Neighbourhood 1 DECEMBER 2019
PROPERTY & LIFESTYLE
Park life If you're looking for a laid-back community with ample green spaces and where neighbours are all friends, look no further than Valhalla in Centurion North, page 2
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SUBURB FOCUS: VALHALLA
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NEWS FOR ALL
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PROPERTY NEWS
1 DECEMBER 2019
Neighbourhood
Suburb focus
Valhalla
With its history dating back as far as the 1930s, Valhalla has a bit of an ‘old school’ look and feel, and it’s quite enchanting WORDS: BETSIE LOOCK-VAN DER MERWE
IMAGES: SUPPLIED & GOOGLE MAPS *Map not to scale
I’ve been living in Valhalla forever and will never move. We’re a close-knit community and we stand together to create a pleasant neighbourhood. DANNY BREWIS, RESIDENT
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he suburb of Valhalla, located in Centurion North between the legendary Swartkop Air Force Base and Zwartkop Nature Reserve, is possibly one of Pretoria’s best preserved neighbourhoods – in its original form. With almost no building activities going on in this area because of the neighbouring nature reserve, air force and military bases, Valhalla is undeniably a true gem in terms of a quiet and unflustered lifestyle, within minutes’ reach of big city conveniences. Valhalla is located within easy access of main arteries in the area like Wierda Road (M10), Old Johannesburg Road (R101), the R55 linking up to the N4 highway, Ben Schoeman Freeway (N14) and the N1. Properties here are big and reasonably priced and offers plenty of opportunities for entry-level buyers and middle-income families to own their own homes. Valhalla is a multicultural, family-oriented neighbourhood with its own primary schools, churches and local shops while it’s also close to other amenities like hospitals, a police station, big shopping centres and the entertainment hub of Centurion.
most part it comprises large standalone, “golden oldie” family homes on generally big stands. There are no towering buildings, and nothing is crammed or squeezed in in this neighbourhood. The apartments and townhouses on the market do not only offer oldstyle space but also an affordable standard of lock-up-and-go, lowmaintenance living. First-time buyers or small families can enter this market at an average price of around R700,000, and there’s quite an assortment of these available in the R800,00 to R1m price range. If you’re looking for real value for money, breathing space and a sturdy three-bedroom home where the kids can roam free in your front yard, and where you can throw a pretty big braai or enjoy meals at a dining table big enough for the whole family, Valhalla is your neighbourhood! There are ample opportunities available to invest in one of these homes for under R1,5m. If you’re looking for even more space or a revamped or double storey home, you’ll have quite a choice in the R1,6m to R2,5m price brackets.
Property
Schools
The real estate offering in Valhalla includes some apartment and townhouse blocks, but for the
Even though Valhalla has a few nursery and primary schools, the suburb is closely situated to bordering
neighbourhoods like Eldoraigne, Lyttelton and Swartkop, where many learners and especially high school learners are well-catered to. Laerskool Valhalla was the first primary school in this suburb and opened its doors to learners in 1956. Today the school is known as Vhalliespark Primary School and it offers English-medium education to its diverse group of learners. Valhalla Primary School was established in the mid-1960s. The school prides itself in offering a modern and stimulating educational environment engendering a strong sense of uniqueness.
Valhalla has much to offer its residents in terms of sport and healthy recreational activities. This neighbourhood boasts several baseball clubs, a tennis club and a kickboxing gymnasium offering amateur kickboxing development. Valhalla is also home to the wellknown Samba soccer training venue and football club, as well as The Scuba Studio which offers scuba diving training. Residents can participate in indoor cricket and netball at Valhalla
Vikings Indoor Sports Arena, while the Karate School of Champions Clubs practices the Shotokan karate style of the Japan Karate Shoto Federation for many decades already. The community is proud of their own parkrun event which was established about two years ago and is thoroughly enjoyed by old and young. Valhalla is located only a few minutes’ drive from both the popular Zwartkops Golf Course and the well-established renowned Services Golf Club lying just a few kilometres to the north of Valhalla.
Primary school children of the area also attends Laerskool Swartkop and Laerskool Wierdapark in the bordering neighbourhoods. These schools were founded in 1969 and 1972 respectively. High school learners generally go to Sutherland High School or Hoërskool Eldoraigne in the nearby suburb of Eldoraigne. Both these schools are top-performing wellcommended public schools. Hoërskool Swartkop was also established in later years to cater to secondary education, while some pupils residing in Valhalla also attends either Hoërskool Centurion or Lyttelton Manor High School. These schools are in the well-established neighbourly suburb of Lyttelton Manor.
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1 DECEMBER 2019
Neighbourhood
PROPERTY NEWS
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SHOP • Valhalla Shopping Centre: neighbourhood centre • Highlands Shopping Centre: community retail centre just across from the road • Eldo Square: convenience centre in neighbouring Eldoraigne • Jean Crossing: contemporary shopping environment in Clubview • Centurion Mall: well-known comprehensive super-regional mall in Centurion Central
EAT • Don’t Cook: home-cooked meal service, delivery or pick-up • Valhalla Poorboys: variety of takeaway food • Zwartkop Country Club Restaurant: old-time favourite • More Restaurant & Tea Garden: family-friendly, relaxed ambiance • The Malboer.com Sports Bar & Grill: local hangout, bar, restaurant, and driving range
HOSPITALS NEARBY
You’ll pay
R14,475 per month
For a typical property (three-bedroom house)
R1,059,999
R6,565
Based on
over a period of 20 years at 10% prime
R750,000 For an apartment
R1,612,500 For a house
For a typical property (two-bedroom apartment)
8%
R4,800
In a Garden Cottage
88%
R6,500
R11,725 For a house
10%
45%
45%
For an apartment HOUSE
median asking price
Median asking price
GARDEN COTTAGE
R1,5m In a complex
R1,5m
4%
APARTMENT
For a typical property in this area
Median asking price
APARTMENT
Monthly bond repayments
For rent
HOUSE
For sale
Netcare Unitas Hospital 1 Military Hospital Centurion Day Hospital Centurion Eye Hospital Life Groenkloof Hospital
COMPLEX
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The data reflected herein represents data that is voluntarily obtained from subscribers of the Private Property South Africa website and is based solely on data collected by Private Property South Africa (Pty) Ltd. Further, the data reflected herein is accurate as per the Private Property South Africa database dated 31 October 2019. Reliance on such data is at the sole discretion of subscribers and Private Property South Africa hereby indemnifies itself of any consequence of such reliance.
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PROPERTY NEWS
1 DECEMBER 2019
Festive cheer What can you do to make your home feel like a holiday? Plenty. WORDS: ANNE SCHAUFFER
IMAGES: SHUTTERSTOCK
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ou may celebrate Christmas, you may not. You may simply enjoy the idea of giving your home a holiday facelift, so everybody feels like they’re on leave when they step inside. There are oodles of cost-effective ideas for those who are prepared to roll up their sleeves, and the retail world is laden with gorgeous decor items for those who prefer to wield a credit card.
Where to start?
Stacey Cowden is black + WRIGHT interiors. She suggests starting with a concept. It could be “nature” or “natural” or “island life”, then gathering materials around that, and selecting pleasing or appropriate colours. If you’re a visual person, source images of what you’d like – Pinterest is wonderful. Stacey usually begins her story with materials like dried plants, sticks and flowers, then chooses a colour scheme. “It could be blue, black & white, naturals… and don’t be afraid of bling – gold, silver, and rose gold will give your home that sparkle.” She advises not to scatter bits and pieces throughout the house, to cluster rather than clutter. It has far greater impact that way. “Create stories. Look at each space – your entrance, front door area, fireplace, staircase – and bunch things up to create a story, instead of spreading it thin all over the house.”
Decor and placement
Whether it’s Christmas or festive decor, there’s so much that’s cost effective. So, if it’s “natural” you want, source your plant material. “Go on a family expedition and find branches, grasses, cones, acorns, berries and a range of greens, big and small. Eucalyptus lasts a few days without water; for other greens, tie a little plastic bag of water on the end with an elastic band to help keep it greener for longer. Drape the greenery on and hanging down a mantelpiece, lie it along your table as a centre piece – or as a table centre piece when entertaining – and add a snippet or two to your gift wrappings.” For those who want to create a “tree”, use alternative materials to form the tree – lanky branches, tall bleached sticks, long stems with oversized leaves – put them in a basket or an oldfashioned metal bucket. If you’re going natural, and have an existing indoor tree or two, put them in baskets on bricks,
and add some dried flowers (white looks pretty) instead of tinsel or lights.
Hanging holiday decor
For a blank wall or section of a wall, hang a holiday “curtain”. Cut out little squares, circles or shapes like trees or umbrellas from coloured card, punch out two little holes – one top and one bottom of the shape – and thread string through a line of them. Hang down these decorative strings from the ceiling to the floor or ledge, about a couple of centimetres apart. Stacey loves bells. “They’re fabulous decor, whether they’re metal or any other material. Dip them, spray them, paint them, all the same colour, or half and half. Use natural rope or string, leather or ribbons to change it up and display them in different ways.” She suggests sticking to one kind of string. “This helps keep it tidy, and uniform. Add a string to each one, hang them in clusters, or drape them along a string inside or outside the windows.
Candles
It’s not possible to have too many. Cluster them, put elaborate candelabra or glass candle holders in among your greenery on a table, let them swing in lanterns at night, and let them reflect off old glassware. Be bold, and use black – which looks superb with dark greenery – or use white with wheaten coloured grasses, or shades of blues to celebrate the coast.
Dolly up your entrance
Wreaths are timeless, beautiful and elegant. To make your own, use a simple hoop (hoola or crochet) and string, then, up to you – wrap paper, fabric, greenery, tinsel, fairy lights, bells… and hang away! They’re so welcoming on a front door. You can also use them as wall decor – fit on the wall a long thin branch or cable as a “wire” to hold them, then hang off that five or six small wreaths of different sizes with fresh or dried leaves and berries.
Paint
Spray paint, gold leaf and even normal acrylic paint with a clear laquor spray; it works wonders on old tired holiday decor items. Reuse, recyle, repurpose. If you’re using an old basket, spray the lower half black or white; leaves, branches and berries can be sprayed silver, gold, or even black and white. There’s not much which can’t be given a holiday lift with a coat of paint.
Neighbourhood
1 DECEMBER 2019
Neighbourhood
Amdec expands its WC property portfolio T he Amdec Group has recently acquired the multi-award-winning Sitari Country Estate outside Somerset West in the Western Cape.
According to James Wilson, CEO, Amdec Group, “The Amdec Group focusses on large-scale projects within thriving metropolitan areas, so the scope and scale of Sitari Country Estate represents a compelling investment. It provides us with a well-established lifestyle brand in an outstanding location and adds to our prestigious portfolio of premium real estate assets that include Melrose Arch in Joburg, The Yacht Club and Harbour Arch
in Cape Town, Evergreen Lifestyle Retirement Villages, Val de Vie and Pearl Valley outside Paarl, and Westbrook in Port Elizabeth,” he says.
It also boasts orchards, vineyards, play areas, and a 22ha wetland, interspersed with high-quality contemporary rural architecture.
Sitari Country Estate is located within the picturesque Helderberg. The central location means residents have quick travel times to Cape Town, Paarl, Stellenbosch, Somerset West, Overberg and Cape Town International Airport.
Sitari Country Estate was launched in 2014 and is well established, with all primary infrastructure substantially complete and operational. There are 3,150 residential opportunities within the estate, including a mix of freestanding erven and sectional title apartments. More than 1,700 units have been sold to date. The remaining 1,450 development opportunities will all be sold as completed houses or apartments, further expanding the estate. Sitari Country Estate also offers a select number of offices for rent, giving residents the option of working within walking distance of their homes. The estate will feature discreet security that includes CCTV cameras, a control centre on-site, movement sensors, infrared beams, and biometric access control.
The estate spans 190ha and offers a range of premium and luxury apartments, village and country-style homes, as well as an Evergreen Lifestyle retirement village, Curro private school, and a large neighbourhood retail centre.
According to Wilson, “This acquisition provides the Amdec Group with a variety of accommodation options in an estate that caters to a broad spectrum of the population. From young professionals and families through to empty nesters and retirees, residents will enjoy an active, convenient, safe and secure lifestyle within a world-class country estate.” “Investors can also look forward to the prospect of strong rental returns given the influx of people to the area, along with the schools, shops and other facilities on offer. The area is also home to a high concentration of hospitals and medical facilities, providing the assurance of expert medical care, irrespective of your life stage,” he concludes.
Start creating wealth today
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he improvement in home loan approval rates and the current “buyers’ market” have seen more first-time buyers entering the property market. Stian Senekal, Just Property Midrand, says, “It’s definitely easier for buyers to qualify for home loans at the moment. We’ve noticed an estimated 80% success rate in our buyers’ bond approvals this past year and see a trend in clients qualifying for 100% bonds and many at an interest rate close to prime or even below the prime rate in some cases.” Senekal believes the costs associated with buying a home, which in the past put many first-time buyers off purchasing, are what have motivated banks to start offering products that assist some buyers to qualify for more than the asking price on the property. As a result, he has noticed that more and more of those looking to buy a property these days are first-time buyers. Nevertheless, Senekal advises that even if a buyer qualifies for a 100% bond, having a reserve of funds in place before buying is an astute move for two reasons. “When authorising a bond, the banks definitely look at what and how you spend your money. Do you have any excess disposable income each month and are you saving some of it? It’s important that you can show them you know how to save.
It’s also always better to put a deposit down on your home purchase.” Other elements that banks look at are job security and how long you’ve been with your current employer, which can make securing a home loan difficult for freelancers, the selfemployed and commission earners. “Because there’s no set income to gauge, banks will probably look at a stricter qualification process,” he warns. “The best advice is to prepare in advance. Take some time to save up a larger deposit, and to ensure that you have proof of monthly income that is fairly stable for a good six months before you apply. Pay your accounts on time and make sure your financial statements and SARS profile reflect a positive outlook.” So which banks should first-time home buyers approach? Senekal feels strongly that getting a trusted bond originator to help with the application will secure the best possible home loan and interest rate. “In my experience, bond originators have a far greater success rate than buyers who apply for themselves. The originator will fight for the best deal – which sometimes is not from the buyer’s preferred or personal bank.” Just Property Midrand franchisee Brian van Wijk notes that buying a property is often the first step in the wealth creation journey.
“A wise investment now will be the basis for growth and wealth creation in the future,” he says. “The first-time buyer should therefore acquire as much understanding about buying property and the property market as possible.” To help with this, Just Property has developed a publicly available resource called Your Property Journey, which can be found on www.just.property. Van Wijk advises researching areas where there’s growth in property values or where there’s a potential for growth when the market recovers. “And try to purchase a property that will suit your needs for at least ten years, so that you can take advantage of the capital growth,” he adds. Just Property CEO Paul Stevens warns against rushing into an emotional purchase. “Take your time. Consider the advantages and disadvantages of buying sectional title or freehold, as this will have a big impact on the future growth plans you may have.” Shaun Dubois, franchisee, Just Property Pietermaritzburg, agrees. “The cost of purchasing and transferring a property, moving costs and opening utility accounts are expensive. The aim should be to avoid moving and incurring those costs again in less than seven to ten years. Work out what will give you the best capital appreciation and remember that this is a long-term investment.”
PROPERTY NEWS
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Countryside revival drives demand for commercial property
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mall-town living is making a comeback and with that there’s been a revival of small industries according to Richard Pratt from Seeff Struisbaai. For some, it’s the opportunity to open an art gallery or craft shop while others may look into organic farming or homemade produce, and there are often plenty of opportunities to serve local farming and town communities, he says. Look at an area such as Struisbaai for example. It’s just two hours from Cape Town and a popular weekend and holiday destination with a bustling local community and a host of business opportunities. The town is growing and demand for commercial property and vacant land is high despite the economic challenges. He says there are several commercial property buyers looking to invest and start their own businesses and it’s fairly easy to find tenants since demand is high. Rental income is affordable
which is great for an entrepreneur setting up shop and most are looking for small business opportunities ranging from carpentry to steel works. Belinda Willemse, also from Seeff Struisbaai, says that she’s beginning to see an influx of younger people looking to set up a business. Where the Struisbaai and Agulhas area was mainly known as a coastal town for retirement or holidaymakers, the high crime rates and intensity of city living is driving younger couples with their children to relocate to smaller towns for a better quality life. This in turn is driving demand for commercial property. Prices of commercial property ranges from R2,5m to R5m while rentals are generally in the R4,500/m2 to R8,000/m2 range depending on the location. She says good opportunities include a reputable food store (such as Woolworths), medical suites and an electronic store for computer equipment, cellphones and accessories.
Trade boost for Joburg luxury market
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he luxury homes market in Joburg has taken off over the past three months as high-end buyers from other African countries as well as China, India and Russia have been active in the sector. Rory O’Hagan, CEO: luxury portfolio division, Chas Everitt International, attributes some of the residential market movement to the implications of the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement (AfCFTA) becoming apparent to local and foreign investors. “Most of these buyers are looking beyond the state of the economy and moving fast to secure a residential base in Joburg,” he says. “The city is recognised internationally as the most industrialised and financially sophisticated in Africa and is best placed for access to opportunities.”
O’Hagan says Chas Everitt’s Sandton and Hyde Park sales team in particular has noticed a turnaround in luxury home sales. “In the past three months we’ve been selling luxury apartments and houses worth more than R100m every month in the northern heritage suburbs. That’s quite a contrast to the first half of this year, when the market was oversupplied and sales were really sluggish.” Demand is shifting from traditional sources of foreign buyers from the UK and EU to those from countries with better-performing economies. “High-end buyers and corporations line up to buy luxury apartments in Sandton and surrounding areas such as Melrose, Rosebank and Hyde Park to give themselves or top executives a base of operations for future business in Africa,” he says.
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stneighbourhood.co.za | 1 DECEMBER 2019
TOP RESIDENTIAL ESTATE IN SOUTH AFRICA 2015-2019
784m² - 907m² STANDS FROM R2.25 MILLION (INCLUDES VAT, TRANSFER FEES, FIRST 12 MONTHS' LEVIES AND ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN ACCORDING TO BUYER'S SPECIFICATIONS)
Neighbourhood
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stneighbourhood.co.za | 1 DECEMBER 2019
TWO OF THE LAST REMAINING STANDS IN LA VUE ON VAL DE VIE ESTATE ARE SET IN PICTURESQUE SURROUNDINGS ON SOUTH AFRICA'S NUMBER ONE LUXURY WELLNESS ESTATE
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