Pair it with any pleasant-sounding synonym you may like; but, for many, the word “retirement” placed adjacent to anything resembling the word “home” will immediately conjure up images of unpleasant nurses, sterile environments, bed pans, and shower rails. While that reality might have been true at the time for some of the earlier Baby Boomers, the same cannot be said for those belonging to Generation X who are currently planning for their own retirement.
“While the concept didn’t even exist about a decade or so ago, retirement-focused real estate developments continue to pop up across the nation today as the demand for upmarket retirement villages and lifestyle estates continues to grow,” explains Adrian Goslett, Regional Director and CEO of RE/MAX of Southern Africa.
The concept of a lifestyle estate (or village) is somewhat difficult to explain, as anyone who has tried to convince an older relative will agree. The response is generally: ‘I’m too young for that’. But, what many fail to grasp is that places in these estates are in high demand, and if you wait until you are in your late sixties, you might be too late to secure a spot.
“The concept around these villages/estates is that you grow old while living there. These are not assisted living facilities for the frail, but rather estates with onsite medical facilities that allow its residents the freedom and peace of mind to live out their mature years in a tranquil setting. If you truly feel too young to move into a retirement estate, you can always purchase a property as an investment into your future, and rent it out until you are ready to move in,” explains Loua Boshoff, Broker/Owner for RE/MAX Bushveld, operating in Bela Bela and Modimolle in Limpopo.
His office recently acquired a dual mandate on Negester Klein-Kariba – a sustainable lifestyle estate, bordering the ATKV Klein-Kariba Resort situated 10 km outside of Bela Bela, developed for residents fifty years or older and who are ready to embrace a quieter lifestyle.
“Only an hour’s drive from Pretoria, Negester Klein-Kariba offers retiree’s the proximity of a busy city lifestyle with the tranquillity of the bushveld setting. But, what makes this retirement development truly unique is its focus on sustainability. All of the homes have been designed with low energy consumption and a low eco-impact in mind,” says Boshoff.
Latching onto the increasingly popular trend of eco-estates, Negester Klein-Kariba comprises 83 hectares of peaceful bushveld surroundings, with plenty of walking trails and free-roaming wildlife such as impala, nyala, and many bird species. The estate also has its own medical care centre and a range of sports facilities, including a tennis courts, a swimming pool and a putt-putt course. A clubhouse that will include a multi-purpose hall, library, hair salon and lounge with ladies’ bar is also in its early planning phase.
“The combination of these two real estate trends results in an investor’s dream: a highly desirable eco/retirement estate. Almost 200 of the 395 full-title and sectional title properties have already been sold. The prices of the full-title plots start at R454,500 (which includes approved building plans, architectural fees and transfer fees) and there are three completed show houses currently for sale, starting from R2,184,000. The prices of the 77 m² sectional title duet units start at R904,000. Investors ought to act quickly if they want to secure their place in this development,” Boshoff advises.
