Gated Communities

Gated communities are becoming increasingly popular ostensibly driven by our desire for security. After all, according to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, a human’s need for safety ranks second only to physiological needs like air, water and food!

However, is security the only driver of the increased demand we are experiencing for gated community living along KZN’s North Coast, or are there other significant factors at play?

We have all heard the old adage “Location, Location, Location” when considering the purchase of property. Whilst this still rings true, quality management of a location is becoming an increasing determinant of property demand.

Depending on where you live, the areas around you are either maintained publicly by the municipality, privately by your body corporate or homeowner’s association, or by a mix between the two. 

Some examples of the latter in our area include the management of the Gateway surrounds by the Umhlanga Ridge Town Centre Management Association (URTCMA) and the upkeep of parts of Umhlanga by the UIP. These are both examples of private organizations partnering with public to ensure a high standard of service delivery.

As Brian Wright, head of the Umhlanga UIP explains, public spaces need to be well managed in order for an area to flourish. By well managed, he means creating public environments that deliver high quality experiences.  He believes that quality public spaces tell a story – that people care – and that this has a profound effect on protecting and enhancing the value of investment in an area, and hence the demand for it.

Some examples of this include the Christmas lights that the UIP erects in the Umhlanga Village each year and the new children’s park that the URTCMA has established West of Gateway behind the fire station. The 10,000m2 park includes playground equipment catering to all ages from toddler to 15 years, a running/cycling path and a mini sports field with onsite supervision and security.

Areas that are clean, secure, well-maintained and aesthetically pleasing with a strong focus on green area development are some of the major ingredients for creating high quality environments. 

These types of living spaces, in turn, give rise to quality lifestyles. Most gated communities are well managed and offer facilities including tennis courts, squash courts, golf courses, restaurants, clubhouses, dams and walking and cycling areas.

They are family-oriented and lend themselves to healthy, wholesome outdoor living where residents can reconnect with nature and children can play and explore outdoors instead of electronic couch-surfing.

More than this, gated communities begin to address the next level of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, namely, “Belonging”. I believe that, despite demographic differences, residents have a shared common interest and a real sense of belonging and community that contributes to their happiness.

Naturally, the increasing demand for gated community living is driving up property values. Statistics drawn from the Deed’s office for the suburbs of Umhlanga and La Lucia show that prices of freestanding properties grew by 43% from 2005 to 2010 versus sectional title growth of 33% for the same period.  However, in the last five years, this statistic has reversed, with sectional title prices growing at 34% versus freestanding of 28%.

I understand that a minority of people feel that community living impedes their freedom with respect to decisions about staff accommodation, pets and property alterations. However, I believe that the combination of security, quality of environment, lifestyle and wellbeing are cumulatively driving demand for gated community living and evidently prices are responding accordingly.

It is clear that an increasing number of our well-managed environments are either privately managed or are managed jointly between public and private. 

Next time you purchase a property, remember to think “Location, location, location management!”