The Rawson Property Group’s steady expansion into KwaZulu Natal took a big step forward towards the end of last year when Mark Truter and his wife Lauren became co-franchisees for an area that, although officially designated part of Pietermaritzburg, in fact stretches from Ashburton to Merrivale, a distance of some 50 km - also including the area of Northdale.
“All 44 different precincts are covered by our franchise,” said Truter recently, “and this gives us exposure to a very wide range of housing in price brackets from R250,000 to R8 million or more – and makes us ideal agents for the buy-to-let investor or the upwardly mobile young professional.”
Included in his territory, said Truter, are such upmarket areas as Ferncliffe, Wembley and Oak Park, where prices can be anything from R1,3 million to R3,5 million. However, most of the action in his territory is taking place in the R800,000 to R1,5 million price range and is focused on such areas as Hayfields, Scottsville, Chase Valley, and Clarendon.
“What both investors and home seekers have to realise,” said Truter, “is that for at least two years now prices throughout this part of KwaZulu Natal have been stable. We are not as yet seeing any significant increases in values, but nor are we seeing any drops. The popular areas for the investment buyer include Pelham, Scottsville and Epworth, as these are situated close to the University of KwaZulu Natal. In Clarendon, Roberts Road is also a popular choice.
One of the most attractive and upmarket estates, he added, is the Victoria Country Club’s Golf Estate, some 6 km from Pietermaritzburg’s city centre. Here the prices are R3,5 million to R7,5 million and by the time the development is complete some 588 properties with a 23 site business park will have been sold and built.
Also driving the property market, said Truter, is the steady influx of younger people recruited by the major industries of this area such as: Eddels Footwear, Huletts Aluminium, Tiger Brands and numerous engineering companies that provide products to the motor vehicle industries, as well as the legal fraternity. Pietermaritzburg is in fact the legal capital of KwaZulu Natal.
Truter said that he and his wife have recently recruited four new agents because they believe the potential of the area is so good. All these agents are currently undergoing training and will be NQF4 qualified within a year. His team, he commented, places great importance on the combination of accurate, realistic home valuations and have a firm policy of not acquiring mandates through over-pricing. This, he said, may lose them business on occasions, but in the long term it enhances their reputation and gives them greater credibility.
“Pietermartizburg and its surroundings,” said Truter, “are different from many of the major areas of South Africa in that they still offer very good value for the money spent on property and at the same time, the area manages to combine good business practice with a very pleasing and enjoyable lifestyle.”
