The Charles

The Charles is a residential development under construction within the grounds of the Lord Charles Hotel in Somerset West, Western Cape, South Africa. The project site is at the corner of Main Road and Broadway Boulevard, according to the official development page. It is led by 181 Devco (Pty) Ltd together with two other development partners, described below.

What the development includes

The first phase released for sale contains 178 units, according to the developer's website. Homes are grouped in six categories, each published with a starting size and a starting price:

• Studios: 26 m², from R2 million.
• 1 bedroom: from 40 m², from R2.55 million.
• 2 bedrooms: from 79 m², from R4.65 million. Two parking bays per apartment.
• 3 bedrooms: from 137 m², from R6.85 million. Two parking bays and a storeroom.
• Garden apartments: 2 or 3 bedrooms, hedged garden of 26 m² to 100 m², from 113 m², from R4.86 million.
• Penthouses: two top-floor units, from R25 million, with three parking bays, a storeroom and a private terrace with a private pool.

These are the figures published by the developer on the official development page. They are starting prices for the cheapest unit in each category, so they are not an average and cannot be used to work out the price of a specific apartment. The sales terms, VAT treatment, transfer costs and body corporate levies are not published on the development page. Ask the sales team for them in writing; their contact details appear on that page.

Who is building it

The development page describes The Charles as a joint venture of four parties: Unir Projects, IGUAL, 181DevCo and GLH Architects. Unir Projects says it was formed from the long-term collaboration between Xavier Huyberechts, director of GLH Architects, and Clifford Kupritz, director of 181 DevCo. 181 Devco states on its own site that The Charles is a residential development within the Lord Charles Estate in Somerset West. The exact role of each party on site (client, builder, architect) is given in a single sentence by the developer and is not set out further in the public documents reviewed.

Completion dates, the construction programme and the payment schedule are not published on the pages reviewed. These are the first questions to put to the developer and the sales team before signing anything.

Stated amenities and access

The developer lists the amenities intended for residents: reception concierge, indoor gym, swimming pool, clubhouse and lounge, 24/7 manned security, biometric access control, CCTV monitoring, secure parking and landscaped spaces. Access to the Lord Charles Hotel's St Andrews Pub, La Vigna Restaurant and Spa is also mentioned. These are the developer's stated offerings; the supply contract and the resident's cost for them are not published.

The location section gives travel times in minutes without stating the mode of transport or when they were measured: Waterstone Village 3 minutes, Erinvale Golf Estate 6, Curro Somerset West 8, Somerset College 10, Strand Beach 11, Cape Town International Airport 22. These figures come from the developer, on the official development page, and have not been recalculated.

How it is being sold

The sales contacts published on the development page are Pam Golding Properties agents (Katya Varga and Lauren Duncan, with email addresses and South African phone numbers). The developer also links to a home loan pre-approval service run by BetterBond. No brochure is attached to this listing, and the site plan, full floor plans and body corporate rules are not publicly available.

What to check before committing

Buying off plan in South Africa commits you to a property that does not exist yet. The sale agreement, the builder's completion guarantee, the sectional title registration number and the resale rules all matter. None of these documents is published on the pages reviewed; request them from the developer and have an independent lawyer read them before you sign. On these points, seek guidance from a South African notary or attorney before making any decision.