Considering Prime Positioning

After three decades working with buyers and sellers along the North Coast, I have come to believe that some of the most valuable features of a property cannot be measured in a floor plan and certainly cannot be added later. When I first started in property, I was told that the top three things that matter when considering a property investment are position, position and position.

You can renovate a kitchen, enlarge a living area, add a pool or completely rebuild a house. What you cannot do is move the land. And on the North Coast, that distinction is becoming increasingly important.

A sea view is desirable. But there is a world of difference between seeing the ocean and owning an elevated position that is uninterrupted and unlikely to be compromised. The same applies to golf course frontage, forest edges, greenbelts and properties that offer genuine privacy.

The discerning buyer is not only buying what the property offers today. They are buying the confidence that those qualities will still be there tomorrow. That is where scarcity becomes valuable. An older home occupying an exceptional stand may ultimately be more valuable than a brand-new house with every modern finish, simply because the underlying asset – the land and its position – cannot be replicated.

This is particularly relevant in established estates such as Zimbali and Simbithi. Over time, these communities have developed mature landscaping, established views, privacy and a sense of place. More importantly, some of their best positions are already taken and cannot be reproduced. A premium position might mean spectacular ocean scenery, a particularly private corner, direct access to a greenbelt, or simply being in the right part of an established estate.

When viewing a property, I would encourage buyers to look beyond the finishes and ask a simpler question: What can and can’t I change? When purchasing vacant land, always buy the most expensive, best-positioned site you can afford, using the 1/3rd land, 2/3rd build formula to allocate capital correctly.

It means understanding what you are actually selling. The temptation is to compare properties purely on size, bedrooms or recent sales. But premium property is rarely that straightforward. If a home occupies an exceptional position, that scarcity needs to be recognised when assessing its value, and communicated properly to the market.

The North Coast has changed considerably over the past 30 years, and it will continue to change. Homes will be renovated. New houses will be built. Estates will evolve. When buyers recognise the value of an irreplaceable location, they don't hold back on investing. And in a maturing North Coast property market, that may become the most valuable feature of all.

Words by: Andreas Wassenaar

Bio: ANDREAS is the quintessential property professional with over 30 years of experience actively marketing and selling high-end residential property.

Contact Details: andreasw@seeff.com