The Mpumalanga lowveld has found increasing favour with home buyers from all over South Africa in the past two years, and is home to four of the 10 wildlife estates recently named by New World Wealth as South Africa’s best.
Market activity
"Over the past year especially, we have seen an increase in home purchases in most of the estates close to Nelspruit and White River,” says Ramona Grimbeeck, principal at Chas Everitt Lowveld.
“And while most buyers are local executives and professionals, a significant percentage are people relocating from Gauteng and elsewhere in the country. They are being encouraged to move by the increasing trend towards remote work, which for many people means that they can now move away from the big cities and run their companies or do their work from home, rather than having to go to an office every day.”
“Luxury estates such as Leopard Creek, Mjejane, Likweti and Elephant Point, which are all on New World Wealth’s Top 10 list, are a big drawcard for high-end buyers keen to own homes in the world-famous wildlife zone close to the Kruger National Park, and to be able to fly in and out via the KMI airport if necessary,” she says.
“In addition, the area boasts some very sought-after schools, including Uplands College on the doorstep of the White River Country Estate, Penryn College, White River Primary, Rob Ferreira High, Flamboyant and Kings College.
“The subtropical lowveld climate is also excellent, especially for retirees, and most homes are only 30 to 40 minutes’ drive from a Kruger National Park entrance. As the capital of Mpumalanga, Nelspruit also houses most of the provincial government offices and employees, and also offers a good mix of property types and excellent value for money across the board.”
Price brackets
Stands are available in lifestyle estates for less than R400 000, and even in the sought-after Matumi Golf Estate or Shandon Wildlife Estate for less than R800 000.
Prices for brand new one and two-bedrooms apartments in developments such as Olive Grove start at around R700 000, although there are older sectional title units available for less, while duplex townhouses in the new Matumi Valley development by Craft Homes are priced at R1,3m to R2,4m.
Grimbeeck says the most active price bracket currently is R1,5m to R2,5m and that prices for large three-bedroom homes in older upmarket suburbs start at around R1,8m, while two-bedrooms retirement cottages are available for around R1,5m. “In the most popular estates, three to six-bedroom homes are currently priced at between R3,5m and around R6m, and there are several guesthouses for sale at prices from R7m to around R13m.”
In White River, there are two-bedrooms apartments inside a lifestyle estate available from around R650 000, and three and four-bedroom family homes in Parkville, close to the schools, from around R1,75m to around R2m, she says.
“And upmarket estate homes in White River Country Estate and Likweti Bushveld Farm Estate start at around R3,3m and range up to around R7,7m.”
This is definitely a property market to keep an eye on.
Writer: Chas Everitt International
