Capitalizing on the current trend among so many urban people to look for attractive farms or smallholdings to which to move in the later stage of their lives as well as the increasing tendency for already successful farmers to consolidate and add to their properties, Rawson Auctions will again be auctioning a Boland farm which, says Tanya Jovanovski, co-franchisee for Rawson Auctions in the Western Cape, is likely to attract a great deal of attention.
The date set for the auction is the 26th of February. This auction will be held on a silent auction basis, which means that all bids have to be submitted in sealed envelopes to Rawson Auctions prior to the auction date. They are then presented to the seller, who will choose an offer to accept and then notify all potential buyers of the results within 24 hours. The silent auction will be held at 12 noon at the Rawson Property Group’s head office at 222 Main Road, Rondebosch.
Jovanovski said that the farm, known as Rietvallei, is set in idyllic surroundings with a backdrop of hills which provide a steady flow of water year-round. The property is just 10 km from Montague and is bisected by Route 62, now a major attraction. One of the farm’s small buildings on Route 62 could be renovated to make an attractive farm stall.
The farm has 89,4 ha of land, 35 ha of which are irrigated. This is fed by nine boreholes, four of which are operational, and are equipped to supply up to 28 ha with water.
Extra water storage facilities include a concrete line dam 16,5 m wide and 22,4 m deep and a 120 m x 20 m earth dam.
Currently, said Jovanovski, the farm is used for sheep grazing, but as the soil is fertile it could be used for many types of crop cultivation.
The farmhouse is a large four bedroom building with one and a half bathrooms. Close to it is a separate two bedroom flat with an open-plan living and kitchen area. There are also two double garages and four three-room labourers’ cottages.
“This farm,” said Jovanovski, “is one of the most attractive we have ever auctioned and will give a great deal of pleasure to the new owner. It also has the potential to be profitable, especially if used in short term weight gain operations for cattle and sheep, which are proliferating throughout the Boland area and, with the current price of meat, are increasingly popular.”
Jovanovski said that she expects bids to start from R3,2 million.
Rawson Auctions’ conditions include a deposit of 5% of the sales price as well as a 10% auctioneer’s fee being paid on the fall of the hammer. The Consumer Protection Act stipulates that bidders should arrive with identity documents and a proof of residence.
