Good shopping, excellent schools and a great location has seen this Durban North suburb’s popularity explode in recent years.
About the area
The suburb of La Lucia has practically exploded in recent years and the area now features a range of homes including freehold and sectional title as well as those on estates.
There is ongoing demand for property in this gorgeous part of Durban and this is reflected in the number of sales recorded. In the past 12 months, there have been 145 registrations at the Deeds Office, with a collective value of approximately R491m. At this stage, the average price for a freehold property is around R3,6m and sectional title units average R3,2m. Although you may think that the price of property here would exclude younger buyers, this is not the case. Lightstone statistics indicate that 43% of recent buyers were aged between 36 and 49. Likewise, 35% of stable owners fall into the same age bracket.
Part of this suburb’s attraction lies in its convenient location. It is minutes away from the many office parks that dot the La Lucia Ridge and is close to Gateway Theatre of Shopping and the delights that Umhlanga has to offer. It's also relatively close to King Shaka International Airport. However, the fact that some properties on the ridge have spectacular sea views and that there are actual beachfront properties, undoubtedly adds to the desire to live here.
There are a number of good schools that service this area, including Crawford Schools La Lucia, Danville Park Girls’ High School, Northlands Girls’ High and Northwood. And given that Durban is practically a stone’s throw away, the various private schools within the city are also a viable option.
The area is home to the La Lucia Mall which offers a wide variety of shops and upmarket boutiques. There are also a number of terrific restaurants including the well-known Italian eatery, Al Firenze.
There can't be many suburbs that have what La Lucia has to offer: great shopping, location and nearby sporting facilities. In my opinion, it really is an area that has it all.
Bernice Jacobson
Nearby medical facilities:
- Netcare Umhlanga Hospital
- Gateway Private Hospital
- La Lucia Medical and Dental Centre
Best in food:
- Al Firenze
- Europa at La Lucia Mall
- The Taphouse – Pint Size Pub
Things to do:
- Attend a show at The Barnyard Theatre at Gateway.
- Take a walk in the nearby Hawaan Forest in Umhlanga.
- Play a round of golf at Beachwood Country Club.
- Charter a fishing boat.
This article originally appeared in Neighbourhood, Sunday Times.
Take a fantastic journey through the Umhlanga neighbourhood here:
