Value-for-money property continues to attract thousands of new residents a year to Roodepoort and its surrounding West Rand suburbs, says Liana van Loggerenberg, the Rawson Property Group’s franchisee in Roodepoort.
“The latest statistics show that more than 2500 houses and more than 3800 flats and townhouses were sold in this area last year – and that almost 4000 more homes have already been transferred this year, as there is still very strong demand even though consumers are going through such tough times financially.
“However, there is also a bigger supply of homes for sale at the moment than at this time last year, which means that buyers have more choice and room to negotiate, and that is preventing prices from rising too quickly. The stats show that the average house price has risen just over 6% since last year to around R1,2 million and that the average R610 000 currently being paid for apartments is only 1,6% more than last year.”
It is also interesting to note, she says, that Roodepoort is getting “younger” by the day as this new wave of homebuyers moves in. “At the moment about 73% of all local homeowners are under the age of 50, but about 81% of those who have bought homes here in the past year are in that age group, while a rising percentage of sellers are over-50.
“What we are seeing is a classic rejuvenation of the older parts of Roodepoort, where many existing residents who have finished raising their children are selling their large family homes as they get ready to retire, and a new generation of young families is revelling in the opportunity to live in well-established suburbs with great schools, modern shopping malls and other conveniences all close at hand."
Other attractions of living in Roodepoort, says Van Loggerenberg, include three private hospitals, a Monash University campus, several golf clubs and courses and the Walter Sisulu Botanical Gardens, as well as superb city and mountain views from the hillside homes in some Roodepoort suburbs.
“Roodepoort is also readily accessible from Soweto and Pretoria as well as all the office nodes of northern Johannesburg and Midrand, and is close to Lanseria airport, which offers an increasing number of daily flights to other SA cities.
“And because there has been a considerable amount of new development here in the past 10 years, we have homes available to suit all types of buyer, including student flats, stylish apartments for career singles and couples, townhouses for new families, suburban homes with large gardens, and luxury apartments and houses in secure golf and lifestyle estates.”
However, she says, value-for-money remains the primary concern for most buyers these days, and that is where Roodepoort really scores. “In Groblerspark, for example, we have modern two and three-bedroom flats and townhouses available at prices from around R400 000, and several three-bedroom, two-bathroom houses on sale at prices from R750 000 to around R900 000.
“Family buyers are also targeting older homes on large stands in other areas south of Ontdekkers Road such as Mindalore, Lindhaven, Horizon View and Witpoortjie, where we are currently marketing a three-bedroom, two-bathroom house with three living rooms, pool and separate one-bedroom flat for R895 000.
“As further examples, we currently have a four-bedroom, two-bathroom house with double garage, flat and beautiful large garden in Witpoortjie listed for R920 000 – and a three-bedroom home with three living rooms, two garages and staff accommodation in Lindhaven listed for R820 000.
“All of these properties are close to good schools and to local shopping centres as well as the Westgate and Cradlestone malls which have a variety of restaurants and entertainment options. Houses at these prices also offer buyers the opportunity to renovate and modernise without overcapitalising, as the ceiling in these areas is around R1,3 million.”
Van Loggerenberg says prices range from R1,4 million to about R3 million in the suburbs to the north of Ontdekkers Road - which include Helderkruin, Roodekrans, Wilropark, Strubensvallei and Rangeview - while at the upper end of the local scale, there are many luxury home options in areas such as Ruimsig, Poortview, Quellerina and Constantia Kloof, at prices from just over R2 million all the way up to about R10 million.
