Neighbourhood 6 MAY 2018
PROPERTY & LIFESTYLE
Equestria Why residents say their decision to put down roots in this family-friendly suburb continues to bear fruit, page 2
2
SUBURB FOCUS: EQUESTRIA
yourneighbourhood.co.za
4
BUSINESS Q&A
6
WATER QUALITY AT HOME
Connecting homeowners with great communities
2
PROPERTY NEWS
6 MAY 2018
Neighbourhood
Suburb focus
Equestria Here's what's happening in property in the area WORDS: BETSIE LOOCK-VAN DER MERWE IMAGES: RENE WALKER & GOOGLE MAPS
T
he relatively young suburb of Equestria boasts an ideal location in Pretoria’s New East and offers property buyers in any phase of their real
estate needs the opportunity to live in this sought-after region. The suburb offers easy access to main arteries such as the N4 highway *Map not to scale
linking up to the N1, Solomon Mahlangu Drive, Lynnwood Road and Simon Vermooten Road. Equestria mainly comprises a diverse mix of trendy residential estates and townhouse complexes nestled between large green thickets and beautiful tree-lined streets. Business-related developments are generally positioned closer to the suburb’s boundaries, contributing to the peace and quiet of the residential part of the neighbourhood. Equestria is also just across the street from the developing commercial hubs of Hazeldean, Silver Lakes and Six Fountains, while it also borders the older established suburb of Die Wilgers, allowing easy access to established infrastructure such as schools, hospitals and churches. Resident Annette van Tonder says, “We live in Equestria Estate and
chose it for the safety as well as the facilities it offers. Equestria is ideally located near shops, restaurants and malls, but is still quiet and safe.”
Property Because of its wide range of property offerings, Equestria is a cosmopolitan neighbourhood in every sense of the word. The larger proportion of real estate in the suburb caters for entry-level buyers, investors and small families in the middle-income group. Homes vary from modern apartment blocks to compact townhouses priced from about R600,000 to upwards of R1,1m. Larger families requiring more than three bedrooms in a lock-upand-go environment have a choice of comfortably sized contemporary dwellings ranging from about R1,3m to about R2m. The upper end of the
I’ve been living in Equestria since August 2017 with my husband and two sons. We chose Equestria because it’s easy to get to the highway as my husband works in Mpumalanga and travels daily. My son attends Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool and there’s transport available in this area that collects him at the gate of our complex.
market in this secure area comprises bigger family homes offering several levels of comfort and luxury. Asking prices can go up to R4m. The needs of senior residents wanting to scale down but still live in the neighbourhood are met by a number of retirement villages in Equestria, such as the Selrose Park Retirement Village, Vergelegen Retirement Village and Equestria Village Retirement Centre. The residents of Equestria are bound together by having the same lifestyle requirements of living in a familyoriented neighbourhood that is quiet, secure and close to all amenities. They’re also a health-conscious bunch, often seen walking, cycling or jogging in the streets of the estates they live in.
Schooling Meeting the requirements of the many young families with small children in the hood, Mini-Me Academy and Kiddies Academy Nursery School are situated in Equestria, while Little Flowers Babyhouse and Pre-school and Pooh Bear Daycare are situated just down the road in neighbouring Die Wilgers. Primary schools close to Equestria include Lynnwood Ridge Primary School, Laerskool Skuilkrans, Laerskool Tygerpoort and Tyger
SEE: • Exotic birds and a variety of animals at Bester Birds & Animal Farm where kids can feed the bunnies and tortoises • The latest movies at Ster-Kinekor and Imax theatres at The Grove Mall • Live music and lots of goodies at the Cowhouse Market in Hazeldean • The Safari Garden Centre in The Willows
ANNETTE VAN TONDER, RESIDENT SIMO'S COFFEE ROASTARY
PUBLISHED BY TIMES MEDIA PROPERTY PUBLISHING 1st Floor, Block H, Sable Square cnr Bosmansdam and Ratanga Roads Milnerton, Cape Town
EDITORIAL TEAM:
ADVERTISING SALES:
Group Editor: Charis Le Riche charisl@yourneighbourhood.co.za Senior Sub-Editor: Mlungisi Mthembu Designers: Anja Bramley & Samantha Durand
Visit yourneighbourhood.co.za or call 087 828 0423 Sales & Marketing Manager: Michèle Jones michele.jones@thecreativegroup.info Production (Editorial & Property Advertising): Lucea Goosen pretoria@yourneighbourhood.co.za Online coordinator: Chantelle Balsdon chantelle@augmentcreative.com
6 MAY 2018
Neighbourhood
PROPERTY NEWS
3
For sale
Median asking price:
R1,4m
Monthly bond repayments
For a typical property (three-bedroom townhouse)
For a typical property in this area
R1,3m
R794,000
R1,92m
In a complex
For an apartment
For a house
You’ll pay
R13,510 per month
Property Type:
26% house
Based on
8%
apartment
66% complex
R1,4m median asking price
over a period of 20 years at 10% prime
Valley College. There’s also a Star College in the suburb. Secondary schools in and around the area include Curro College Hazeldean, Deutsche Schule Pretoria, Hoërskool Die Wilgers, Willowridge High School and St Alban’s College.
Explore The Grove Mall in Equestria offers all kinds of retail therapy and amusement. In addition to a great selection of restaurants and fun food outlets, Pretoria’s only ice rink is located in the mall. The mall also boasts The Fun Company and Ster-Kinekor as tenants. Arcade Empire is the hippest place in the hood if you’re young or young at heart. This bar-cum-restaurant and concert venue is also popular for its regular karaoke evenings. The nearby Safari Garden Centre attracts many of the area’s senior residents as it offers many walkways, fish ponds and an open-air restaurant.
ELZA POTTERY STUDIO
If you prefer to chill on the couch at home, you can rent the latest movies from Star DVD and order a takeaway from one of the many eateries in the area.
SHOP: • The Grove Mall: anchored by Pick n Pay, Woolworths and Edgars, complemented by a wide selection of interesting and unusual stores • Equestria Gateway Centre: for a variety of shops and businesses, from spas and beauty salons to restaurants • Willows Crossing: with 27 retail stores on offer and 24-hour security, it offers safe and secure shopping • Silver Oaks Crossing: boasting a large number of restaurants, grocery outlets and various lifestyle services
EAT: • The Hussar Grill, The Grove: for great-tasting steaks and wines • AfroBoer, Equestria: for delicious Afrikaner-influenced meals • Real Fish & Chips Co, Equestria: for authentic fish and chips • Malt Bar & Grill, Silver Oaks Crossing: for grills, homemade burgers and wood-fired pizza • Nikos, The Grove: for Greek and Mediterranean cuisine
19880
GET A HOME LOAN
AND SAVE UP TO R6 000 With a home loan from Nedbank you could qualify for a 100% bond. And, if you earn R23 300 or less a month, you save up to R6 000 on upfront fees. You also get a 30% discount on the attorney bond registration fee. ANOTHER WAY WE GET YOUR MONEY TO BACK YOU Visit Nedbank today.
see money differently Terms and conditions apply. | Nedbank Ltd Reg No 1951/000009/06. Authorised financial services and registered credit provider (NCRCP16).
4
PROPERTY NEWS
6 MAY 2018
Neighbourhood
My business neighbourhood NewPlan Town Planning is a young, dynamic town planning consultancy in Pretoria East WORDS: ZENA LE ROUX
IMAGE: SUPPLIED
N
ewPlan Town Planning offers the full range of town planning services to the private and public sector. With local and international experience, the company brings an innovative and forward-thinking approach to projects at hand. Owner Herman Wessels tells us more. Q: How did your business start? A: I started my career at a wellknown town planning consultancy in Pretoria, where I learned the ins and outs of the field. After a number of years of valuable experience, I had the opportunity to work abroad as a town planner. I always had the dream to one day be a business owner. Upon my return to South Africa, I read Marnus Broodryk’s book, 90 Rules for Entrepreneurs, and decided to act on my dream and took the leap of faith to open my own business. NewPlan Town Planning officially opened on 1 March this year. Q: Why did you choose this area to set up shop? A: I’m fortunate enough to be able to run my business from my house. This type of business doesn’t require me to rent expensive office space or machinery. Working from
my home office saves me a great deal of time that would otherwise be wasted commuting to and from an office. We live in the far east of Pretoria (The Wilds Security Estate). The east of Pretoria is where development is taking place at the moment and thus makes the location ideal for meeting clients and providing people with information on how to best utilise their properties. Q: How did you find your premises? A: I’ve lived in the east of Pretoria for the majority of my life and almost know this area as well as the palm of my hand. I’ve seen how the area has grown and developed over the years. It was a logical decision to base my business in this area as I love and know it very well. Q: Why are the premises ideally suited to your business? A: A s I don’t require a big office space or machinery, it’s ideal to run my business from my home. There are also a variety of restaurants and coffee shops nearby when a quick meeting with a client is required. Q: Who are your neighbours? A: A s I have a home office, my neighbours are residential owners. Q: What are the shop rental/sales prices like in this area? A: Luckily, I’m not renting office space, but I would imagine it to be high in this area. The east of Pretoria is known to be expensive.
Q: How many people visit your business each day? A: A s the business is not focused on walk-in clients and not bound to a specific area, it has a footprint that stretches across the whole of Gauteng. It’s difficult to give an exact number of how many people make use of our services per day as it varies so much. Q: Do you have any expansion plans? A: Without a doubt! As the business is in the early stages, there’s still plenty of room to grow and expand. It’s my goal to scale the business in the next few years and to become the go-to town planning firm in Pretoria. Q: Do you operate online as well? A: Yes, we have a website (newplan. co.za) where people can find out more about the company, the services offered and how to get in touch with us. Q: What’s your most popular service? A: We don’t have a specific popular service, but I have noticed that more people have started to enquire about rezoning their existing residential properties to obtain business rights.
SEE FOR YOURSELF: NewPlan Town Planning 083 822 6712 newplan.co.za
SHOW HOUSE
SUNDAY, 6 MAY - 14:00-17:00 3 BED: 276m - R4 490 000 (No Transfer Duties) 4 BED: 277m - R4 195 000 Exclusive Signature Estate in Menlo Park 24 Hour Guarded security Architecturally designed Stylish modern finishes, including SMEG Stove Perfect location Close to Hoërskool and Laerskool Menlopark, Lynnwood Laerskool and TUKS Close to Menlyn and Brooklyn mall Easy access to major highways Garden and pool service included Solar heating and gas Fibre and DSTV points
Maria Prelorenzo 082 490 1557 mariap@aidapta.co.za
Everything we touch turns to sold 012 348 3720 | info@aidapta.co.za | www.aida.co.za
Zandra Labuschagne 082 773 0791 zandral@aidapta.co.za
CREATIVE GROUP
WHAT MORE COULD YOU ASK FOR – A DREAM COME TRUE
HOME LIVING AT I T S B E S T – YOU TOO CAN SHARE THIS REALITY
L I M I T E D L U X U RY 3 / 4 BEDROOM EN-SUITE A PA R T M E N T S AVA I L A B L E F O R T H I S W AY O F F I V E S TA R L I V I N G .
COME AND V I S U A L I S E W H AT TRUE LIFESTYLE I S A B O U T. Y O U WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED
VISIT US AT OUR SUPREME PENTHOUSE, A MANSION IN THE SKY: 5 EN-SUITE BEDROOMS, CINEMA, GAMES ROOM, 2 BED COTTAGE, POOL, JACUZZI ... and so the list continues.
UNIT 12733, HOUGHTON ON 12TH, GATE 2, 55 SECOND AVENUE, HOUGHTON ESTATE. OUR TEAM AVAILABLE DAILY FOR VIEWINGS.
WARREN BECKER 082 302 3004 | warren@thehoughton.com OSBORN RD
M1
HOUGHTON GOLF CLUB
2ND A VE
ASHLEIGH SMITH 073 220 7357 | ashleigh@thehoughton.com Houghton on 12th, 53 Second Ave, Houghton
6
PROPERTY NEWS
6 MAY 2018
Future-forward Park Square
C
onstruction on the R1bn Park Square in Umhlanga started in October 2016 and the development is due to open in November this year, says Ken Reynolds, director, Nedport Developments (the developer). Park Square will be the first combined commercial and lifestyle development of its kind to come on stream on the Ridge. Malcolm St Clair, general manager, the Ridge Management Associations, says, “The developable topography in this precinct is fully sold out with only two remaining oval sites left in the Umhlanga Ridge Town Centre. This is testament to the demand for premium mixed-use commercial space and the value proposition created by
Tongaat Hulett Developments and maintained by Ridge Management. Investing in Park Square is therefore certain to translate into an attractive capital investment since the development offers a combined lifestyle and business experience in this already thriving economic hub.” Already 70% complete, the Green Star-rated development boasts 36,000m2 of premium P- and A-grade office space, 4,000m2 of retail and 3,500m2 of open, public space. “Park Square is an authentic, future-forward place that combines a connected and convenient work culture with a strong lifestyle and leisure offering around an open public square,” Reynold says.
Not all shopping malls are created equal, and many struggle due to reasons such as an evolving community with changing needs and failure to adapt the tenant mix accordingly, lack of access to public transport and outdated or crumbling infrastructure. These are just a few examples why one may find a shopping centre with many vacancies. But a well-run centre which is servicing its surrounding community effectively with a fresh tenant mix is not going anywhere. SEAN PAUL, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, SPIRE PROPERTY MANAGEMENT
Discovery Campus turned into a city
T
he Discovery Campus in Sandton by the Growthpoint Properties and Zenprop joint venture is touted as the largest single-tenant building in the southern hemisphere. Construction began in 2014, with the bulk of the project completed last year. The number of amenities and benefits integrated within the building matrix transformed it into something resembling a city, says Paragon Interface senior project architectural technologist Anthony Karam. The Discovery Campus comprises three linked office towers, each with a ground floor, eight office floors and an activated roof level with sports
facilities and integral landscaping. The design features an abundance of natural light, with the bulk of the development “wrapped” around a series of sunlit atria that illuminate the cores of the towers. Paragon Interface says it wanted to make a memorable and spatially forward-thinking workspace environment that appeals not only to the senses, but which affords a platform for Discovery to launch itself into the modern business environment. The project team, client and developer all came together to create something that not only epitomises Discovery but is very much a 21st century workspace in Sandton.
Scarborough on the rise
A
lthough neighbouring areas like Kommetjie and Noordhoek in the Western Cape have been attracting more attention from investors and developers, the housing market in Scarborough has fared surprisingly well, achieving a 13,67 % increase in the median house price last year. Citing Lightstone data, Lew Geffen, chairman, Lew Geffen Sotheby’s International Realty, says, “After several years of little growth, in 2016 the median spiked by 68% from R1,67m in 2015 to R2,81m and, despite the increasingly subdued economy, this traditionally slow market continued on its upward
trajectory with the median price rising further to R3,2m in 2017.” Geffen adds that of the 30 sales during the last 12 months ending 31 March, 12 were in the R1,5m to R3m price band, at an average sale price of R2,4m, while 18 homes sold for more than R3m, with an average selling price of R5,03m. Elly Abels, a Scarborough resident and area specialist for the group, attributes this largely to two key factors – the residents of this unique coastal suburb and the strong sense of community they have fostered as well as its idyllic position in an established conservation area.
Neighbourhood
Pure & simple We bring you a few tips from industry experts on how to ensure you have water of the highest quality and purity in your home WORDS: ANNE SCHAUFFER IMAGES: SUPPLIED
B
ill Harding, an internationally recognised algologist, recently said, “The drought, seen in the main as a shortage of water – a quantity issue – also embodies a very real quality threat.” The Blue Drop Report 2014 released by the South African Department of Water and Sanitation in January 2017 showed that of the 1,036 municipal drinking water systems evaluated, only 44 complied with Blue Drop status standards. This report provides vital information on drinking water quality compliance with the South African National Standards (SANS 241). Previous Blue Drop Reports showed that the quality of our drinking water improved between 2009 and 2012 but declined in 2014. Importantly, the 2014 report looks at 2013 data; the current status of our drinking water is unknown. “South Africa is a water-scarce country,” wrote Pamela Tshwete, deputy minister, Department of Water and Sanitation, in the SA Annual Report 2016/17, “and this reality is further compounded by the deterioration of water quality. The issue of water quantity and quality has a huge impact on the resource.” Tony Marchesini, MD of H2O International SA, a leading water purification company, says, “With low dam water levels and our ageing infrastructure, it’s critical for us to monitor such reports. The health of our families is a priority, and consuming water with contaminants and toxic bacteria can have devastating effects,” he says. Where to begin? Have a water sample analysis done. Adrian Schoeman, owner at H2O International SA Durban North, says,
“There’s no one-size-fits-all solution, so consult a water purification expert to design the right purification solution to fit the quality of water from your specific source, the desired level of purification and your budget.”
What are the options?
Broadly, there are two purification systems: reverse osmosis and a filtration purifier. In a reverse osmosis system, hydraulic pressure forces water through a semipermeable membrane, removing up to 99% of contaminants and impurities. The downside is that the process strips the water of essential minerals and electrolytes such as sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium. Reverse osmosis seems to be preferred for industrial use. It’s also estimated that for every litre of water purified, three litres are wasted in the process. With a filtration purifier, water passes through layers of filters which, depending on their efficacy, capture impurities. Cheaper filters only remove visible impurities, so it’s important to do your homework.
These systems are smaller than reverse osmosis units and are easily installed, there’s no water wastage or loss of naturally occurring minerals and electrolytes in the alkaline water produced. Pre-filtration depends on the quality of the water, and in many cases is preferred for home use. “If you choose a reverse osmosis system, make sure it has a remineralisation step that adds minerals back into the water,” says Tony. “With a filtration system, choose one which removes chemicals, metals, toxins as well as impurities, and that the system does not support bacteria. Ask if the filters have been scientifically evaluated.”
Where to put it?
There’s a wide range of water purifying systems out there that can be fitted under your kitchen sink or you can opt for a portable counter-top model. The H20 Water Purification Pitcher powered by Halopure uses non-electric filter technology to remove harmful chemicals, toxins and metals from the water and kill viruses and bacteria.
win Twenty lucky Neighbourhood readers each stand a chance to win an H20 International Water Purification Pitcher powered by Halopure (valued at R550) and a filter cartridge (valued at R220). To enter, send your name, location and answers to the questions below to charisl@yourneighbourhood.co.za, with H2O International in the subject line. 1. Does water quality in South Africa concern you? 2. Do you consider investing in your family’s health a priority? 3. Visit h2o.co.za. Which water purifier would suit your needs? You can also enter the competition by liking the Neighbourhood Facebook page (facebook.com/ YourNeighbourhoodZA) and keeping an eye out for the competition post.
LIFESTYLE ESTATE