This prestige 35-acre property in Assagay with a 1,000sqm home, Olympic-size swimming pool, own astroturf hockey pitch, stables, outbuildings, and a solar farm cost R25 million.
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KwaZulu-Natal's (KZN) Upper Highway Sales have surged by 24% over the last two years.
The area just north-west of Durban is seeing strong market activity from a slump to 850 units in 2023 (due to interest rate hikes) to 1,096 in 2025, aided largely by interest rate cuts over the last 18-months, says Gregg Wilson, licensee for Seeff Upper Highway.
He says that due to the higher activity, there has been a notable decline in stock (from around 1 300 listings on average to 954), resulting in faster sales and stronger offers on correctly priced properties.
“Pricing remains a key to success, though, as he says, FNB reported that as many as half of all properties needed multiple price cuts last year to attract offers.”
The growth and development in the area have been a welcome boost for the property market.
These include Westown, with a premier economic hub, luxury residential, retail and medical, supported by major highway upgrades, and industrial growth such as the massive Mr. Price facility in Hammarsdale.
Wilson says these factors are driving property values and have made the area a top-tier destination for investors.
Family buyers in particular are drawn to the lifestyle, schools, and amenities. Luxury homes with spacious gardens and equestrian properties with a country feel are highly sought after by these buyers. Retirement estates are also popular.
Many local buyers also upgrade within the area for improved lifestyle benefits, he says.
Neighbourhoods such as Waterfall, Assagay, and pockets of Gillitts offer entry-level townhouses and modest homes in the R1.3m to R4m range.
This provides accessibility to the area for buyers. Great schools, amenities, and commuter routes all add to the attraction.
The licensee says family buyers also look for secure homes with gardens in Hillcrest Central, Kloof and Forest Hills, mostly in the R2m to R5m range.
There is also a notable surge in the R4m to R5m segment. Everton and Winston Park (Kloof) offer luxury in the R3m to R25m range. These suburbs offer a premium lifestyle and proximity to top-tier schools and parks.
According to Wilson, the first four to six weeks and the correct asking price are crucial for any new listing to facilitate a faster sale and stronger offers. The right agent makes all the difference in this case.
He cites Seeff’s sole mandate sales, which achieved just 4.3% below the asking prices, while the market average is at 8-10%. These Seeff listings also sold in just 8 weeks compared to the market average of 11 weeks.
While the bulk of transactions (76%) are below R3 million, Wilson says Seeff concluded sales of up to R11 million in Gillitts, and R4.5 million for a sectional title unit in Monteseel.
Activity in Summerveld has also moved up from a high of R7m to R12.75 million, and in Everton upwards of R5 million. Estate living has also surged with sales of R4.5m, R6.1m and R6.9m in Langford Country Estate.
Prestige properties in the Upper Highway/Hillcrest area compare with the best in the upper-income areas of Cape Town and Johannesburg.
This is well-illustrated by a luxury, 1,000sqm Tuscan mansion on 8,000sqm of land, priced at just under R13 million, featuring seven bedrooms, a wine room, putting green, self-contained two-bedroom cottage, and swimming pool in a landscaped garden with spectacular views, Wilson says.
“Even more impressive is a R25 million sprawling 35-acre equine estate in the heart of the Assagay valley. It boasts a magnificent 1,000sqm designer home, heated, Olympic pool, AstroTurf hockey pitch, world-class equestrian facilities with 12 stables and a professional arena, and a massive solar farm for complete off-grid living.”
Sellers who tried unsuccessfully to sell in recent years now have a great opportunity to achieve better prices off the back of the busy market and stock depleting due to all the sales activity of late, Wilson says.
Last October, a new R3.5 billion low-density residential development, Beachwood Coastal Estate, was said to be taking shape on a prime 430 333 sqm site along Durban North’s pristine coastline, with buyers already reserving plots and units before the official launch.
This landmark project is set to significantly enhance the area through ecological rehabilitation and local economic upliftment, creating approximately 1 500 direct jobs during construction and the subsequent estate operations.
With all approvals secured for Phase 1 and the development receiving strong support from the local authorities, civil construction commenced in February last year.
In addition, was said to be investing in upgrades to the surrounding infrastructure, including widened roads and upgrading the Durban North potable water reservoir. Public beach access will be retained with new ablution and new public parking facilities.
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