It is not often that a new auction team can kick off with one of the most prestigious and upmarket properties in its operating territory. However, that is exactly what Rawson Auctions, Mossel Bay, who went into action at the end of November, will be doing. On the19th of December, this team will be auctioning 40 Coney Glen, a property situated in a unique position right on top of the rocky cliffs over the Knysna Heads, from where its occupants will enjoy uninterrupted 180 degree views of the Indian Ocean and the Heads, Knysna’s signature tourist attraction.
The dual story home, which occupies much of the 1082 m² site, has five façades, each with either extensive glazing or spacious balconies. There are two garages and a swimming pool that is situated in beautifully landscaped gardens. The roof is covered in expensive terracotta tiling which protrudes beyond the building line to give extra shade protection. Internally the home has 600m² of floor area which is covered either in large porcelain tiles or Italian short cut frieze carpeting. The doors are made of solid Meranti wood and other internal fixtures and features of the building are double volume rooms, magnificently designed wrought iron balustrades andopulentchandeliers. The signature of the home is the double grand staircase which leads to the second level.
Two of the home’s three bedrooms are large bedroom suites, each with marble fitted en suite bathrooms. In addition to this the home also has a study, three reception areas, a laundry attached to the masterfully designed kitchen, as well as, a guest suite on the north side of the home. Throughout the house there are Meranti wood skirtings and high wooden panelled ceilings.
The kitchen flows into the private lounges and breakfast area and is fitted with built-in, hand painted cupboards and Caesarstone counter tops. It is also equipped with an under-counter oven with an eye-level microwave and a glass top stove with extractor fan.
Peter Southey, franchisee for Rawson Properties Knysna said that Knysna residential property now appears to be on a strong recovery path with 20 ‘significant’ sales so far this year, more than double the number of large homes sold in 2011. This is not surprising as Knysna, like many other areas in the Garden Route, is becoming a hot spot on the tourist map.
Knysna recently made it onto Conde Nast Travellers’ Top 5 African cities list, coming in at a close second to Cape Town. Part of the “Best in the World” readers survey, the criteria the readers based their judgement on were: ambience, friendliness, lodging, restaurants, culture and shopping.
“Homes of the same quality as this Coney Glen mansion,” said Andre Piguet, a partner in the Mossel Bay franchise and now one of the Rawson Auctions team, “come onto the market only rarely because more often than not they are inherited by heirs of the estate. It can therefore be predicted with absolute certainty that when the next property upswing comes, which we expect to be in 2014 to 2015, houses of this quality will more than double their value for the simple reason that Knysna remains one of the two or three top holiday and retirement venues in the whole of Southern Africa.”
Andre Piguet has said that the municipal valuation for the home is over R11 million but the auction team will be starting the bidding at a low R6 million.
The auction will take place on site at 12 noon on Wednesday the 19th of December and the successful bidder will be expected to pay a 5% deposit and a 10% auctioneer’s fee on the fall of the hammer. Peter Southey and his staff will be on site for pre-auction viewing on Tuesday the 18th of December between 12:00 and 15:00. Private viewings are to be made by appointment only.
