Stretching from Delta Park to Jan Smuts Avenue, Craighall Park is a suburb for park lovers as well as those that enjoy being within walking distance of decent restaurants. While not as commercial or concentrated as Parkhurst, there is still much to be said about the delights of Craighall Park.
Craighall Park should not, however be confused with its more easterly sibling Craighall. The easy way rule of thumb to use is that Craighall is east of Jan Smuts Avenue and Craighall Park is to the west of the thoroughfare. There is, of course, an exception to this rule as there is a tiny sliver of Craighall on the wrong side of the road. There is also a similar sliver of the suburb on the Blairgowrie side of the Braamfontein Spruit, leading to confusion among the uninformed.
The suburb has a relatively even mix of freehold and sectional title properties with 60 percent of the properties of the freehold variety. Both the freehold and the sectional title properties are at the premium end of the market with the average sectional title property fetching just over R1 million and the average freehold property fetching R2.8 million last year. The average freehold price is also very close to the average municipal valuation, indicating a level of price maturity.
There are still some bargains to be had, with 10 houses selling for under R1.5 million in the last 12 months. There are also some very high-end properties on the market, including one penthouse currently on sale for R7.5 million. As with many other suburbs that cover a large geographic area Craighall Park has a reasonable turnover of properties with more than 130 properties (both freehold and sectional title) changing hands over the past 12 months.
Unusually for a premium suburb the younger buyers make up a considerable part new buyers, with more than 40 percent coming from this segment, with a slightly smaller amount (just under 40 percent) coming from the middle aged (35-50 years old) segment.
While Craighall Park is not know as a dining hotspot, there are numerous smaller areas where residents can dine out in style, including the Corner Café on Buckingham Avenue and The Colony Shopping Centre, where both Hodges and Pronto Restaurant are recommended. For those looking for education options for families, Craighall Primary is an excellent government school and the foundation phase of St Teresa’s Mercy School are both in the suburb. Hyde Park High is also within easy reach as are schools such are St Stithians and De La Salle Holy Cross College.
