A few facts about Clifton’s luxury properties

Clifton – it’s the name given to an area that features some of South Africa’s most expensive and sought-after, luxurious residential properties. The mere mention of Clifton evokes dreamy images of outstanding, sweeping ocean views, gently cooling breezes blowing off the sea, bronzed bodies and sunny summers, with an opulent lifestyle to which many dreamers and mental travellers can but aspire.

As specialists in the luxury property market, Fine & Country South Africa has the experience, expertise, knowledge and infrastructure to assist you in acquiring your own property in Clifton. It’s our pleasure to furnish you with a few interesting facts about the area in which your potential new prestigious home is located, things which may be of importance to you in your property selection.

Clifton’s waxing and waning beaches

There are actually five Clifton beaches, although most people only refer to the first four. They’re known by their numbers, 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th beach, respectively. Each is separated from its counterpart by enormous granite boulders that nature – possibly via rock falls, deposited on the sand, sometime very long ago, effectively creating 4 - 5 distinct coves.

The 5th beach is lesser known or utilised because it’s not always there. Beach sand washes in and away again as different seasons arrive and depart. By the latter part of the summer season, (March – April), all Clifton’s coves are at their widest, due to additional sand being deposited by the south easterly wind’s effect on ocean currents.

Even so, this isn’t part of the Cape that is plagued by the infamous Cape Doctor, the region’s strong south westerly wind. Lion’s Head lends Clifton and adjacent areas a lot of protection from this element.

At this time, it’s also possible to stroll from one beach to the next along the tideline, since each is at its widest, while 5th beach is sandy. When the season changes again, all Clifton’s beaches are narrower and separated. The granite boulders that form the headland, previously covered by sand, are exposed – a phenomenon that takes a little getting used to if you’re new to the area.

Avid body and board surfers prefer 1st beach; the surf and waves are strongest here, diminishing in strength towards 4th beach, which was awarded Blue Flag status and is popular with families and yachtsmen, who often drop anchor beyond the breakers off 4thbeach. 3rd beach is the smallest, while 2nd beach attracts youthful beachgoers.

Additional aspects

• Clifton is an exclusively residential suburb. There are almost no shops, malls, schools or restaurants in the immediate area, although all these facilities are relatively close by.

 

• Properties (square meterage of land) are not large. The reason for this is interesting. Modern Clifton was first populated by soldiers who fought in the Great War. Upon their return from the European battlefields and trenches, they were given small, narrow parcels of land at Clifton by the government of the day and the City Council. In the 1920s and 1930s, some soldiers are said to have built their modest bungalows from the cast-off packing cases in which motor vehicles were imported to South Africa by overseas manufacturers. 

 

• Today, land size (or lack of it) has absolutely no effect on the popularity of properties, which consistently reach exceptional prices and sell easily, irrespective of prevailing economic conditions.

 

• Some Clifton properties have street frontage. Others can only be accessed via narrow stairs that lead between neighbours’ land. For this reason, many properties don’t have garages in which to park vehicles. 

Undiminished demand and value

As a dedicated, professional estate agency with a proud reputation of excellence, particularly in the upper end, luxury property market, Fine & Country South Africa has no hesitation in recommending appropriate Clifton properties for you to view and purchase. The Clifton area isn’t infinite; investment value continues to be matchless and shows no signs of diminishing, neither does the demand for Clifton luxury.