PRESTIGIOUS LOCALE - Benmore Gardens

THE GREATER Sandton area continues to attract professionals who commute daily for business, and many adjacent neighbourhoods recognising the need for family style accommodation for young city executive families. Benmore Gardens is an upmarket gated community divided into Extension 3 and the newer, more prestigious Extension 6 — Waterstone Estate. Original Benmore offers mainly sectional title units with a few gracious homes still found on large stands. Benmore Gardens is one of the hidden gems of the Sandton area and as the name suggests, offers treed areas with large, open green parks where childrens' playground equipment has been installed. The Braamies Spruit has led to the formation of a duck pond, surrounded by benches. There are also excellent retail and restaurant nodes in Parkmore and Sandton. "This parkland area with many indigenous plants is maintained by locals, who value the great lifestyle on offer," says Karen Bosman, area specialist for Lew Geffen Sotheby's International Realty. She says being in the richest square kilometre in the southern hemisphere, Benmore Gardens offers an exceptionally high proportion of prime quality office space and the growth is bound to attract ever more numbers of employees requiring housing — to buy or rent. Statistics show that 45% of existing owners in Benmore Gardens have owned their homes for more than 11 years, 25% have owned their homes for less than five years, 10% have been there for five to seven years; 15% eight to 10 years. She says most recent sellers have owned their homes for five to seven years. "Benmore Shopping Centre is undergoing a complete refurbishment and is set to expand by several storeys. All major banks, a post office, a pharmacy, leading grocery outlets, boutiques, gift shops and more can be found here, and for those who like to shop for international brands, Sandton City is 1km away. "Homes are priced from about R1.36 million for sectional title units to R5m for freehold houses, which is the ideal range for this class of buyer," says Rosman. Retired engineer and resident Renier Bester built his home in Benmore Gardens and has lived there with his wife Liz and two sons for 20 years. "We live in a quiet cul du sac in Benmore Gardens Ext. 1, in the heart of Sandton business dis trict and within walking distance of Sandton City with its cinemas, restaurants and shopping." The Gautrain Station is 2.5km away and Sandton Convention Centre close by. "The boys attended Montrose Primary School, close to our home and an excellent school. They matriculated at Rivonia High School — also within walking distance," says Bester.