Firzt expands into flourishing West Rand market
The Firzt Realty Group is expanding its Gauteng presence, with the latest development being the addition of a team of top agents on the West Rand.
“This team will cover the whole area from Weltevreden Park to Randfontein and our plan is to grow to 10 members this year and at least 30 by the end of 2026,” says Firzt MD Stephen Whitcombe.
“We already have four excellent and experienced agents on the ground and are actively recruiting other real estate professionals who know the West Rand, which we anticipate will see a major increase in home sales and become one of the fastest-growing markets in Gauteng over the next 18 to 24 months as interest rates come down.
“In fact, many people are already looking at relocating from the northern suburbs of Johannesburg and even from Pretoria to the West Rand because the prices for all types of property here are lower,” he says.
The new Firzt team currently includes Quintin Kapp, Zanmia Fourie, Helga Leenderts and Tracy Farrell, who say they are already seeing an upswing in sectional title sales in areas such as Wilgeheuwel and Honeydew, which are typically favoured by first-time buyers working in Sandton, Fourways or Bryanston, where prices are higher.
Prices for two-bedroom, two-bathroom townhouses of 80 to 110sqm in these areas range from around R800,000 to R950,000, and prospective buyers have plenty to choose from,
Meanwhile, areas like Wilro Park, Rand-en-Dal and Roodekrans offer families the opportunity to buy freehold houses with three or four bedrooms and large gardens at prices starting from around R1,350m. This also represents great value, and more buyers are starting to make purchase decisions here too, in anticipation of price increases as interest rates decline.
Whitcombe says the West Rand also offers excellent options for seniors in a number of retirement villages as well as in increasingly popular multigenerational homes with garden cottages and granny flats, where there is room for grandparents, parents and children all to live on one property and share costs, maintenance, shopping and childminding while taking care of each other.
In Helderkruin and Noordheuwel, for example, there are many quality homes with five or more bedrooms that are suitable for expanded families, at prices from around R1,5m to about R4,5m. Many also offer lovely views.
“And at the top end of the market,” he says, “the West Rand has many lifestyle estates such as Copper Hill, Two Rivers, Pinehaven, Eagle Canyon, Honeydew Estate, Ruimsig Golf Estate and of course Featherbrooke, which is adjacent to the magnificent Walter Sisulu Botanical Gardens.”
The upmarket homes in Featherbrooke are generally priced at between R4,5m and R5,5m, and the estate has 21ha of beautiful communal gardens as well as tennis and squash courts, an outdoor gym, skateboard park and soccer, netball and cricket practice areas. There is also a restaurant on site, a clubhouse and a lapa for entertaining. Art, dance and pilates classes are also available in the estate, and residents have free access to the botanical gardens through a private gate.
At Pinehaven, house prices start at around R2,5m, but the estate also offers larger, three-bedroom sectional title homes at prices from around R1,25m, and the buyers of these have access to all estate facilities.
Those with families can rest assured that there are excellent schools within easy reach wherever they live on the West Rand, Whitcombe says, and a spread of shopping malls including Cradlestone, Clearwater, Keywest and Westgate, as well as the Silverstar casino complex, to meet every shopping and restaurant need. There are also three private hospitals, Life Wilgeheuwel, Netcare Krugersdorp and Netcare Pinehaven, in case of emergency.
“The fascinating Cradle of Human Kind World Heritage Site is also right on the doorstep and is a popular spot for hiking, cycling, horseriding and game watching, as well as hot air ballooning. This makes the West Rand one of the best places to enjoy everything the SA lifestyle has to offer.”
Issued by Firzt Realty
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Stephen Whitcombe on
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About Firzt Realty
Established in 2003, Firzt Realty initially focused on residential real estate, but has since expanded to offer a broad range of services in both the residential and commercial property sectors, including sales, rentals, auctions and property management.