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MASSIVE BOOST FOR EASTERN CAPE DEVELOPMENT!

The much highly anticipated Baywest Shopping Mall which opened its doors to the public yesterday on 21 May 2015, has since become the largest shopping complex and mall by far in the Eastern Cape!

BAYWEST SUPER MALL

The regions Super Mall is a massive boost for the economy of Port Elizabeth and the entire Eastern Cape region as a whole. With a whopping area of over 90,000m², boasting more than 250 stores and with a secured parking area for more than 3200 vehicles, the mall is set to attract visitors from all over the Eastern Cape. Research shows that many shoppers as far from Graaff-Reinet, Grahamstown and East London are willing to visit the mall for a day of unique shopping and entertainment! Baywest Mall is all set to become the prime hub of choice for retail outlets in the Eastern Cape! Shoppers in the region will be able to experience a number of firsts, such as the premium platinum group clothing brands, Hilton Weiner and Vertigo. There are also many internationally recognized brands coming, such as Australia’s Cotton On and London’s Dune and River Island, to name but a few.   Shoppers will be spoiled for choice with an enormous selection of restaurants, coffee shops and fast food outlets to choose from. The food court boasts one of the largest television screens in the country, which means that shoppers are able to keep track of scores from the latest sporting events.

There are also supervised daily activities and entertainment for the kids, leaving mom to shop in peace! All shoppers are allocated a certain amount of free Wi-Fi access, which means you will be able to text, access your emails and surf the internet - all while enjoying your favorite cappuccino and bagel at one of the many coffee shops or restaurants available. The entertainment offering is likewise just as big, boasting an enormous 9000m², North American size Ice Rink – the only ice rink in the Eastern Cape! Also available is a state of the art Ten-Pin Bowling alley and gaming arcade, sporting the latest games from the United States, as well as some older retro type games for the young at heart. In terms of movies, the center will offer 8 prestigious cinemas, including 3D Cinemas, Cinema Prestige and one of only 5 IMAX Theaters in the country, which opens in June 2015. The Mall, which was completed in an impressive 24 months, is set to become the catalyst for further development surrounding it. This 320ha development area, to be known as “Baywest City” will continue to be developed over the next 5 to 10 years. It will eventually include a hospital, schools, office blocks and residential apartments. On completion, it will rival the likes of Sandton City in Johannesburg and Century City in Cape Town. Baywest Mall is conveniently situated along the N2 National Freeway in Port Elizabeth’s western suburbs. It will trade 7 days a week, from 9am to 7pm (Sunday to Thursday) and from 9am to 9pm on Friday’s and Saturday’s. 

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East London Gets Own Botanical Garden

Just to the north of East London in the Eastern Cape, lies a relatively unknown stretch of coastline between Gonubie and the Kwelera River. This area, mostly only known to the local residents of seaside villages such as Sunrise on Sea and Rainbow Valley is the 164 hectare, Kwelera Nature Reserve. Towards the end of 2014, the residents of East London and the Wild Coast in the Eastern Cape were surprised with a fabulous new attraction – its own Botanical Garden and the first of its kind in the Eastern Cape!

Bio Diversity & Tourism

The National Botanical and Conservation Garden, located in the Kwelera Nature Reserve, just outside Gonubie East London was launched by Edna Molelwa – minister of environmental affairs in October. The garden will play a major role in providing bio diversity education to the area. It also will play a major role in boosting the needed tourism in the Eastern Cape area and will be a major tourist attraction for the greater East London region. The Kwelera National Botanical Garden, which will form part of the South African National Bio diversity Institute (SANBI) Gardens Expansion Strategy, is South Africa’s tenth National Botanical Garden. It is also currently the first and only Botanical Garden in the Eastern Cape.

Two Phases

The Botanical Garden is to be established over 2 phases. The first phase of the project involves the declaration of state land (160 ha) which previously formed part of the Kwelera Nature Reserve into the botanical garden. The second phase which is to be commenced sometime in 2015 will consist of land acquired from coastal dune forests, which lies bordering the Botanical Gardens. This conservation area will be developed and eventually include amenities such as a visitors center, an education center, admin offices, a nursery, research center, pathways, marked trails and also a boardwalk. It is envisioned that the Botanical Garden will not only bring a haven of tranquility and leisure to this area but with all these facilities, it would also attract a host of visitors to the East London area and boost the local and international tourism in East London (Eastern Cape ). 

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How your neighborhood affects the value of your property

Did you know that the homes, streets and even cars parked in a neighborhood can collectively have either a positive or negative impact on the overall value of your property? Even in an affluent, upmarket area, the neglect of a single home could bring the retail value down of an entire street or neighborhood.

First Impressions Count!

A properties external appearance is the first impression that a potential buyer gets, so it is therefore essential that no eyesores appear at this stage of the sale. There are numerous factors that can be very off putting to keep them from sealing the deal, long before they get inside the front door!

For example, your home maybe in desperate need of maintenance and repairs. A broken window pane that has not been replaced, a garden that is overgrown and in a state of neglect, the property is generally untidy and unkempt or it could simply be that slimy, green swimming pool that requires urgent attention.

The Neighbor's House

The same can be said if these factors apply to your neighbor’s home or the house across the street. Even though your home may well be immaculately kept, that shabby looking house across the street could still bring the value of your property down, including all the other properties in that street. And that old beat-up sedan which stands in your neighbor’s front yard? That’s not doing very much help in getting your home sold either! It is therefore not surprising then, that a homeowner in a generally up-market neighborhood could struggle to get his full market price when he decides to sell. Just a quick look at the other homes in the neighborhood can tell why a once sought-after area may no longer be desirable to potential home buyers. For the community as a whole, everyone in the neighborhood needs to be actively involved and should be responsible for its upkeep and maintenance. You should not solely have to rely on the municipality for the only upkeep of your neighborhood.

The Street & Verges

There needs to be a certain amount of pride, respect and responsibility within each community in keeping the streets neat and litter free. You need to ensure that boundary fences and walls are kept clean and painted and that grass and shrubs on the street sidewalks are kept neat and trim. Only then will your neighborhood be attractive for buyers in the market.

Any neighborhood can be transformed into a trendy, desirable area if the entire community simply adheres to the municipal regulations, keeping the neighborhood clean and litter free and fixing what may be broken.

Neighborhood Watch

Another factor unrelated to a properties appearance, which may discourage people from purchasing in a particular area is crime. The amount of crime associated to a neighborhood can cause the overall market value of the entire neighborhood to drop. However, with the help of the community once again, this can be reduced by introducing active neighborhood watch patrols and armed response groups.   

Should you find yourself in the market to sell your home, it may be in your best interest to not only take the interior of your home into consideration, but also the garden and the outside of your home. If the exterior of your property or the garden has been neglected, or even if the street has become littered and appears unkempt, it could cost you the sale even before the potential buyer has seen the inside of your home.

Article by: Dalena Properties http://www.dalena.co.za/property-in-east-london/

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Beacon Bay, Gonubie Set to Become New Business Hub Trend!

As the municipality of Buffalo Bay and the city of East London continues to expand outwards to the east, Beacon Bay is all set on fast becoming the new focal growth point of the city with much continued development centering on the fourth phase extension of Beacon Bay Crossing, which should soon be fully completed within 2 years. The SKG Group, which is responsible for the Beacon Bay Crossing development has recently announced a brand new whopping R350 million multi development deal, which will include a large shopping mall and a national four star hotel as the center piece of the fourth phase extension. The hotel is planned to be built on a man-made hillside overlooking the prestigious suburb of East London’s Beacon Bay. Also included in the development plans are a new state of the art movie theater and a top line fresh food supermarket. Businesses and retailers in the city are always seeking new development areas as the city continues to grow and expand. That new growth node has been clearly identified as Beacon Bay, as it was predicted some years ago and we are now finally starting to see this reality take place.

Businesses have shown a lot of confidence in the Beacon Bay region recently and as continued new developments take place, we are seeing new office blocks, hospitals and retailers rise. It is clear that Beacon Bay is now fast becoming the latest location trend for new and upcoming businesses, as well as those looking to expand their existing offices.   The brand new 120 room hotel, to be aimed towards government and corporate is set to have a 1960’s curvy, retro feel and theme, reminiscent of the 1968 classic movie:  2001 A Space Odyssey. The hotel is designed to include a stunning roof-top swimming pool, overlooking the mall’s 1400 parking bays and open retail space. Its current projected completion date is set for October 2017. One of the main challenges faced with seeing this project become a reality was the controversial issue of relocating more than 2000 informal shack dwellers and over 500 shacks from the nearby Nompumelelo Township.

Buffalo City Metro Councilor, Makhaya Bopi, claimed that these shack dwellers were the responsibility of the SKG Group and that it was up to the SKG Group to find alternative land for them, which should include roads and electricity to alleviate the shack dwellers from illegally connecting electricity. However, SKG Group has responded, claiming that they are actually creating employment opportunities and are creating social enrichment for all, which should be the primary focus of the entire East London community. They are still in negotiations to find a suitable solution. As the city continues to expand eastwards, it is clear that the next boom area will indeed also include the coastal town of Gonubie, which will see an unprecedented growth by the time the construction of the new main road becomes complete in May this year. The Beacon Bay Crossing was developed in 2009 in the middle of the global economic recession caused by the Wall Street collapse of 2008.

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Power Saving Methods That Work!

With the continuing threat of continued blackouts and power shedding in 2015, it would be wise for home owners and the trustees of sectional title units to consider alternative options available to save electricity consumption during this period.

One such option would be to install solar panels and heat pumps, to heat water is in favor over the conventional geyser, which can save you almost 40% on your electricity bill every month. The cost of the solar panel and the installation may come at a steep cost, but the long-term benefits are far greater! These energy-saving units will likely pay for themselves in a few years and there after residents will be able to enjoy reduced electric bills from then on.

Another option is to install solar power for the remote controlled electric gates and intercom systems of complexes. LED lighting or motion activated lighting systems are also other popular options to help keep electricity consumption down.

Unfortunately with most sectional title complexes, budgets can be tight. Majority of the owners would need to agree to these types of installations and it would need to be approved by the trustees as well as the agent. Often a lack of funds if the excuse for delaying special projects like these, or the suggestion of raising the levy to cover the cost is proposed.

The important thing to consider is that the long term benefits are far greater for all sectional title owners and that the initial outlay involved to cover the expense of these power saving units will significantly reduce the electricity tariffs for each unit in the complex and the levy once they have been fully paid off.

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10 Tips For First Time Home Buyers

So you're thinking of purchasing your first home? This can be an intimidating task for anyone that has not gone through the process before! Don't worry, we are going to outline the most essential steps to take when buying a home for the first time. 1. Know What You Are Looking For The very first thing you should know is where you want to live. Location is very important. You may wish to live close to you place of work, but if you have kids you also need to consider the proximity to their schools, public transport and shopping malls. Pricing also affects the general purchase price of certain areas, so you will need to take this into consideration too. 2. The Deposit It is always a good idea to have money available to put down as a deposit, which will bring the value of your bond monthly re-payments down. 3. The Bond Calculator is your friend Make use of our easy to use Bond Calculator (http://www.dalena.co.za/bond-calculator/), to know exactly how much you can afford, how much your monthly payments will be. You also need to take into consideration that it is not only the price of the Home Loan you will be repaying back - but also things such as house insurance, life insurance or both! These are often unaccounted for by first time home buyers. 4. The Additional (Hidden) Costs Alright, perhaps they are not exactly "hidden costs" but almost every Home Loan will come with additional fees from your bank or mortgage broker, which you also may not account for as a first time home buyer. Fees such as registration fees, administration fees, legal costs, Vat and Transfer Duties will add to the bond amount that you are applying for. 5. Let The Search Begin You have your Home Loan and you know where you would like to buy (more or less) so now it's time to let the hunt begin. It is a good idea though to have a few areas in mind that are within your budget, so that you have more options available and you don't lock yourself into one neighborhood. Our agents will be happy to assist you and give you a good estimate of the current market value of similar houses in the area, taking factors such as the condition of the property, number of bedrooms, bathrooms, garages, pool will all be taken into consideration. 6. Sleep On It! Don't just view 1 or 2 homes - view as many as you possibly can! Ask the seller and the estate agent everything you wish to know. Short-list the homes that grab your attention and are withing your budget. Sleep on it and the go and view again before making a final decision. 7. Complete your Home Loan Application You will now sign an offer to purchase between yourself and the seller or the agent and the bank will start it's approval process to finance the purchase. 8. Important Documents Before the bank will begin the approval process of the Home Loan, it will need you to provide the following documents: 1. Your ID Book or Social Security. 2. A Copy of the offer to purchase 3. A Copy of your current residential address. 4. Your proof of income (Salary Slip, Bank Statement) 9. Save on your Home Loan? It is actually possible if (depending on your financial situation) you are able to increase your monthly bond installments, which will not only help you to repay the bond off sooner, but also help you save large amounts on the interest fees adding to the initial amount every month.

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Baywest Mega Mall in Port Elizabeth Nears Completion

The much anticipated Baywest Mall in Port Elizabeth will be finished by April 2015.

The R1.72 billion Bay West Mega Mall Development in Port Elizabeth, which was funded by Nedbank Corporate Property Finance in 2013, is nearing completion of the first phase of the project in April this year.  It will then be the largest financial deal for Port Elizabeth by Nedbank Corporation.

The 87,500 square meter Mega Shopping Mall Complex will be situated on the western outskirts of Port Elizabeth and when complete it will not only be the largest Shopping Mall Complex in the city, but also the largest in the Eastern Cape. The Mall itself will be comparable to other mega Malls around the country, such as Canal Walk in Cape Town, The Pavilion in Durban or Sandton Center in Johannesburg. It will contain a mixed balance of local and international trading stores.

The Mall already has sealed four major anchor tenants on board, namely Checker Hypermarket, Pick n Pay, Woolworths and Game. It will also contain a host of major fashion and entertainment shops like Edgars, Foshini Group, Truworths, Markhams, Music Mega Stores and much more. It will also include a much needed mega entertainment center in the region which will incorporate cinemas, including 3D cinemas from Ster Kinekor and Nu Metro and an international size ice-skating rink.

The Mall will be developed in an elliptical design over 2 levels, following the latest design techniques, technology and green building ethics. It will also have convenient access to 3500 covered parking bays and the entire complex will feature the latest wireless broadband technology.

The area around the Bay West Mall is part of the city’s 2020 growth plan and will be developed in Phase 2 of the project, starting later in 2015. It will include major commercial and residential development around the mall with its own hospital, police station, schools, library and conference center.

A major re-development of the road network structure is also underway to connect the Baywest Mall to the surrounding suburbs, major road through fairs and the N2 freeway, connecting Port Elizabeth to surrounding towns to the East and West.

The Baywest Mall not only aims to attract shoppers from the Nelson Mandela Bay Area, but also from the entire Eastern Cape area and is expected to boost the growth and economy of the city and the Eastern Cape, including tourism in the region and is set to create more than 5000 direct and indirect job opportunities in the area.

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Eastern Cape Set To Become Hub of SA Maritime Economy

The Eastern Cape looks all set to become the main hub of South Africa’s Maritime economy. The Eastern Cape has already been home to two of South Africa’s major sea-ports over the past few decades (Port Elizabeth and East London) and with the recent addition of the new deep water Port of Ngqura, in the new Coega development outside Port Elizabeth, the economic activity is set to quadruple and become a major source of employment over the next few years. It is also projected that these 3 ports will contribute a whopping 20 Billion Rand to the country’s GDP (Gross Domestic Product) by the year 2019.

The Port of Ngqura, just outside Port Elizabeth is one of the fastest growing ports in the world today and the South African Government has already partnered with a major South Korean shipping company to take advantage of the world sea traffic, which passes by the Eastern Cape each year, a major shipping and trade route from the West to the East.

Just as the Eastern Cape has established itself as the automotive capital of Southern Africa, the same opportunities have been forecast for the province, if it focuses on building and developing its shipping and repair skills and industry. The demand for ship building and maritime shipping repairs worldwide has seen enormous growth over the last few years, this therefore opens up an incredible opportunity for the Port Elizabeth and East London harbors to boost its contribution to the country’s GDP and become a major source of employment in the country.

With world maritime fish supplies on the decline, the new Port of Ngqura offers new opportunities to develop maritime aqua farms near Coega. It is predicted that an estimated 5000 jobs could be created by farming various sea foods, such as fish, abalone and several of seaweeds, if this development goes forward.  

With Port Elizabeth in Nelson Mandel Bay already firmly established as South Africa’s water sports capital and also home to many major water sports events and beautiful blue flag beaches, the opportunity to use maritime activities, such as the high growing demand for ocean cruises, in order to boost much needed tourism in the Eastern Cape is also at hand. Such cruise vacation packages can easily be packaged together with other incredible attractions, such as the Addo Elephant Park, or a package deal which includes  a chance to see the country’s first ever Big Seven, which incorporates the Big Five with the Southern Right Whale and the Great White Shark!

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Karoo Farms In High Demand

In recent years, Karoo farms have attracted a very large interest from the South African farm buying public. While the local South African buyers are more interested in investing in livestock and agricultural farms, overseas investors are more interested in larger game ranches. Because of this increased interest, the price of Karoo farmland has increased substantially over the last 3 years. The Karoo is a vast area of land, but the availability of different types of farms on offer is fairly limited. The commercial irrigation farm would only be located near scarce water supply sources, like the Orange River in the north and the Fish River in the South East. As water is a particularly scarce commodity in the Karoo, the availability of these types of farms are scarce and when you do find one for sale, the selling prices are usually pretty steep. Commercial sheep farms or cattle ranches would required sheds, farming equipment, water supplies and hectares of lucerne and grazing land. Because of the sheer land size and the amount of livestock required for this type of farming, the price for theses types of farms can also inflate the selling price considerably. The last type of farm offered by the Karoo are the Game Ranches which are particularly sought after by international buyers. For many farmers, the Karoo has become a very appealing place in South Africa to farm in. It's location is veryr central in comparison to most other parts of the country. Some coastal areas, such as the Garden Route are only a hour's drive away, while major cities, such as Port Elizabeth are only 2-3 hours drive. Dalena Properties have a great selection farms in East London, Cintsa and the Wild Coast region of South Africa on offer. Chat to one of our agents about viewing this incredible investment opportunity!

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Eastern Cape Becomes New Home Buyers Destination

The Eastern Cape is fast becoming the new "desired" destination for home buyers and holiday makers alike.

In East London for example, property buyers in the high end residential home market have been on the increase this year in prime residential areas like Gonubie, Bonnie Doone, Nahoon and Beacon Bay, with homes selling in the million rand ranges. Going inland, the small university town of Grahamstown also saw higher demands for property in the area because it's outstanding educational system and opportunities for scholars contribute to the investment benefit factor, not jut in Grahamstown, but in the entire surrounding Eastern Cape region. The seaside town of Port Alfred is also experiencing high demand, with it's unique canal Marina luxury homes, offering magnificent sea-views and a recently blue-flag status beach, makes purchasing a home in Port Alfred popular for both locals and international buyers alike. Please visit our website for more information about buying property in East London.

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The Gonubie River Estuary, as pictured on Flickr.

What a beautiful place for a holiday camping site, on the Gonubie River, Eastern Cape.

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South Africa's Last Housing Boom

South Africa experienced it's last housing boom between 2000 and 2006 with it's housing prices rising by an average of 20%, peaking in October 2004 at 36%. Following the global financial crisis of 2008, that boom came to an end and was slow to recover after that, increasing by a mere 2% in 2010 after the FIFA World Cup and up until in 2012 the property market recovered by almost 10%.

Expectations regarding nominal house price growth and consumer price inflation will result in relatively low real house price inflation in 2014 - ABSA Recently, ABSA stated that with a slowing economy, low employment growth, high inflation rate, continued strikes in the motor and mining industries and a continued weakening rand against the US dollar has affected the property market in South Africa negatively in the last 4 years.

However, on the positive side South Africa, in particular towns and cities on the Western and Eastern Cape coastlines have been attracting a large amount of interest from foreign investors lately. The increasing demand for land and property from foreign investors is good news for sellers and the property market in general. This is expected to help expand the economy and GDP growth by 2015.

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13'th Residential Property Development!

Roxy Lane is the 13'th residential property development in East London between real estate agents Dalena Properties and developer MG Construction. The development is situated in Arum Road Gonubie behind the Gullsway Shopping Center.

This upmarket development is a hot seller, offering buyers the options of a 2-bedroom or 3-bedroom unit, fully equipped with  granite finished kitchen counter-tops, aluminum windows, solar-powered geysers and prepaid meters. All units come with electrified security fences, remote control access  and a burglar alarm system.

For more information and to view the ongoing progress of the development, please visit http://www.dalena.co.za/roxy-lane-gonubie/