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HOME BUYERS HAVE A GREAT SELECTION IN PHALABORWANamed after the Ba-Phalaborwa Tribe that started mining metals in the area hundreds of years ago, Phalaborwa, meaning ‘better than the south', is located in the Limpopo Province on the border of the Kruger National Park and is known as the ‘Gateway to Game and Golf'. With a range of amenities and many sport and recreation facilities, this town offers all the modern conveniences. One of these is the famous Hans Merensky Country Estate and Hotel, which is best known for its notorious golf course where playing golf among giraffe, impala, warthog and monkey are an everyday occurrence. It is here that Glenda Fourie, Broker/Owner of Phalaborwa's RE/MAX Two Summers office, has some outstanding, top-of-the-range properties for sale. She says fully furnished lodges that have been designed with two to four bedrooms sell from around R2,9m all inclusive. She says most of these homes have swimming pools and overlook the golf course or dams. "Buyers can expect to pay between R3,6m and R5m for a four-bedroom home within the Hans Merensky Country Estate. These more expensive homes," says Fourie, "will have four bedrooms, a boma and an outlook point on the property." Fourie reports that the biggest movement in the Phalaborwa property market is properties in the R480 000 to R800 000 price range, while some sell for around R1,2m. She says that at the lower end of the price range, the properties are typically old mine houses which are very basic and usually include three bedrooms, one bathroom and a single garage. "Properties priced from R800 000 and upwards usually have three or four bedrooms, one or two bathrooms as well as a lapa and a swimming pool. The stands are also located in more upmarket areas of Phalaborwa," she says. Talking about the property market in Phalaborwa overall, Fourie says that so far this year her office has already concluded three quarters of the amount of deals concluded for the whole of 2009, a clear indication that the property market is picking up. However, she says that there is currently a lot of stock available due to the Sasol plant which closed down. "There are quite a few old mining houses for sale which are priced between R550 000 and R900 000. Some of the manager's homes, which are more luxurious, are also on the market, but are priced up to around R1,8m," she says. On the market for R4,9m, and is situated virtually next door to the Kruger National Park. Fourie says it has a modern design and is situated on a large stand in the new part of town. This four-bedroom home has been designed with a number of luxury features including a Jacuzzi and a koi pond underneath a glass walkway at the entrance. Top of the range finishes, staff accommodation and a flatlett complete the picture. Another interesting property Fourie has on her books is priced at R4m and is also situated next to the Kruger Park. This double-storey home has been designed with three bedrooms, a natural rock pool and koi pond. There is also a two-bedroom flat which can be used as a home office. "But what makes this home interesting and unique," says Fourie, "is the fact that it has been built in a semi-circle shape into the side of a koppie. The rock from this koppie was also used in the building of this home." While Fourie reports a definite difference between asking price and the actual selling price of homes in the Phalaborwa area, she says many of the homes currently on the market were bought from the mining companies at a relatively cheap price, meaning owners who are currently selling are making a reasonable profit. Adrian Goslett, CEO of RE/MAX of Southern Africa, says that unlike Phalaborwa where a lot of stock has recently been put on the market, there are reports of stock shortages, particularly for properties priced between R900 000 and R1,2m in certain areas. "Residential properties in the R1,2m price range currently sell within six to eight weeks and demand in certain areas outstrips supply."
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