Property developers are encouraged to invest in District Six, despite rumours that the historic Cape Town precinct might be declared a National Heritage site. That’s according to Shahied Ajam, chairperson of the District Six Working Committee (D6WC).

Estates offer families the opportunity to ‘live, work, and play’ in a single space, which has led to a demand for practical schooling solutions in or close to estates.
But schools take up a lot of space, so it’s worth considering smaller collaborative learning spaces, fuelled by online educational centres and curriculums.

Developing trails in estates not only adds value to properties but provides safe and healthy opportunities for residents – and also creates unique selling features with little investment.

Okay, it’s official. COVID-19 is a pandemic – and it’s caused a national and international emergency. This is serious, and – yes – there is a risk of contracting the disease, and even of dying from it. But is this really the biggest risk? As with many things, it is easier to see the problems ‘out there’ and ignore the ones in our heads. So, while I’m not for one moment denying the seriousness of COVID-19, let’s look at the real risks.

While green building practices – and Green Building Council certification – are known to improve sustainability and reduce running costs, EDGE certification is now also showing its worth as a marketing tool for estate developers.

Single moms have become a force to be reckoned with in the property market. Developers who want their estates to appeal to this growing demographic will need to keep in mind factors such as security, open spaces, schools and modern living units.

Should we be looking to the past for ideas for alternative building methods to reduce our carbon footprint? It makes sense, because traditional, low-tech building methods are almost naturally low carbon-intensive.

Most of us can point to the black stuff growing in our shower and say: ‘That’s mould.’ Fewer people can say what mould actually is. There are thousands of different species of mould that all spread through spores. Some of these moulds can cause significant health concerns, ranging from allergies to asthma attacks, and even fungal infections in immunocompromised people. Understanding what mould is, and how it grows, is the first step towards preventing it from growing and spreading in your home.

While the property industry has historically been dominated by men, an increasing number of women are making their mark in property development.

As sustainability and the desire to live off grid have become mainstream, so too has the trend of tiny homes risen in popularity. We take a closer look at BDI’s PanGoPod home and explore how developers can utilise these methods by thinking out of the box.

After years of controversy, the old Helen Bowden Nurses’ Home near Cape Town’s V&A Waterfront is set to be developed into social housing following the City’s decision to rezone the site for this purpose. However, the building remains occupied by the Reclaim The City activist group, who moved in in March 2017 and renamed the site Ahmed Kathrada House.

The Property Practitioner Act is a new piece of legislation that, once it is signed into law – probably mid-2020 – will replace the Estate Agency Affairs Act of 1976. Its main purpose is to establish the Property Practitioner Regulatory Authority (PPRA), which will replace the Estate Agency Affairs Board; to regulate the affairs of all property practitioners; to allow for transformation in the property sector; and to provide for consumer protection.

Johannesburg is a unique city because it was built without a local water supply. It has become the only major city in the world totally reliant on water sourced from distant rivers and pumped across mountain ranges. This creates a vulnerability that few appreciate when buying or developing real estate.

A seemingly innocuous comment about overpopulation at this year’s World Economic Forum in Davos highlights how oversimplification of the issues and processes can exacerbate the problem, and shift blame from the perpetrators to the victims.

One of the main reasons people move into residential estates is to recreate the sense of community typical of villages or small, well-defined suburbs. People knew their neighbours – and their neighbours’ pets – and they memorised each other’s phone numbers. In their heads! Kids played in the street or in public open space, wandered in and out of each other’s houses, and only came home when they were hungry.

Building a dog park on an estate can bring in increased revenue and foster a sense of community. Many of the drawbacks of being dog-friendly can be mitigated through careful planning.

New technologies allow security teams to identify guests – and intruders – by how they walk. Is this the future of estate access?

Jeffreys Bay in the Eastern Cape is best known as a top surf spot, home to the perfect wave. The J-Bay Open is one of the stops on the Men’s Surfing Championship Tour, and boasts the longest right-hand point break on the planet.

The AfrAsia Bank SA Wealth Report for 2019 has named Durban-Umhlanga-Ballito corridor as the fastest growing wealth market in South Africa, with a 25% growth trajectory reported over the last decade.

Estate Living discusses opportunities for development at the gorgeous Zimbali Lakes Resort

Early October 2019 saw the Property Practitioners Act of 2019  signed into law by President Cyril Ramaphosa. The new law was generally welcomed by property practitioners … even if there was initially some confusion about who exactly counts as a property practitioner!

Chris Mulder is no stranger to winning awards. In his illustrious career, Dr Mulder – together with his team from CMAI Architects – has won numerous awards from US and South African professional associations and universities since he founded the firm in 1980.

Finding the right property is hard enough but negotiating the right price and related fees can be harder, especially if one party is unwilling. Sometimes you may need to walk away from the deal.

We all know retirement facilities are the new big investment opportunity, and research shows that the R1.5 million price mark is the sweet spot. The most recent census conducted in 2011 put the total South African population at 57.7 million people. Of this number, 5.4% were aged 65 and over. When compared to the same figure in 2000, only 3.7% were aged 65 and over.

Joburg is fast becoming a megacity, but how does it compare with existing African megacities for return on investment? Cairo, Kinshasa and Lagos all carry the status of megacity – cities with a population of at least 10 million inhabitants. Fast on their heels are Dar es Salaam, Luanda and Johannesburg, which are predicted to attain the status of megacity by 2030, according to the United Nations.

Bamboo is sustainable and easy to grow, and South Africa has the perfect conditions for cultivation. Could this be the answer as a building material for affordable housing?

To take the greening of your estate seriously, you must consider each step from conception to design, through the building process and continuing to operation and management.

As Gen X hits 50, existing and planned estates need to re-evaluate their position on retirement, and on multi-generational living. As the oldest of the Gen Xers are turning 50, and watching their baby boomer parents ‘raging against the [dimming] of the light’, they are starting to ponder their own mortality, potential morbidity and – shock, horror, gasp – old age!

Louise Martin, COO of Estate Living, interviews Santams Head of specialist real estate, Karl Bishop, on Santam’s development guarantees.

It should seem unsurprising to most of us that urban space is at a growing premium. It’s been a growing trend across the world since the industrial revolution, but particularly so in the last few decades as people flock to urban areas.

Not so long ago, if somebody wanted to have their complaint heard, the best options were to write a letter to the newspaper (and hope that it would be published) or dial into the radio. now, in the digital age, everyone has a voice. Never before has it been easier to have your concerns or thoughts heard – no matter how insignificant or trivial they are – and that has implications for estate managers

The Section 12J tax allowance has introduced an exciting new asset class that has attracted over R6 billion within a very short period of time. Let’s explore how this can benefit developers.

Your home is likely to be one of the most valuable assets you will own. While you put a lot of time, effort and money into making it the ideal home, it is equally important to keep yourself informed on how well this investment is protected.

As with anything in life, knowledge is power and in today’s risky economic climate, investors need as much as possible to make bold, calculated investment moves that yield great results. Cue Estate Living, South Africa’s leading resource and specialist consultancy within the community living environments. Masters at building relationships and identifying new opportunities, Louise Martin and Jaime-Lee Gardner’s innovative services are helping investors and developers all over the country to understand their market.  

Some of us get the idea of “Joburg luxury” completely wrong: We see ourselves in the car of our dreams driving down William Nicol on the way to work. When in fact, real city luxury (or perhaps even city happiness) could be found not when you upgrade your ride but when you shorten your commute. Living closer to work does not only add more time to your day and more buck to your budget, but recent research shows that it can also improve your overall wellness.

Not a day goes by without one hearing of some municipal crisis somewhere in the country. These range from banal but extremely annoying stories of billing crises, lack of budgetary control and bloated bureaucracies to the horror story unfolding in Emfuleni, where total collapse of the municipality as a functional entity has unleashed a tsunami of raw sewage flowing unabated along the streets and through the buildings, as it makes its way to the nearest river.

The Medine group, a century-old key player in the local sugar industry with a land bank of over 10,000 hectares, launched its Education Village in 2012 in the region of Pierrefonds as part of its diversification strategy. This campus has been designed to host a selective cast of world-class and internationally recognised institutions across different fields of study.

In a worryingly flat property market, developers are facing an ever-growing challenge to find value-adds to help them move units.

We’ve come a long way since Al Gore’s Inconvenient Truth documentary in 2006. Although not the first we’d heard of climate change and the effects of globalisation, it was an eye-opener for many and it sparked fierce debate. Things that were only spoken of then are now becoming reality, and we probably all understand the severity of global climate change, and what this means for future generations. 

People aren’t retiring like they used to. Instead, many are working longer out of necessity or from a desire to remain vital and engaged.

Probably one of the most difficult issues facing estate managers is waste management. It’s a truly Sisyphean endeavour – just...

Every time we hear stories of veld fires, we are alerted to the very real danger to our homes of...

ARC (Association for Residential Community), proactively supports Homeowners Associations and Bodies Corporate, their management teams and trustees, to establish, maintain...

A recently concluded joint venture between Evergreen Retirement Holdings and the Uvest Property Group will see the development of Evergreen...

Bamboo is one of the world’s oldest natural building materials. In Asia and South America, where it occurs naturally, it’s...

In this video we show you how to make a DIY chalkboard serving tray that's cute and easy to make....

In this video Tanya Visser talks about the different types of insecticides and how to use them. Insecticides are ideal...

The Efekto water-wise crystals is a polymer which attracts water and it's completely biodegradable and non-toxic. This means it's safe...

Fired Earth Woodworks is a water based wood stainer and sealer that's perfect for interior and exterior use. It has...

One paint with five applications. It's a world-first in paint technology. View product and shop online with Builders. {{ vc_btn:...

It applies pink and dries white - so you'll never miss a spot again. View product and shop online with...

Transform a bland white space into a stunning feature wall in a snap with this short and sweet DIY video!...

'Our upcoming studio units in Obs are ideal for first-time investors’ – Rawson Developers’s Brad Morgan Smaller units geared to...

Johannesburg’s proposed new housing policy, which recognises the need for developments to yield a profit, may turn out to be...

There are so many reasons to invest in Mauritius, and even more reasons to live in Mauritius – for at...

Is bigger always better? Not always – and especially not if you want the convenience of living close to your...

The Association of Residential Communities (ARC) has been in existence for over 10 years, with 11 founder members, 10 chapters...

So, you’ve gazed upon your ‘fields of corn’ … you’ve dreamt, you’ve designed and you’ve built. Now what? Do you...

A development is not a residential estate – it’s a place with houses in a greater or lesser stage of...

It’s good business to protect natural areas within your housing estate, not only because they make it a nicer living...

Brand image is everything. We understand the importance of this, which is why we ensure that your image reflects perfection...

A professional security presence with 24/7 staffed access is a given, but sometimes a developer needs to add an extra loss...

As a developer, you are already adding fibre to new properties; in fact, you may very well be retrofitting it...

As providers prepare to roll out 5G mobile technology, what does this mean for us? A generation ago, mobile video...

There are people who get a thrill out of picking out new furniture and appliances when they move house –...

Gone are the days when developers took a shot in the dark choosing retail tenants, with some white elephants that...

Your development is ready for sales, and you need widespread marketing to reach as many potential buyers as possible, followed by a flawless sales process. What is the best way – a dedicated sales team, or an estate agency?

The beautiful plantations of sugar cane that are such an intrinsic part of the landscape of the KZN North Coast...

Rejuvenating inner-city neighbourhoods can be an uplifting, progressive and profitable enterprise, but it’s not as simple as that. There is...

You’ve probably heard all the hype about Maropeng and the Cradle of Humankind, but there is a lot more to it than the tourism marketers make out.

In an urban world where we are increasingly paying attention to our physical and mental health needs, the buildings that...

Author: T van Staden – attorney specialising in health and safety legal compliance Construction is a hazardous endeavour, so here’s how…

Andrew Donkin and Builders Warehouse show you how to build your own DIY kitchen Stand.

Creating a kitchen with off-the-shelf units not only makes building your kitchen a breeze, but is really affordable too.

Come and join Estate Living at JNCS Beyond Security’s highly informative presentation on the Future of proactive Estate Security at…

Security is top of mind for people looking for a retirement village, so cutting edge security systems such as CCTV…

Mobile and wireless data are expected to increase a thousandfold over the next decade as more than 50 billion devices,…

Central to any estate security product offering should be the understanding that estate security is not only about keeping the…

State-of-the-art security is a natural expectation in any upmarket development, and the more unobtrusive it is the better. Estates with…

Perspectives change, and that’s just one of the reasons you need to keep an open mind. This whole management-speak gobbledygook…

If there’s one strong design feature that defines homes in a modern estate, it has to be expansive, frameless glass…

The Western Cape may be the primary destination for inlanders seeking a coastal lifestyle, but soaring property prices in the province, and Cape Town in particular, have made potential home buyers turn their focus to the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) North and South coasts.

PARK SQUARE TO BENEFIT COMMUNITIES AND INVESTORS IN THRIVING UMHLANGA RIDGE uMhlanga’s most significant new commercial and retail development is…

Having launched 9 months ago, Enigma Private Estate in KwaZulu-Natal has had a positive response, so positive that this new…

Mobile and wireless data are expected to increase a thousandfold over the next decade as more than 50 billion devices,…

For decades, residential real estate developers and managers have worked within a given set of relationships between themselves, the municipality…

At a recent health and safety workshop, the question of contractor responsibility was raised in cases where the homeowners’ association…

As early as 2025 homes could look vastly different. By 2020, UberAir plans to run air taxis in at least…

Over the past couple of decades, the number of secure estates in South Africa, both residential and commercial/ industrial, has…

One of the biggest business surprises in the latter half of 2017 was PSG’s investment of R 675 million in…

The 1 000 hectare Sibaya Coastal Precinct on KwaZulu-Natal’s North Coast is well on its way to realising its vision…

Giuseppe Plumari, CEO of Steyn City Properties, has been named Business Person of the Year at the Nedbank Business Excellence…

Under the patronage of Dr Siyabonga Cwele, Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services, Dr Andile Ngcaba, President FTTX Council Africa, the CEO Juanita Clark and other…

Two words define modern lifestyles – mobility and flexibility. Building a contemporary home or home office, therefore, has become all…

The world is clearly getting warmer – 2016 was recorded as the hottest year since records have been kept, and…

Ten years ago, a desirable lifestyle would probably have been to own a modest house in the suburbs with a…

With land at a premium and in short supply wherever in South Africa you may be, property developers are now…

The forecast warned that an extreme cold front was to hit the Western Cape that night. Emergency services were preparing…

The residential property market, just like any other market today, continues to evolve, and one developer is fast off the…