Considered a “trophy property”, it is believed this Jozi apartment, situated on the Houghton golf course, has set a “record price for a sectional title unit in Joburg,” reports IOL.

Including, among others, a pool deck, meditation room, cinema and a separate, two-bedroom apartment for your butler, the apartment has gained some interest from both local and “over-the-border African buyers”.

According to Rory O’Hagan, chief executive of Chas Everitt International, that’s because “there isn’t much available in this price range.”

Umm, okay then.

Of course, the six-bedroom apartment, dubbed ‘The Mansion in the Sky’, comes with a whole range of perks:

The apartment comes complete with 1200m² of living space, a rooftop terrace, spectacular views across the northern suburbs of the city – and all the way to the Magaliesberg – a private elevator and enough space for a wine cellar, billiards room and gym.

O’Hagan went on to compare the apartment “to the most exclusive homes overlooking Central Park in New York or Belgrave Square in London”:

It also includes all smart-home technologies, climate-control systems, four-tier security, biometric access-control, quality finishes throughout and a fully equipped kitchen with appliances.

Other luxury features include a cantilevered steam room, outdoor shower and meditation area on the upper level, a floating staircase clad in marble and wood that links all three levels, a designer bar and a private five-vehicle garage finished to showroom specifications.

The Houghton, adjacent to the Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course, includes walking trails, a wellness centre, elegant meeting rooms, a fully equipped conference centre and a luxury chauffeur service.

Okay, okay, take a deep breath and have a look at the pictures. It’s all very Joburg:

Slick as – and damn, that view is amazing (especially considering Johannesburg has no mountains).

O’Hagan gave some thought on luxury apartment buying, a trend in major cities around the world:

The most affluent property buyers all over the world are increasingly choosing upscale apartments as their city and business residences – and those in Joburg are clearly following suit, judging by the high number of luxury apartment sales in Sandton, Hyde Park, Houghton, Rosebank and Melrose Arch over the past few years.

The main factors driving this trend are of course concerns about security and the convenience of never having to commute or negotiate traffic. But ultra-wealthy investors are always also on the lookout for something more – an X-factor only to be found in those very few instances where property developers manage to achieve the perfect combination of location, architecture and lifestyle.

I rate the “mansion in the sky” has a few of those X-factors, one of them definitely being its moniker.

[source:iol]