Sales are on the increase in a popular holiday spot close to Durban.The closure of the Durban International Airport to the south of Durban has had a major impact on the property sales in Amanzimtoti. Lured by the fact that low flying jet planes no longer feature in the lives of residents, the area has become far more popular with those looking for a more laid back lifestyle in a town that is close to Durban. This well-known holiday town has become famous for its golden beaches and temperate climate and the area becomes a hive of activity during peak seasons. The Zulu name of the town means “so the water is sweet” and is attributed to King Shaka, who, if legend is to be believed, stopped to drink the waters while leading a raid against the Pondos. Things have changed somewhat from those early days and Toti, as it is affectionately called by the locals, has grown enormously thanks in part to the thousands who descend on its beaches during the holiday season. Lightstone’s statistics indicate that sales have remained fairly stable despite the impact of the recession and subsequent property market fall-out that many areas have witnessed. Property prices are traditionally lower in this region when compared with similar properties on the North Coast. A total of 31 sectional title properties priced between the R400 000 to R800 000 mark were sold during the last three months. In the R800 000 to R1.5m price range, 12 sales were concluded.In the freehold sector of the market, one sale took place on a property priced in the R0 to R400 000 bracket, six sales were concluded in the R400 000 to R800 000 bracket and 13 deals were closed on properties bearing price tags of between R800 000 to R1.5m. In a similar vein, three properties priced above the R3m mark were sold in the same period. Initiatives such as the Galleria Shopping Centre have added to the general buzz in the area and the local sentiment is that a shopping centre of this calibre that features 87 000sqm of retail space, including an ice rink, cinemas and a multitude of branded shops, indicates that investors appreciate the potential for real growth in the area.The suburb also has a number of learning establishments including the Amanzimtoti High and Primary schools. Kuswag Skool caters for Afrikaans children at both a primary and a high school level.As one of the most popular holiday destinations on the South Coast of KZN, the suburb boasts seven kilometres of beaches, which offer superb swimming and fishing amenities. Internationally recognised as one of the top ten dives sites in the world, Aliwal Shoal can be reached via a 20 minute boat trip out to sea. The famous site attracts a wealth of marine life including hammerhead and tiger sharks.
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