Housing in Southern Africa May 2016

Mitchells Plain property market

especially in the five years since 2010. Grobbelaar expects that growth

He says that in most areas, the average prices have strengthened very nicely over the last 10 years,

prices vary drastically across the area, fromvery affordable tomiddle-class,” says Grobbelaar.

sales, to the combined value of just over R648 million. This translates to an average sales price of around R279 096. In reality though,

ket transactions for the last year stands at around 2 322

Lentegeur, Woodlands, Weltevreden Valley, Colorado Park, Mandalay and Watergate Phase 2. The western half is home to a wealthier population. “The total property mar-

It comprises of a number of sub- areas such as Westridge, Portland, Tafelsig, Eastridge, Beacon Valley,

mately 700 000 residents and has a sizeable property market of about 88 000 predominantly freehold homes.

Affectionately known as the ‘flats’ or Cape Flats, it is home to approxi-

are also close by andMitchells Plain is very much the heartbeat of the area.

children and a swimming pool. According to Grobbelaar, the popular coastal areas of Muizenberg, KalkBay, FishHoek andSimon’s Town

can often be seen casting their lines. There is also a developed area for beachgoers with a playground for

way to the coast and includes a beautiful coastline where fishermen

M itchells Plain is located on the False Bay coast, bound by the R300 and M7 motor- ways and lies between Muizenberg and Khayelitsha. It stretches all the

‘The average price of a house at the lower end of the market was R85 000 in 2005, it will now cost R230 000 in 2016.’

Although the area is faced with significant socio-economic there is a strong community spirit and

also translates to about 270%growth over ten years and about 150% up since 2010.

the scale, the average price is up from R254 000 to R680 000, which

R85 000 in 2005, it will now cost R230 000 in 2016. At the top end of

Where the average price of a house at the lower end of the market was

area has nonetheless delivered excel- lent growth over the last few years and this certainly bodes well going forward.

In line with the performance of the propertymarket over the past two years, in particular that of the former ‘township’ andmore affordable areas, prices in Mitchells Plain are on the up, says Gary Grobbelaar of Seeff.

will now stall in view of the poor economic outlook for this year. The

do and jazzmusician, Benjamin Jeph- ta. 20SK8, South Africa’s best known skate collective has its roots in the Cape Flats. ■

don October, Idols 2002 runner-up, the rapper ‘AKA’, the artist Dion Cupi-

Schoonraad, South Africa’s first chess grandmaster, Kenny Solomon, Bran-

clude Lynne Brown, Minister of Pub- lic Enterprises, comedienne, Kurt

first time buyers with three bed- room units ranging from R300 000 to

False Bay coast. Mitchells Plain a nice stepping-stone area for lower income

upgrade. Even then, it tends to be to the more upmarket suburbs of the

people are reluctant to move out of the area unless they are looking to

over the years. These in-

area home at some point

Africans have called the

mark. Many famous South

the R600 000 to R800 000

lished larger houses around

R400 000 and more estab-

News

May 2016