Montagu becomes a magnet for families

"Once they discover that Montagu has excellent schools and see how safe and peaceful the village is, many people who have come here on family holidays can't wait to make it their home," says Nelda Wiese, owner of the local Chas Everitt International office.

"Consequently, although Montagu is still a very popular retirement destination, about a third of those buying homes here now are under 35 - mostly parents with young children - and we also have many buyers in their forties and fifties relocating here to start second careers or simply to enjoy a healthier, less stressful lifestyle than in the cities and bigger towns."

Sensitive for development

The pace of sales has really increased recently, with 20 properties in the village being sold in the first four months of this year compared with 44 in the whole of 2011. Most of these sales have been in the R700 000 to R1,2m price range.

Montagu is situated at the foot of the Langeberg, about 180km from Cape Town on the Route 62 scenic route, and it does have a hot mineral springs resort and several renowned wineries nearby. It is also surrounded by rock formations that has made it one of the most popular climbing and hiking destinations and attract hundreds of international visitors annually.

However, although it is growing, the council and residents are very sensitive about new development. There are still smallholdings right in the village with a minimum sub-division limit of 8 500m². There are also large stands of between 1 200m² and 2 500m² left undivided.

Vineyard plots available

Local land prices start at around R330 000 for stands in a centrally located security complex and around R550 000 for stands bordering the nature reserve. There are currently also 4 400m² vineyard plots available for around R700 000 and unimproved smallholdings for about R1,5m.

Home prices, meanwhile, start at around R550 000 to R700 000 for two-bedroom, two-bathroom flats in older buildings that need a greater or lesser degree of updating, and at R795 000 for some new plot-and-plan Victorian-style units. Larger family homes with three bedrooms start at around R1m and range up to about R2,5m for mountainside mansions with four or five bedrooms and expansive views.