ESTATE LIVING - ALIVE AND WELL

Estate living is more than alive and well, and for homeowners over the past year, there have been a number of unexpected benefits to the lifestyle offered by KZN estates.

Prior to Covid, there'd been a steady uptick in estate living among migrating upcountry families, local KZN families, local and international investment buyers, and those choosing the quieter, greener life by relocating north, south or west into spacious, prestigious estates like Mount Edgecombe, Cotswold Downs or Zimbali.

The 2020 curve ball threw up some interesting, hugely appealing aspects of estate living, which has further entrenched their popularity. Myles Wakefield, CEO of Wakefields Real Estate, says, "Wakefields has experienced great sales volumes in our gated estates, and interestingly, feedback from clients has shown unexpected plusses on top of the usual ones. Two things in particular: now that most people have discovered they can work remotely - or largely so - from wherever they want to, people are choosing to live in the environment in which they're most content. This extended, Covid-enforced solitary time has given everybody time and space to analyse what they like and don't about their lifestyles. Questions like 'How Can I Make My Life More to My Liking?' have been ringing out in most minds countrywide.

"Love the Midlands? Fine. Gowrie Farm and Village have seen numerous sales to those from Johannesburg. Keen to be near the sea? Likewise, sales from Gauteng into estates such as Zimbali and Simbithi."

"But," says Wakefield, "it's more than just living in your preferred part of the country. It's also become a great deal about lifestyle and amenities for your children." Lockdown has shone a spotlight on our children, and how - particularly in our traditionally outdoor-orientated country - staying indoors has built levels of frustration, boredom, depression even, that we couldn't have envisaged. Parents desperate to limit screen time, have had massive advantages in the communal sporting and leisure amenities provided by estate living. Some estates have, to all intents and purposes, taken on the coaching roles normally assigned to schools: "At Cotswold Downs, we have cricket, tennis and golf coaching, and that's been a major plus for our children. They're missing out on the structured school life and interaction, and these interventions mimicked by the estate go a long way to filling the gap," says Wakefield. "Those coaching lessons have also given parents who're juggling work and home schooling, some exclusive work time."  

It's also about leisure and pleasure, and for those who stay in estates like Gowrie, it's easy to create a good work-play balance. The children can go fishing, trail running, walking or cycling...parents can, likewise, enjoy healthy, clean outdoor pursuits - alone, or with family. When it's within a secure environment, it's entirely possible for everybody to pursue their own interests, too, so each member of the family gets Me time. 

Whether it's a single retiree at Le Domaine at Hillcrest, or Howick's Protea Gardens who's had the enormous benefit of socially distanced interaction with others...or the benefits of being able to take to your estate's onsite hiking trails in nature, life on an estate has had untold advantages during lockdown...which will certainly serve homeowners well into the new future.