Split by the N12 highway and Columbine Avenue, Winchester Hills, in the south of Johannesburg is one of those suburbs that is strongly dominated by townhouse developments. With easy access to the highway and the south and east it is a sure favourite for those looking for reasonable accommodation.
With is close proximity to Soweto it also makes an easy stepping off point for people looking to move out of the township, but still remain close to family and friends. The suburb also backs onto the Klipriviersberg Nature Reserve, providing residents with a convenient space to get away from the hustle and bustle of city life.
As with many suburbs with a large amount of developments the quality of the accommodation is dependent on the specific development, some will be great while others may not be in the best repair. Price and levies will often give the best indication of which complexes are which and what the buyers are getting themselves into. For some complexes, the hilly nature of the suburb will afford buyers with magnificent views across the south.
Also in line with the dominance of townhouses in the suburb the average owner is much younger than you find in more expensive suburbs or suburbs with a larger proportion of freehold properties. Close to 50 percent of recent buyers came from the 18 to 35 year old section of the market and another 30 percent from the 35 to 50 age group. This is in line with what you would expect from this type of suburb.
While the average selling price over the past 12 months for freehold properties wasR1.2 million, the average for sectional title properties was R614 000, with almost all of the 136 properties sold during the period falling into the R400 000 to R800 000 bracket. Only one sectional title property was valued at more than R1.5 million indicating that almost all the complexes are focused on that sweet spot in the market of below R800 000.
Prices have also remained relatively stable over the past few years and with the average selling price and the average valuation very close together it is unlikely to change in the near future.
Apart from its proximity to the highway the suburb is also well positioned for access to the CBD and for shopping at centres such as The Glen and Southgate. Education wise the proximity of more upmarket suburbs such as Mondeor and Glenvista provides Winchester hills residents with access to the schools in those areas as well as the some good private schools such as Marist Brothers Linmeyer.