Estate Living Magazine Smart Moves - Issue 38 February 2019 | Page 22

P R O P E R T Y
&
I N V E S T M E N T
FLY, BIG
BIRD, FLY!
Sibaya Coastal Precinct, Shoreline
So, the kids have flown the coop and you’re left with a substantial chunk of home on an even more substantial
acreage. The empty bedrooms and unused garage space that lie in wait for occupation still need cleaning, and
the unused swimming pool still needs its regular chlorine fix – not to mention the bucket-loads of leaves that
need to be removed on a regular basis. Is this all that life’s about? Setting one up for the dreaded empty-nest
syndrome? And everlasting home maintenance? I hope not …
When your kids are of schoolgoing age it’s all about providing
the right home environment – the safe place to play, to learn, to
entertain friends. This acquiring of real estate generally includes a
four-bedroom home, possibly a three-car garage and, of course, a
pool – all set within a beautifully landscaped large garden. Looking
back, you’re proud of what you’ve acquired … and achieved. Your
well-adjusted kids have graduated, and they’ve landed themselves
great jobs – maybe in Joburg, or London, or somewhere else in this
wonderful world we live in. Gradually you come to the realisation
that it’s not just the kids who can see the world. You can too.
It’s time to downsize … nothing as drastic as a retirement home,
God forbid – you’re not ready for that yet! You think smaller, but still
stylish. Minimal to no maintenance but set within park-like gardens.
A tech-savvy home in a secure environment. Something that’s lock
up and go. Something that will meet the requirements of your new
‘it’s time for us now’ lifestyle of travel and experiential pursuits.
If you’re in KwaZulu-Natal, there’s a likelihood that your current
home is in Durban’s upper-highway area of Kloof and Hillcrest.
And good for you, as home prices in this region have rocketed in
the 20-something years that you’ve had your home. Despite varsity
tuition and the costs that come with growing kids into adulthood,
you’ve virtually paid off your bond, so with the three million plus that
you could possibly get for your home, it’s likely you could downsize
and put some cash in the bank. Those holidays, you’re thinking …
You pursue the idea and start looking along the KZN North Coast.
You’ve always liked the idea of being closer to the beach, and the
airport is just a short hop away.
Elaleni Coastal Forest Estate