“This is one of those properties which has tremendous appeal, especially for international buyers,” says Tanya Jovanovski, co-franchisee for Rawson Auctions Western Cape.
“At the price at which it is likely to sell, with today’s exchange rates, it will be a steal for someone buying in euros, yen, pounds or dollars, but even in rands, the reserve price of R4 million is exceptionally low.”
The property to which Jovanovski is referring is on the summit of Simon’s Town’s famous Red Hill, about 1 km from the big guns installed in the Second World War to protect Simon’s Town’s harbour from attack. Covering 27 ha, the site is approached by a scenic winding pass. It can also be reached by hiking a well maintained path from the Simon’s Town beachfront.
The property, says Jovanovski, is by contractual agreement, part of the Table Mountain National Park, which looks after 23 ha, keeping the area free from alien vegetation.
Roughly 2,5 ha, which surrounds the property’s homestead, are security fenced and has electronically operated gates.
The large four bedroom, three bathroom homestead has a living room, a dining room and an entrance hall. The home was built by the current owners, who, among other materials, used large quantities of recycled Burmese teak. The living and other communal rooms are exceptionally large, the shutters are made of wood and the floors are smooth tinted concrete, an avant garde treatment that works particularly well here.
Although the home is linked to Eskom power, it can, if the occupants so wish, says Jovanovski, be largely independent of outside energy and water resources. Wind and solar power can be used to pump water from a borehole, there is gas for cooking, wood for heating, rainwater for drinking and below ground sceptic tanks deal effectively with all the sewage. Solar panels feed storage batteries, which in turn provide power to light the house and there are also wall and roof mounted solar water heaters.
A dam on the estate is fed by a winter stream which runs nearby.
In addition to the main house, there is a 50 m2 two bedroom, one bathroom cottage on the estate.
The auction will take place on 26th March at 12 noon and will be held at the Rawson Property Group’s head office at 222 Main Road, Rondebosch. Bidders are asked to note that this will be a silent auction by tender. Bidders are asked to arrange an inspection of the property by contacting Tanya Jovanovski on 082 411 9599. Bidders should give Rawson Auctions sealed written letters — all of which will be shown to the seller after the auction. The buyer with the highest bid will be notified within 24 hours of the auction ending.
Rawson Auctions conditions specify that:
· No registration fee is required to bid,
· A 5% deposit of the purchase price is payable on the fall of the hammer,
· 10% commission plus VAT over and above the purchase price must be paid to Rawson Auctions on fall of the hammer — payable by the buyer.
The Consumer Protection Act regulations stipulate that all bidders be registered and that they bring certified copies of their identity documents and proof of residence.
