Raptors View Wildlife Estate in a nutshell

Raptor's View Wildlife Estate was one of the first residential wildlife estates developed in South Africa. The estate offers a unique life-style where residents live and share the common ground with the animals which occur naturally in this bushveld environment. This successful concept of wildlife estates was introduced by Trevor Jordan and the first 1 ha stands started selling in they ear 2000 for about ZAR 130 000 – 190 000.

Today the average market price for a 1 ha stand lies at ZAR 450 000. All 305 stands pegged out on Raptors View have been sold by the developer and currently there are only a handful of stands back in the market for resale. The average house price lies at ZAR 2,43 million, taken from last 9 resales which included 3 spec houses.

Wildlife found on the estate consists of plains game such as:

Giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, impala, duiker, kudu, waterbuck and smaller game as well as nocturnal mammals. Occasional wild dog and leopard sightings occur which roam from neighbouring Big 4 reserves bordering the estate.

General layout and ecology

The 1 100 ha estate has 305 freehold stands of 1 ha each with the remainder being common property jointly owned by the residents.

The seasonal Zandspruit Rivers flows through the first section of the estate featuring more than 50 river stands which have mostly been developed.

There are large pockets of undeveloped land where circular walking trails and cycle routes have been established, as well as dams and bird hides.

Vegetation is typical lowveld bushveld with some towering Knob Thorn, Acacia, Tamboti and Marula trees.

Just over 230 houses have been built to date, following strict architectural guidelines themed for bushveld living. The only roof type permitted is thatch and the roads within the estate are dirt roads with a speed limit of 30 km/h.

Land claims have been addressed and restitution has been made in 2005.

Raptors View/ good to know

The estate rules do not make provision for holiday rentals which in essence means that owners who do not use their homes as a permanent residence cannot rent their homes out to holiday makers.

Short term rentals (from 30 consecutive days upwards)are however permitted. There is no provision for any commercial activity on any of the stands within Raptor’s View Wildlife Estate and this clearly has a calming effect and security benefits for the estate. There is also a limit of the number of full time residents in any one home, that amount being 8.

Owners are encouraged to keep as much open spaces around their homes as possible as wildlife is reliant on the surrounding bush for sustenance. Most houses have a deck with a pool, rather than a garden and only indigenous plants are permitted. Pools of a maximum of 16 sqm need to be raised to prevent becoming a hazard for animals.

Domestic pets are not allowed and feeding of the wild animals is prohibited.

Residents of Raptor’s View:

A big draw card for the area is the renowned Southern Cross Private School situated within the estate providing schooling up to Grade 12. Bushlore classes are an integral part of the curriculum and scholars are often seen practicing outdoor classes and bush walks on Raptors View Wildlife Estate. The school is an English medium private school which does offer boarding to scholars from the age of 12.

The school attracts families from all over South Africa and does present a rich cultural mix as well as a mix of nationalities with 17 different nationalities currently recorded.

As the area features well on the second home market just under 10 % of current home owners are foreign nationals with German, Dutch, French and British in the forefront.

Security:

Security services are of a high standard with strict gate controls and access cards for residents. Security cameras at the gate, separate controlled access for contract workers and 24 hrs patrols.

Retreat to a better life and let your children explore nature and the wonders of the African bush in a safe environment and welcoming community.