New Moves: Somerset West

Two of the top real estate professionals in Somerset West have just joined forces to open the brand new Chas Everitt International franchise serving the Helderberg area.
    
They are Pieter Kotze, who has a 24-year track record of exceptional sales performance with other national real estate groups and was inducted into the Realtors Hall of Fame in 2013 and Anton Campbell-Harris, a 30-year veteran of the property industry and owner of Westacre Estates in Somerset West for the past 11 years.

Anton says they had both been considering the franchise option – independently of one another – so when the opportunity to acquire the local Chas Everitt International franchise came up, the decision to do so together was easy. “We both already knew the strength of the brand and we both appreciate the family values, outstanding service commitment and dedicated team of professionals at the heart of the company.
    
“In addition, we look forward to being part of a national group and having all the tools at our disposal to ensure that our clients can achieve all their property buying and selling goals - including the group’s exceptional array of marketing platforms and business systems.”
    
Pieter, who recently negotiated the sale of a Somerset West house for R48m – the highest price yet paid for a local residential property – says another big plus is the fact that Chas Everitt International is affiliated to the Leading Real Estate Companies of the World© (LeadingRE) and to Luxury Portfolio International©, the network’s specialist peer-to-peer programme for the brokers of ultra-luxury homes.
    
“Somerset West is a very cosmopolitan town and has many affluent property owners and sellers from other parts of the world. So it is vital that we are able to extend our reach and market their magnificent homes, as well as the superb lifestyle that this area offers, through a truly global real estate network that generates luxury home sales worth billions of dollars a year.”
    
Meanwhile, the Helderberg area, which also includes the new Paardevlei development node, is becoming an increasingly popular choice for homebuyers of all ages and from all over SA, thanks to its great location and value-for-money real estate.
    
“Somerset West used to be known as a retirement town for Western Cape buyers, but this is definitely not true anymore,” says Anton. “More than half our current buyers are in the under-50 age group and at least 25% of them are from other parts of the country.
    
“What is more, although there are many very upmarket homes here, about three-quarters of the properties sold in any one year fall into under-R3m category. It must however be said that with demand currently exceeding supply, local prices are rising at a faster pace than those in many other areas.”
    
The latest statistics, he notes, show that there were about 1300 home sales in Somerset West during the 12 months to end-May and of these sales, 60% were in gated / access controlled estates. The average selling price was R2,28m across the board, while the average prices in estates being some 15% higher than those properties in traditional suburbs. Buyers are mostly professional couples and young families, and the highest demand currently is for homes in the R2m to R3m bracket.

Pieter says other sales drivers in the Helderberg, and Somerset West in particular, are its central location just 20 minutes’ drive from the international airport and within easy reach not only of the Cape Town CBD but also of the Winelands and some of the Western Cape’s best beaches and best golf courses. 
    
“The Somerset West climate is also good, with moderate winds in comparison to coastal towns and no extreme temperatures, and the town is increasingly being sought out by buyers with families because it has a great choice of really good private and state schools, world-class medical facilities and several high-end malls that make it unnecessary to venture further afield for shopping or entertainment.”
    
The sales team at the new Chas Everitt International franchise already numbers eight dynamic and committed agents, and Anton and Pieter say they plan to add agricultural property and commercial and industrial property specialists in the near future.