belonging between residents. Security companies are held to higher standards through the pressure of numbers, neighbourhood watch patrols are organised, funds are raised for the installation of cameras and it becomes a selffulfilling prophecy. The area actually is safer. Word gets out and the node’s reputation improves. It would not be surprising to hear that as an area becomes more desirable, house prices also improve.
Moving on up Reduce the stress of moving house with a little preparation WORDS: CANDICE BOTHA
IMAGES: ISTOCK
M
oving house is a stressful process that, like many other taxing events, can be made easier with a little preparation. Mark Holden, moving consultant, Master Movers, has moved house more than 30 times himself and so has practical as well as theoretical expertise in his field. Holden’s strategy begins with choosing a professional moving company. He advises investigating how long the company has been in business, if it uses closed trucks and if the staff is trained. “An amateur moving company might be cheaper, but they often use open vehicles and hire casual, inexperienced labour for the day,” he says. “Rather use a company accredited by the PMA (Professional Movers Association).” When packing, decluttering and disposing is his first step. “You can save yourself money by not paying to move things that you no longer need or use,” he says. Having the right equipment is next, with professional moving boxes – laminated multiply cardboard boxes that can be stacked five high and will not lose their shape – being top of Holden’s list. Many removal companies offer a complete service including wrapping,
packing, a supply of boxes and in-transit protection cover. “Packing material to fill up spaces and bubble wrap is essential to protect fragile items, and upholstered furniture should be covered in plastic,” he says. “Pack a ‘survival box’ of tea and coffee, a kettle, mugs, cloths, tissues and toilet paper for when you arrive at your new home as well as a ‘valuables suitcase’ that the moving company is not allowed to touch, with all your important documents, jewellery, cash, hotel and travel information and insurance info.”
It’s possible that something could go wrong, so insurance is a good idea. “Your insurance broker can offer you this cover or you can choose to purchase cover through the moving company,” says Holden. “If you choose to take out cover, you can partially cover the load for items you deem necessary, but there will be a minimum cover applicable and you will be able to specify the items. An excess will apply like in all claims.” Your cover should be for the replacement value of items not what you originally paid for them.
21 JANUARY 2018
Neighbourhood
PROPERTY NEWS
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Cool ideas
We bring you a few tips on how to keep your home cool this summer WORDS: ANNE SCHAUFFER
IMAGE: ISTOCK
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e’re all used to switching on the air-conditioner on hot days. So much so that even though we’re keen to save electricity, we don’t give much thought to supplementing that costly cooling with common sense. Here are a few ideas on how to keep your home cool – some you can apply instantly, others need a little cash injection and others are long-term solutions. If you plan on staying in your home a while, you should get out there and try them now.
them – all the better, they’ll insulate the room. You know which way your house is positioned, so screen the sun-facing sides of the home.
Block out the sun
If the temperature drops at night, open the windows to create a flow of air. Open the top section of windows on the downwind side of your home and the bottom section on the upwind side. You can accelerate the flow of air by creating a wind tunnel with well-positioned fans.
Plant a tree or a shrub or two (indigenous to your area, naturally, so it’s also water-wise) to shade rooms from the sun. If you’re not an expert, get advice on what is dense and would grow best in that particular spot on your property. Keep your curtains and blinds closed. It’s reported that 30% of heat in the home comes in through the windows, so shading can lower temperatures considerably. If you have block-out curtains – or are prepared to fit
Window insulation film will also keep your home cool, as will window awnings.
Improve air flow
Partitioning the house is a smart move. Close the doors to unused rooms – some people even suggest closing the windows first thing in the morning.
And talking of clever fan tricks, here’s a simple one which works well. Fill a bowl with ice, place the bowl at an angle in front of a large fan. Switch on the fan and feel the difference in the air temperature when the air flows over the ice. It works.
If you have ceiling fans, take note. To cool your space, you need to change the direction of your fan so it rotates counter-clockwise and turn it to a higher speed. Do the opposite in winter.
Change light bulbs
If you haven’t done so yet, get rid of your incandescent bulbs; they waste most of their energy in the heat they emit. Switch to the low-energy bulbs, which will lower the room temperature along with your electricity bill.
Stay cool
There are a host of ideas on how to keep your bed cool. You can fill a bottle (a hot water bottle or a simple plastic bottle) with water, leave it in the freezer and then place it at the foot of your bed. Another favourite is the highly praised Chillow – a comfy cooling pad insert for your pillow.
Eat outside
If you can’t take the heat in the kitchen, get creative with your barbecue or braai. Whatever you like to call it, do it outside.
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