Seth gets serious, and this time he is a real estate expert
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I've never claimed to be a property expert and I certainly don't know anything about bonds and interest rates and erf's and transfers and god-knows-what else goes hand-in-hand with buying real estate. (I must just say that 'erf' has been my funniest word since the late-80's.) All I know is what friends tell me and what I see. Luckily, these invidivuals are usually pretty connected, with their ear to the ground. If I HAD to take a stance on 'the bubble bursting', I would say that I've heard the same thing (the end is near!) for the last five years and it's boring me. In those five years that people have been too scared to buy, I know handfuls of people who have bought and sold - all of them making money in the process - some of them a small fortune. Due to the crazy prices on the Atlantic Seaboard, I was only really able to 'enter the game' on the other side of the mountain. My house mates and I bought two town houses off-plan, and flogged them a few months later - before they were built. We all made a nice chunk of cash. Now people trying to do the same thing ask me how we did it - like it was verging on brain surgery. Like we're gifted. Like we're special. I'll say one thing, the only way to do it is to do it. It won't happen unless you do it. That is Seth's profound advice of the week.

Enter 'Bluegate'. These are some friends of mine who I've been working with over the last few months. They're a company run by young people and they do developments and were behind the new Rondebosch Village development next to the Rondebosch Common (Sportman's Warehouse corner). I wanted to have another stab at "the game" and was struggling to find anything under R1 million. It's very worrying how greedy some developers are. You've seen the kind of over-pricing I'm talking about. I had a bash at the Rondebosch Village development and, including all costs, legal fees, bond registration, transfer AND parking, the price was R495,000 for a studio apartment. Another couple of friends also gave it a go and we've all seen a very good return. Rondebosch Village initially sold out, but apparently due to bond rejections, divorces, people turning gay etc. there are still a few available (I found this out literally this morning).

Bluegate Properties - Seth approves

The launches for these things can be a bit of a feeding frenzy so we were lucky enough to be invited to a pre-launch (keyword - remember this). The recent Riviera Close (in Pretoria) sold out all 104 units in three days. I was so impressed and wanted to inform my cherished 2oceansvibe readers (that's you) - who I absolutely adore. I got some info from the guys and apparently Bluegate have sold 270 units in 11 months with collective sales in excess of R200 million. I sat up and took note. Listen to me now - have I ever let you down? These guys are good.

So, wanting to pass on my new found real estate knowledge, they're doing a new development in Johannesberg. I've been told the 2oceansvibe following in Schweeberg is quite strong so I hope you guys are going to take heed of this! The next scheme they're doing is in Randburg and will be launching at the end of October. It's called Acorn Ridge. Obviously with these things the key is to get in early. My guys have told me that you can register to be invited to a pre-launch (we chatted about this earlier) at www.bluegate.co.za.

So if you want to fart around and umm and aaah then feel free. But if you want to do yourself a favour, then go to these guys. Go and make some money. And then come back and tell me that you're over the moon. Come back and tell me how happy you are that you trust in 2oceansvibe. Have I ever let you down?

Seth Rotherham
Editor
2oceansvibe.com
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