Chas Everitt's expansion along the stunning Garden Route recently got another big boost with the opening of our new office in Knysna.

This is the third Garden Route office in the past year for real estate veteran Dean Meijer, who has already made Chas Everitt a household name in Hermanus and all along the Whale Coast, and is now intent on ensuring that the southern Cape coast also gets the attention he thinks it deserves.

"The area between George and Plettenberg Bay is a stunning stretch of coastline offering unparalleled natural beauty, thriving local economies and a diverse property market that is currently worth around R8bn a year and showing promising growth," he says.

"The area is traversed by the Garden Route drive that runs along the N2 freeway all the way from Mossel Bay to Port Elizabeth, and is sometimes also called the Golf Coast because it is home to several internationally-renowned golf estates such as Fancourt, Kingswood, Oubaai, Pezula and Simola, where people come from all over world to play on courses designed by legends of the game like Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Ernie Els."

The southern Cape coast is also home to many pristine nature reserves and beaches, he says, and is a true gem of South Africa's real estate landscape that boasts some of the most desirable - but under-exposed - properties in the country.

"We intend to change this and make it much more famous among both local and international real estate investors seeking luxury holiday homes, investment properties and tranquil retirement options in charming smaller centres such as Wilderness, Sedgefield, Brenton-on-Sea and Knysna, as well as new permanent homes in George and Plett, which have their own airports."

The opening of the Chas Everitt Knysna office follows the establishment of the Geroge office last year and Meijer's earlier purchase of the Plettenberg Bay office from long-time Chas Everitt principal John Fuller when he retired.

"And it gives our clients direct access to one of the most desirable coastal locations in South Africa, offering a unique mix of natural beauty, lifestyle perks and long-term investment potential just an hour's drive from the international airport at George."

"Knysna is famous for its lush forests, shimmering lagoon, dramatic cliffs and scenic beaches," Meijer notes, "and from luxury homes on Thesen Island and in golf estates like Pezula or Simola, to cozy cottages and modern apartments, the town has real estate options for everyone.

"It also offers a laid-back, outdoor lifestyle with a strong sense of community as well as good healthcare and shopping facilities, and with annual events like the Knysna Oyster Festival, a host of sports clubs and activities and a thriving art and craft scene, it's lively enough even for young residents."

There is already high demand for holiday rentals in Knysna, he says, and increasing interest in upmarket permanent homes, especially among upcountry and international buyers who work remotely and are keen to get away from big city life. "And as we make it better known internationally through our membership of Leading Real Estate Companies of the World®, we know that it will steadily also attract more overseas buyers keen to acquire second homes in SA. Consequently, we believe that purchasing a property here now, while prices are still relatively low, will prove to be a really smart move in just a few years' time."

*For more information about the new Chas Everitt operation in Knysna, contact Dean Meijer on 082 808 2843

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