The 100th plot at Sardinia Bay Golf & Wildlife Estate has been sold slightly more than a decade after the first five were snatched up by buyers who saw the development’s enormous potential.
The recent sale marks another exciting milestone in the Gqeberha lifestyle estate’s young but vibrant history. It also brings the curtain down on phase three of the project.
Remax agent Leon Erasmus had the honour of sealing the deal to bring up Sards’ century.
“We actually sold to a couple whose parents already live on the estate. They bought the plot next door so the grandkids could be close to their grandparents, so it’s a nice story,” he said.
It worked out well that the 100th plot also happened to be the last available one flanking the golf course, he added.
Erasmus’s colleague Alan Moore, who has also been involved at Sards from the outset, said one could only be proud of what had been achieved in the past 10-plus years.
What once stood as open land on a dairy farm has been transformed to the most successful estate of its kind in the Eastern Cape.
“Everything promised has been delivered,” Moore said.
“Many developments such as these stall because promises by the developer are not fully realised. In this case, the cooperation between developer and the Homeowners’ Association cannot be understated.
“It is a truly successful development in the fullest sense.”
The majority of homeowners are Port Elizabethans who have either relocated from other suburbs in the city or have moved back from bigger centres to enjoy the lifestyle.
There are also those who have relocated to the Friendly City from South Africa’s larger metros – many of them part of the burgeoning semigration movement – as well as international buyers who have fallen in love with the Sards offering.
Interestingly, many have settled on the estate after being encouraged to do so by friends and family.
There are also Sards residents who have sold their existing homes on the 100-hectare property to move into others that have come onto the market.
This happens when they want to remain at the estate but are looking to up or downsize to fit in with their changing lifestyle requirements.
Moore recalled the early adopters – those who had purchased the first 25 plots – having to drive along a road through the veld and then having to find a good vantage point on foot despite a fear of snakes and ticks.
“People had to visualise what the estate could be in the future,” Moore said. “Some saw it and some didn’t.
“On the day of the launch, we pitched a marquee tent in the open veld. We only had artist renderings to show potential buyers.
“Yet, there were about five guys who bought on the spot. They could see the potential.”
A big lure was that the first 25 received R100 000 off the price of a plot, which at that stage ranged between R595 000 and R795 000. A total of 65 properties were available in phase one.
The more expensive properties went first, given their superior positioning.
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At the time there was some wildlife on the estate, but not enough to align with the vision. This meant animals had to be brought in, but not before the existing fencing had been replaced.
It all happened in stages.
By the time phase two rolled around some four years later, the last of the phase-one plots were selling for more than R1-million.
According to Moore, there were several significant developments along the way to indicate to buyers that the estate would be a success story.
One was the construction of a showhouse to give people an idea of what they could expect. Another was the new gatehouse and zebra statue, which gave Sards its signature.
The first homeowners moved in towards the end of 2014 and, from that point onwards, it became clear that the property would be one of Nelson Mandela Bay’s sought-after addresses.
“I was driving around the property one day and it dawned on me that there were 10 houses being built at the same time,” Moore said.
“All of a sudden multiple people were taking ownership and becoming the voice of the estate. They were willing to put their hands up and be part of its evolution.”
Residents have readily given their time and effort to make Sards all that a lifestyle estate should be, working hand-in-hand with the developer to find solutions to issues that arise.
A good example is the recreation centre. The homeowners informed the developer of what they wanted, a resident interior designer offered advice, the construction process was given the go-ahead, and the dream was realised.
Another major milestone is the evolution of the golf course, whose transition from mashie dirt-track to South African Golf Association-rated nine-hole gem has been one of the estate’s greatest achievements.
The Sardinia Bay Golf Club has spawned a women’s team who have topped the local league in their debut season and the establishment of a men’s league team is imminent.
There had been challenges too, Moore added, but there was no question that the homeowners had been “one hundred per cent” responsible for making the estate what it was today.
“They love it, support it, defend it and hold people to account. They have a like-mindedness about what they have created.”