Gautrain blows new life into Centurion market
Demand for property in Centurion is set for a tremendous boost now that the Gautrain is up and running between Pretoria and Rosebank.
“Due to its central location, Centurion has always been an attractive residential option for people working in Johannesburg, Midrand or Pretoria, but the Gautrain is a real bonus that will make it even more accessible and desirable,” says Riëtte Oosthuizen of the local RealNet franchise.
“The area is likely to attract far more Pretoria University students now, because secure bachelor flats close to the Gautrain station are very reasonably priced, and the Tuks campus in Hatfield is just a few minutes away by train.”
There are also, she notes, many one and two-bedroom apartments and townhouses available in the centre of Centurion for between R450 000 and R600 000 – “and with the Gautrain station also being situated close to Centurion Lake, the Centurion City regional shopping mall and Supersport Park, we expect it also to become a target area for many more young working couples.
“By living here, they will have access to all the shopping, entertainment and recreational facilities of a modern, cosmopolitan city, right on their doorstep, as well as a first-world public transport system to take them quickly and easily to their jobs in Pretoria or Johannesburg. And the savings they make on transport will assist them to buy their own homes instead of renting.”
However, notes Oosthuizen, Centurion has a very wide range of property types, so also has much to offer family buyers who want to live close to good schools, top executives in search of luxury estate homes and those seeking to retire in a safe, clean environment that is also close to shopping and excellent medical facilties.
“What is more, Centurion residential property is generally held to be very good value for money. Quality three or four-bedroom family homes close to the high schools in Lyttleton, Eldoraigne and Hennopspark, for example, are currently priced at between R1,2, and R1,5m, and for retirees, there is a very wide choice of two and three bedroom, two bathroom townhouses and cluster homes for under R800 000.”
There are also several upmarket golf and lifestyle estates in Centurion, and prices here range from around R2m for a three-bedroom home all the way up to around R10m for a six-bedroom, four-bathroom mansion.