Neighbourhood 10 JUNE 2018
PROPERTY & LIFESTYLE
Knysna Escape the city and immerse yourself in lagoon and beach activities, page 4
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SUBURB FOCUS: KNYSNA
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PROPERTY NEWS
10 JUNE 2018
Neighbourhood
Suburb focus
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Knysna Discover the joys of holidaying in the area WORDS: KIT HEATHCOCK
IMAGES: SALVELIO MEYER, SHUTTERSTOCK & GOOGLE MAPS
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small town that explodes into full-on holiday mode in peak season, Knysna’s beautiful lagoon and surrounds of aweinspiring indigenous forest are the heart of its attraction, with so much to do that the hard part is fitting it all into one holiday. “It’s a very relaxed lifestyle, we’re very fortunate to have every activity imaginable on our doorstep – extreme kloofing, boating, diving, fishing and mountain biking trails,” says resident Nikki Smit. “I also love that it’s very community driven, you know everyone.”
*Map not to scale
After the devastating 2017 fires, the town pulled together to rebuild and, like the surrounding fynbos and forest, it’s once again bursting with new growth and energy.
festival (29 June to 8 July 2018) is another drawcard filling up all the local accommodation for the duration of the ten-day festival with its sports events, food and entertainment.
Accommodation Lagoon and ocean fun Knysna has long been a favourite place for second homes, filling up in the December holiday season as everyone escapes the city to immerse themselves in lagoon and beach activities. From guest houses and B&Bs to luxury hotels and forest lodges, or holiday rentals and caravan parks, there is a huge variety of holiday accommodation and many different locations. This includes the new developments on Thesen Island with their waterfront marina feel, traditional holiday homes on Leisure Island, villas high on the hills around the lagoon with stunning views, or hidden farms and lodges in the forest along the Garden Route. The whole area really does get booked up in peak season, with regular visitors booking up to two years ahead to be sure of their favourite spot. The Knysna Oyster
Living in Knysna, we’ve got everything at our fingertips. On a normal day, we’ll do two or three different things: surfing, mountain biking, sailing if the wind picks up or kiteboarding, taking a boat out to sea, or hiking in the forest. The outdoor side has so much to offer within a relatively small area. JAMES TURNER, RESIDENT
PUBLISHED BY TIMES MEDIA PROPERTY PUBLISHING 1st Floor, Block H, Sable Square cnr Bosmansdam and Ratanga Roads Milnerton, Cape Town
Think of any watersport and you’ll find it in and around Knysna. On wind-free days the expanse of flat lagoon water is ideal for water-skiing, wakeboarding, tubing, and when the wind pumps, switch to sailing or kite-boarding. “Boating is massive in Knysna. During the holiday season a big portion of our sales are impulse buys,” says James Turner of Fusion Power Boats. “People will go into one of our dealers to buy a water-ski and leave with a boat ready to take on the lagoon that afternoon.” Traversing the tricky waters of the Heads to reach the Indian Ocean is best reserved for experienced
SLEEP: • Head over Hills Luxury Retreat: for incredible views over the Knysna Heads • Villa Paradisa Guest House: for luxury B&B stay with lagoon views • Elephant Hide of Knysna: for a tranquil barefoot experience • Oakhurst Farm Cottages: for a family-friendly forest farm stay • Teniqua Treetops: for eco-friendly treehouse tented suites in the forest canopy
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skippers, but the lagoon has more than enough space to explore and play, whether power boating, sailing or paddling. A sunset cruise is another must for the more leisurely explorer. Buffalo Bay is the perfect beach for surfing and safe swimming and play. “Everything is so accessible and family orientated,” says James. “We’ll go up-river to the Red Bridge to chill, the kids love swimming in the river, and there’s fishing at all levels in the lagoon – they can spend hours catching cuttlefish.” The small tidal beaches around Leisure Isle in the lagoon are
perfect for younger kids to play safely, and most days in Knysna are spent at least partly in and on the water.
Forest
Behind Knysna, the vast stretches of indigenous forest conceal hidden trails, waterfalls and endless adventure. The best place to start exploring is at one of the picnic sites, accessible by car. Jubilee Creek is in a cool forest valley beside a peaty stream with a 3km signposted walk to a waterfall.
The Circles in the Forest trail starts from the Krisjan-se-nek picnic site and takes you into elephant country to a forest pool and a waterfall. Or sign up for a guided hike to go deeper into off-the-beaten-track forest. Mountain bikers and trail runners have endless forest trails to explore, the Garden Route Trail Park serving all abilities, or head to Harkerville with four trails to suit various levels. For those who love watersports and outdoor adventure, Knysna really does have it all.
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PROPERTY NEWS
EAT: DO: • Ile de Pain: for the legendary pastries and breads, breakfasts and lunches • East Head Cafe: for relaxed cafe food and spectacular views • 34 South: for fresh local seafood • Le Maquis: for authentic French bistro cuisine • Kilzer’s Kitchen: for an interactive dining experience on their Cook n Look Wednesday evenings • Totties Farm Kitchen: for real farm food and Sunday lunches after a forest walk
• Scenic MTB and running trails at Garden Route Trail Park • Sunset cruise with Featherbed Co Heads Explorer • Birds of Eden free flight bird sanctuary • Guided hikes and more with Tony Cook Adventures • Wild Oats Market in Sedgefield on Saturdays • Play golf at Pezula Championship Golf Course or Simola Golf & Country Estate
For sale
Median asking price:
R2,84m
Monthly bond repayments For a typical property in this area You’ll pay
R27,406
For a typical property (three-bedroom house)
R2m
R1,2m
R4,4m
In a complex
For an apartment
For a house
per month
Property Type:
87% house
Based on
R2,84m
11%
median asking price
over a period of 20 years at 10% prime
apartment
2%
complex
19880
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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.
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PROPERTY NEWS RETIREMENT FOCUS
10 JUNE 2018
Neighbourhood
Neighbourhood
RETIREMENT FOCUS
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RETIREMENT FOCUS
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Retirement options There are a number of factors to consider when choosing a purchase model – it’s all dependent on finance and the lifestyle you’d prefer WORDS: ANNE SCHAUFFER
IMAGE: SHUTTERSTOCK
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here are three key retirement models: sectional title, share block and life rights. Like any property or legal transaction, visit as many retirement developments as you can to compare apples to apples. Having said that, there are numerous variations on the theme, so it’s not that straightforward – everything is development specific, and within the same purchase model costs can vary considerably.
Sectional title
With sectional-title retirement options, the buyer owns the unit outright by means of a title deed registered with the Deeds Office. The developer carries no responsibility for the ongoing maintenance and cost management aspects once the development is sold. In this model, the onus is on the resident to care for their asset. The advantage? Capital appreciation like any other sectional-title purchase. Stefan Botha, director, Rainmaker Marketing, says, “Sectional title is proving popular with younger people who’re not yet at retirement age, but who see it as a good investment – they get a great rental yield until they want to use it for their own retirement purposes. On the other side, there’s a growing
1%
segment of young people investing in retirement for their parents and want to see capital appreciation on that investment they’ve made.”
cheaper to acquire accommodation this way initially, it may prove difficult to sell down the line.”
Share block
“With greater life expectancy than ever before, one of the biggest concerns worrying older people is whether they will outlive their asset,” says Arthur Case, CEO, Evergreen Lifestyle. “With this model, you have a right to occupy the unit for your and your spouse’s lifetime, free of maintenance responsibilities.” Everything remains both an asset and the responsibility of the developer. When life rights terminates, the property reverts to the village’s owner – your estate will receive the original purchase price, plus a pre-determined percentage of the net profit (less certain pre-determined costs).
Though less used today, with share block you don’t obtain exclusive title to the unit you’ve bought, you own shares in the company which owns your home i.e. not a section of the building itself. In this way, costs involved can be minimised. To maintain the property, directors of a share-block company establish a levy fund to which you contribute to cover its running expenses. You receive a share certificate. Transfer duty is still payable on the purchase price to Sars, but the sale is not registered in the Deeds Office. Maria Davey, Meumann White Attorneys, says, “Today, this model is not a popular one for a retiree development. If a share-block company gets into debt and the property is attached and sold in execution, the use and occupation agreements will come to an end. As a shareholder, you have no real right over the property you occupy. Furthermore, finance to buy into a share-block company is not readily available, so although it might be marginally
Life rights
Life rights is not a property transfer, so no bond registration fees, transfer duties and VAT is payable. Life-rights units are usually more affordable than the other models – no capital appreciation, but no maintenance required, and it’s in the developer’s interest to maintain his asset well. In addition, life rights has a comforting methodology of levy transparency for two years ahead, which makes financial planning easier for the retiree.
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The smallest advantage can yield substantial results. A slight change in an athlete’s reaction time can mean the difference between winning and losing. It’s no different when it comes to retirement. While most providers charge on average 3% in fees, we charge less than 1%, which means more of your money is compounded over time – leaving you with up to 60% more cash at retirement. Nobody can afford a false start when it comes to retirement. Make sure you have more money when it matters most.
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