In the last weeks of 2014 and the first weeks of this year there have been clear signs that Robertson, the attractive town 150 km from Cape Town, is increasingly becoming a “go-to” destination not only for South Africans, but also for international visitors.
“This was predicted by our franchisee, Andre van Niekerk, over a year ago,” says
Johanna van Wyk, principal at the Rawson Property Group’s Robertson franchise.
“The simple truth is that Robertson, which was founded in 1854 and is a genuinely historical town which has a number of Victorian and Edwardian homes, many beautifully maintained and in good condition today. It also has the tranquillity, charm and atmosphere that many people, especially those currently living in cities, yearn for. This is one of the few towns in South Africa where many of the streets are still tree-lined, where water is led via furrows to the residents’ gardens and where plots tend to be large and well-established, often with abundant fruits and flowers.”
“Many people also gravitate towards the town because they are golf enthusiasts (Robertson is home to the beautiful Silwerstrand Golf Estate) or enjoy living in close proximity to the Breede River which is suitable for boating, jet-skiing and fishing. Others of course favour Robertson because it has many well-known wine estates often with their own restaurants and entertainment facilities. Visitors come from as far afield as Cape Town and Hermanus to make the most of Robertson’s very reasonable wine prices.”
“Those thinking of buying in Robertson,” said Van Wyk, “are often hoping to find a bargain e.g. a 3-bedroom family home under R1,400,000 – but homes in this price range are scarce, and the few properties still available for just under a million to R1,4 million are snapped up very quickly.”
Prices have been rising at 4-8% per annum for some time, and this can be attributed to the demand for housing created by a growing workforce, as well as to the town’s hospitable reputation, which is known for its regular wine festivals such as the ‘Wine on the River’, ‘Wacky Wine Festival’, and other popular annual events. These factors have indeed swung the property market in favour of sellers.
“Whatever price is paid,” added Van Wyk, “it is likely to be less than half what buyers would pay for similar quality homes in the big centres – so, although the buyers’ expectations can sometimes be unrealistic, Robertson remains a great place to scale down to.”
Crime in Robertson is not a serious problem – and this is yet another reason for the town’s growing popularity - but for those who do want to live in a security village, Robertson can offer new homes in the Silwerstrand Estate where the prices of homes on the river are around R1 million – R1,3 million, while those on the golf course itself are around R1,5 million – R2 million.
Some of the Rawson Robertson team’s potential clients come to the town specifically looking for a smallholding or farm, and when these come on the market they are sold quickly, if priced realistically. Andre van Niekerk, who specializes in the agricultural field, says that Robertson is a very fertile area with a wide agricultural variety - from vineyards to stone fruit (peaches and apricots and plums), lucerne and livestock. Dairy and citrus farming are also gaining popularity in this area.
In closing Van Wyk added that Robertson is one of the friendliest communities in the Western Cape, one where people are always extremely reluctant to leave.
For further information contact Johanna van Wyk on 023 626 3115.
