In the world of property development, it is a rare and pleasant thing to find a developer that lives his life and carries out his business dealings based on the highest standard of ethics and moral conduct.  It has been my pleasure over the past six years, to serve Okkie Potgieter and the Westacre Development team on The Somerset Lifestyle and Retirement Village project. With Okkie having recently announced his retirement, Dion and Johann Potgieter have stepped up to continue his considerable legacy.

Several noteworthy features of the development:

• Outstanding views from the entire estate.
• A small, high-end mall right opposite the entrance.
• A Luxurious clubhouse and related facilities.
• A cashless environment for all monetary transactions.
• A strong set of security features, with capable response teams.
• An excellent, modern Care Centre, built with anti-institutional intent.
• Very high-quality build-work and finishes on every constructed element of the estate.
• Attention to detail during the planning of new homes
• An excellent communications infrastructure has been put in place, with Fiber-to-the-home technology and all of the features one would expect in a modern, connected estate.
• A dedicated sales team, comprising both experienced sales agents and administrator.
• A team of service providers that are all top-tier organisations, experienced in the retirement industry
• A Key partnership with CPOA has seen large portions of the estate developed under a highly flexible Life Right model, with the balance being sold as Freehold properties.
• Stable levies that are planned conservatively from the outset, so as to negate surprises for residents outside the normal inflationary increases.
• Properties have already resold from first purchasers, fetching healthy gains in most instances.
• A healthy Levy stabilisation fund despite the early stage of the estate development.
• The property is managed by a team from the CPOA, which together with support from the Association trustees has established all of the necessary best practices and good governance that one would expect from an estate of this nature.

Given the above-mentioned, it is without hesitation that I can promote and support the estate wherever I go, and there have already been clients and colleagues of mine that have taken up residence within the estate.  A greater endorsement of a development is surely not possible!

For and on behalf of Shire Retirement Properties (Pty) Ltd. : Robert Lysle Jones