Estate Living has become a way of life

The South African residential estate community continues to rebut global trends, enjoying year on year healthy growth. Today, there are over 318 000 properties on offer with more than 6000 gated communities and private estates across the country with a combined value of R643 billion. More and more South Africans are steering towards homes which are often valued at three times the national average but offer a better quality, safer and family focussed lifestyle. Most of these estates are run in accordance to the Companies Act and like any business, the increase of healthy but fierce competition can be concerning. Perception is key and brand management invaluable as the battle for market presence intensifies. An estate’s brand is their mark of distinction; it helps set them apart from the rest and permits residents and management the benefits of superior property values. Normal 0 false false false EN-ZA X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0cm; mso-para-margin-right:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0cm; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-language:EN-US;} The Estate Living platform fulfils this niche gap and plays an indispensable role in marrying aspects of branding, marketing and direct communication between estate management, their existing and future residents as well as service providers, developers, authorities and governing bodies to the industry, helping to attract investors, credible third party suppliers and homeowner retention to this already thriving sector. “Prices for homes on an estate were previously determined by the sought after facilities on offer such as state of the art security, access to a golf course and a private onsite school facility” explains Jaime-Lee van Sittert, CEO and founder of Phoenix Creative Communication, the holding company and media house for the Estate Living platform. “However things have shifted dramatically today with most estates having very similar offerings and as a result house prices are determined by location, demand and investment potential and these can only be achieved with a credible and long lasting consumer presence”. The female owned and run business began in 2012 and offers in depth and far-reaching insight into the exclusive and continuously expanding residential, golf, wine, polo, equestrian and retirement estates in the domestic and foreign market. It is a go-to resource and an integrated communication channel encompassing a bi-monthly printed publication coupled with a monthly digital magazine, resource website, social media presence and community events.The printed magazine is often the only external publication permitted to be distributed to residents in an estate and so the content features a wonderful mix of stimulating and educating lifestyle features as well as reviews on prominent estates and property investment opportunities across the country.“Our residential estates are some of the best in the world and we really need to harness this exceptional world class lifestyle option, whilst helping to nurture it and helping it grow, ultimately making it accessible to more as well. The need to establish a visible and influential presence has never been greater in ensuring profitability and longevity in this aggressive industry. The value also lies in creating qualified leads for the estates and that is what Estate Living offers” concludes Jaime-Lee.Estate Living is proud partner to HelloHouse and PropertyEngine. For more information on the Estate Living platform, please contact Jaime-Lee on 021 422 4445 or email [email protected] / www.estate-living.co.za

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Residential Estate Industry Journal Volume 2