Property trend analysts, always on the lookout for precincts where values are rising ahead of the average, have in recent months “quite justifiably” been tipping Centurion East, says Arno Brandt who, since March 2012, has run the Rawson Property Group’s franchise for this area.
Development here, he said, has been exceptionally fast. In the popular Midstream Estate alone, for example, 300 to 400 new homes are being completed each year.
“Altogether we are seeing some 500 new homes completed in Centurion East year-on-year. Fortunately, however, the delivery rate has been accurately calculated so as not to exceed the demand and values are, therefore, being maintained.”
Centurion East, said Brandt, is providing exactly what today’s buyer wants, i.e. a home in a well-protected security estate, at a price that the average middle class buyer regards as affordable. This can be anything from R500,000 to R2,5 million, but, he said, the bulk of the demand is definitely below R1,5 million.
Rawson Centurion East, said Brandt, is selling on behalf of almost all of the major estate developers in the area and he is often employed by them as a consultant, a job for which he is well equipped as he is a qualified town planner, with 15 years’ practical experience in this field.
The franchise’s client list includes such major new developments as Centurion Golf Estate, Southdowns Estate, Cornwall Hill Estate, Eco Park Estate, Midstream Estate, Heritage Hill Estate, Irene Farm Village, Irene View Estate, Irene Village, Highveld Estate and Highveld security complexes. The fastest selling of all of them, said Brandt, are the sectional title units in Highveld and Eco Park Estate – which sell from R500,000 to R1,5 million.
Demand throughout Centurion East, said Brandt, continues to be satisfactory and average annual price rises of 5,5% are now being achieved despite the inflow of new buildings. Furthermore, Brandt reports 80% of potential buyers do, in fact, qualify for bonds.
On the rental side, said Brandt, the situation is equally promising: the big demand is in the R5,000 to R8,000 per month bracket, but he is also achieving regular tenants in a steady flow for units with rentals of R12,000 to R14,000 per month and rents for a luxury freestanding home in the area can be as much as R40,000 per month.
In addition to the usual promotional tools such as advertising campaigns, the Platinum Property Portfolio magazine and knock-and-drops, this Rawson Property Group franchise is sponsoring sport at local schools – and occasionally inviting the public to join them over weekends for braais during open show days.
The franchise currently employs six agents and, said Brandt, in view of the on-going demand and the efficiency of his team, he expects the team to triple its turnover in the year to come.
