For Gauteng home buyers looking for a truly convenient, central location, the trendy suburb of Noordwyk in the heart of booming Midrand would be hard to beat, says local Rawson Property Group franchisee Byran Taylor.
Situated just off Olifantsfontein Road to the west of the N1 freeway between Johannesburg and Pretoria, Noordwyk is home to landmark buildings such as Vodacom World and the Russian Orthodox Church, as well as the very familiar Protea Hotel Midrand, he notes.
“There are also many corporate headquarters located in the office and business parks that line this stretch of the N1 and, thanks to the large-scale residential development that has taken place in Noordwyk over the past few years, many young employees of these companies can afford to live really close to work.
“Alternatively, the Gautrain Midrand station is just a short distance away, so Noordwyk residents can easily commute to work in Sandton, Johannesburg, Centurion or Pretoria, while still enjoying the benefits of living close to many other amenities, including upmarket shopping and sporting venues, and good schools for those with families.”
Schools located in Noordwyk include Midrand Primary, Summerhill Preparatory, Summerhill International College and the Sagewood schools.
As for shopping and eating out, San Ridge Square, Carlswald Lifestyle Centre and the Carlswald Decor Centre are minutes away along Lever Road, there is also a Metro Lifestyle store at Vodacom World and finally situated a few kilometers away in the heart of Waterfall City, is Mall of Africa which is dubbed as 'South Africa’s biggest single-phase shopping mall development to date'. The mall opens its doors to the public in April this year. Boasting over 300 shops, including entertainment and a variety of restaurants, this mall will provide a shopping experience like no other.
For sports enthusiasts, the Midrand Action Sports centre offers indoor cricket, soccer and netball, while the Kyalami Country Club golf course and the Gary Player–designed course at the Blue Valley Golf Estate are also both within 10km of Noordwyk.
There is also a huge Virgin Active gym in the Vodacom World complex, and the suburb is also close to the Kyalami racetrack, which was recently bought by Porsche and is being upgraded. The renowned Kyalami Equestrian Park is also near by and the Gallagher Convention Centre, which is home to many high-profile exhibitions and events throughout the year, is a big attraction.
“Although definitely geared mostly towards younger buyers now, the property mix in Noordwyk is varied,” says Taylor, “so there are homes available to suit just about any budget, starting with studio/bachelor apartments priced at around R440 000 and one bedroom apartments at prices from around R475 000 to R580 000, which are most popular with first time buyers just starting out in their corporate careers.
“Prices for two bedroom apartments start at around R570 000 and range up to about R850 000 in the most sought-after complexes, and there are also security complexes offering freestanding two bedroom homes at prices from around R600 000.”
For more established buyers, there are many simplex and duplex (two-storey) townhouses of various sizes available, he says, at prices starting from about R620 000 for two bedroom, one bathroom options and ranging all the way up to R1,6 million for spacious three bedroom, two bathroom options in upmarket complexes with top-notch security.
“Then for those who prefer freehold homes, Noordwyk has several cluster complexes offering modern three and four bedroom homes at prices from around R1,2 million to just under R2 million, as well as traditional three bedroom, two bathroom family homes with large gardens at prices from around R900 000. There are also some plot-and-plan options with three bedrooms and one bathroom currently selling for just under R1 million.”
For executive level buyers, Taylor says, Noordwyk also boasts two luxury gated estates, Northview Estate and Crescent Wood Country Estate, and prices for homes in these enclaves currently range from R2,25 million to around R5,5 million.
“Meanwhile, the demand for rental units in this area is very high, and it continues to attract many buy-to-let investors as a result, mostly at the lower end of the market. Rentals for one bedroom flats in Noordwyk start at around R4000 a month and those for two bedroom flats at R5500 a month.”
