Fine Homes

Mechelen is a Dutch-speaking city and municipality in the province of Antwerp, Flanders, Belgium. The city that was once the capital of the Burgundian Netherlands. Mechelen has one of the highest concentrations of monuments North of the Alps, and is unique in Flanders in being listed not once but four times on the UNESCO list of World Cultural Heritage sites.

The city is located along the river Dijle. In the old days there were lots of small waters inside the city,which all branches run into the Dijle. But when the river flooded the entire city was under water. It is probably best known for its carillon school where students from all over the world come to learn to play church bells.

Mechelen has no less than 336 listed buildings and monuments including eight gothic and baroque churches from the 14th up to and including the 17th century. It was for a time the most important town in the Low Countries and has remained the religious headquarters of Belgium to this day.

It is one of those off the beaten cities, not well-known by tourist. It hosts the largest co-operative vegetable auction in Europe it happens when 2500 Mechelen region market gardeners gather to sell their vegetables.

The shopping streets are all within walking distance of the Main Square. It is an attractive green city with little traffic, which makes this typical Flemish town perfect for shopping. The most popular shopping streets are Bruul and IJzerenleen.

The Grote Market the Market Square in the centre of Mechelen hosts a three-day Christmas market every December. There are carol concerts in the evening, while stalls sell special Christmas foods, records, books, clothes and antiques

The St. Rumbold’s tower is the landmark of the city. You can see this huge tower from far away. The tower has a height of 97 metres and you can reach the top after climbing over 500 steps. The tower was supposed to be 160 metres high but was never finished as Mechelen had financial problems in the 16th century and contains a 49-bell carillon. It can only be climb in the spring or summer.

The Horlogerie Museum Watch Museum is a fascinating private collection of over 1,000 antique timepieces, housed in an old 16th century town house. There are pocket watches, grandfather clocks, mantelpiece clocks, carriage clocks, ornamental clocks and even sundials and hourglasses. As the museum is very small it can only be viewed with the owners.

Blended with natural, historical beauty and fun filled activities, Dorchester – Dorset is all set to make your vacation really interesting and fun filled. This town is situated close to the river Frome. So if you are thinking of taking a break from your busy schedule and want to go for a fun filled vacation then this place is for you.

If you are mad about shopping then you must come to Dorchester at least once. This pretty town is really popular due to its major market place. The best thing about this market place is that here you can find various kinds of shops. These will offer you with the best of products at a very minimum price.

Staying in a luxurious hotel at Dorchester is not at all tough. This vibrant town has got some really good hotels. It is a major tourist destination, so this town has come up with some great restaurants, bed and breakfast and hotels. This will make your stay really comfortable. The hotels will offer you with the best of service and ambiance.

One of the major tourist attractions here is the Dorchester museum. Here you will find a huge collection of dinosaur’s skeletons. Even your kids can a chance to touch these skeletons dinosaurs too. So in case you want to acquire more knowledge about the dinosaurs then you must visit this museum.

One more thing that will surely make your children really happy is the mummy exhibition. If you want to know more about the mummies and the detailed information about the mummification then you must take your child to this exhibition. More than knowledge, what you get here is the fun!

Dorchester is the birth place of Thomas Hardy. You can get the opportunity to see and experience the kind of life which he used to lead. Here you will find the house of Thomas Hardy and also can see his workplace. Do you have a keen interest in architectural excellence of historical monuments? Then, this is where you can get to see really interesting monuments and architecture of Victorian Palaces.

Experience some of the colorful and interesting nightlife at Dorchester – Dorset. Here can experience some really nice lounges, cafes, restaurants and night clubs too. In case are a party person then you must visit Dorchester at least once.

Other than these historical monuments and architecture excellence, you can see the very beautiful and interesting tourist destinations like the streets of Maumbury rings, country hall roman town house. Also if you move towards Weymouth then you get to see the very stunning Maiden Castle and Iron Age Hill Fort.

If your new home is not ready for your planned relocation date, or you require a temporary solution before finalising your new house purchase, Space can undertake a rental accommodation search amongst all the properties available, not just the few advertised on the internet. We will help locate a suitable, long or short term place for you and your family to live, not an expensive holiday let or a house in an unsafe area.

For this service we charge a fixed fee of R19,850. Our service includes lease checking (all leases are different, depending on the agency) and price/lease negotiation.

The process is very similar to the Home Search Service, and ensures that all quality properties in appropriate areas are reviewed. As with a home purchase, it is difficult to get an honest, independent appraisal of a property from someone who is keen to rent you that particular property. Space will review all the possible localities, from all the agents, and find the right home for you. A detailed brief is taken, and colour brochures are sent to you showing the short-listed properties, which match your criteria. If required, the booking is made in advance of your arrival for you to move into when you reach South Africa. Rental property since early 2007 has become increasingly scarce due to a number of economic factors. For a good sized family home in a nice neighbourhood, it is now likely that a shortlist would regularly consist of properties around R25,000 per month. More and more property is being sourced through personal contacts and private connections than ever before, and much of the property advertised on the web has already been taken. Therefore, it will be useful to be flexible on area and realistic on budget to ensure that you have as wide a choice as possible.

Further examples of rental options:

Fresnaye. 5 ensuite bedroom, modern home with small garden and swimming pool. Excellent security, double garage and open plan living with travertine flooring and under-floor heating plus air conditioning throughout. Asking price 40,000 ZAR per calendar month. Tamboerskloof. Four bedroom family home with study, furnished or unfurnished in a small security complex. Table Mountain, city and harbour views. Small pool and a number of balconies and terraces as well as covered patio. Asking price 36,000 ZAR per calendar month Upper Green Point five bedroom town house style property with sea, stadium and city views. Open plan neat living with small terrace and plunge pool, additional courtyard and large master ensuite bedroom with dressing area. Heating and air-conditioning. Asking price 35,000 ZAR per calendar month. Hout Bay. Five bedroom, three bathroom property in top security estate with extensive valley and mountain views. Open plan living with two undercover entertainment patios, small pool and a small garden. Modern open plan style with TV lounge and central fire place. Monthly rental 35,000 ZAR.

For those people who are looking for a trip of a lifetime; consider Cape Town, South Africa. It is a truly gorgeous place and one that you will not see on an average vacation.

Think about where Cape Town is located. There is a barrier of mountains that separates Cape Town from the other parts of South Africa. It is also a city of contrasts, old oak trees, streets made from cobblestones, and buildings built in a British-Georgian style. In the valleys, grapes are grown as well as wheat and fruit.

The city has an interesting history and a wonderful blend of people both culturally and racially. If you are interested in this aspect of Cape Town you should visit the South African Museum where you will get a glimpse into the various cultures of the area. This museum is the oldest one in South Africa. You can find the South African Museum in Cape Towns Company Gardens at the top of Adderley Street. This is the place to see many exhibits depicting much of the natural and cultural history of South Africa. There is also a planetarium on the grounds.

The Dutch East India Company has a fascinating history and this was the group of people who designed the Cape Town Companys Gardens. These folks established the Company Gardens so that the sailors who were traveling to the East would have a place to stop and take care of any health problems they incurred during the first part of the journey. There are also amazing buildings in the Gardens including a museum and the Anglican St. Georges Cathedral.

While you are in the area you may want to visit the office of South Africas State President and the Houses of Parliament. The most famous hotel in Cape Town is the Mount Nelson and it is located at the southernmost point of Government Avenue. This hotel has a very special and formal afternoon tea and was built in a beautiful colonial style. You will be able to see Table Mountain from the hotel, too.

On Adderly Street you can walk toward the harbor and see the oldest church in South Africa, Groote Kerk. Be sure to take a look at the ornately carved pulpit. Here you can view the statues of Jan van Riebeeck and his wife, Maria. Close to these attractions is the Castle of Good Hope which is the oldest surviving intact structure in South Africa.

You may want to search out Greenmarket Square which is the heart of the old city. There are flea market stalls, shoppers and buskers galore. The Old Town House is a beautiful baroque building that dates back to 1761 and holds the Michaelis Collection of Dutch and Flemish art. There are also Victorian buildings that house pawnshops and boutiques.

There are many museums and galleries in Cape Town. Most of them operate under the umbrella of Iziko Museums of Cape Town. The museums offer diverse exhibitions in lovely settings. You can even tour a collection of old city houses that have been restored.

Visit Cape Town, South Africa for a trip you will never forget.

The Cape Town property market is an intriguing mix of historical architecture, mixed with modern town houses, multiunit apartment blocks, and beach villas. Its heritage architecture is a direct effect of its status as a halfway point between the only eastern overseas route between the Western Europe and the Orient until the advent of the Suez Canal. The Cape was colonized by the Dutch and then the British as you can see from the influences. Its most popular tourist destination is the glamorous V&A Waterfront Complex, which was built recently in the late 20th Century on what was once a Victorian wharf and an 18th century military setup, the Chayonnes Battery. Cape Town property is a wonderful mix of eras with contemporary bungalows nestling with all glass office complexes next to Georgian mosques and Moravian churches. Some of the various kinds of architectural styles that are prevalent here are

Cape Dutch Style

From its architecture it is quite clear that that you get in the Cape Town property market makes this city the continents least African metropolis. Since the 17th century when construction began here on the Castle of Good Hope, the cities main influencer has been European. What can be called a signature style is called the Cape Dutch here. Outside Cape Town in the wine lands examples of this type is prevalent in the quaint gabled and thatched manor houses.

In the city this translates into some of the best samples of the Cape Dutch form, The Koopman-De-Wet House and the city center’s Rust-en-Vreugd. Drive through the Bo-Kaap district and take a gander at the modest terraces there as well.

Collage on Long Street

The only place in South Africa where you can find the whole historic range of architectural variety of the Cape Town property market is in the Cape Peninsula. A fine example is Longs Street, a famous street in the area, which has the whole gamut. A pensive walk down this street will give you an idea of what historical form of Cape Town property fits you need. A collage of houses that show both Dutch and English influences line the streets on both sides.

Placed next to a Victorian three storey, which is on of the cities most popular backpackers lodging is the 18th century Palm Tree mosque.

At the end of Long Street as we approach the harbor and next to an art nouveau office building, is a grand example of early 19th century form in the Dutch Mission Church.

Nearby is an old town house built in the Baroque style on a square surrounded by Art Deco buildings from the 20′s and 30′s. Mingling amidst these are modern skyscrapers, though unassuming by North American expectations, these add a flavor of otherness to what we anticipate of Africa.

Unique Suburban essence

The Cape Town property market of the suburbs that are closest to the city centre like Observatory, Sea Point, Woodstock and Green Point, were constructed in the late 19th century. As a buyer you will find a unique suburban essence here, with architecture that is basically Victorian but with interesting additions like verandahs and trimmed balconies with intricate ironwork that will protect the façade from the ravages of nature.

After taking a steep dip in 2009, house prices in Cape Town are slowly on the increase, statistics from Absa Home Loans show.

While house prices declined in all provinces, metropolitan areas and coastal regions in real terms in 2009, the Western Cape experienced one of the sharpest declines with a 7,6% decrease in real terms during the year, according to Absa’s latest statistics.

In Cape Town, house prices were down 0,7% in nominal terms, and 7,3% in real terms. Of all metropolitan areas in the country, only the greater Johannesburg area performed better than the Cape Town property market with nominal house price growth of 2,8% last year.

In the last quarter of 2009 – the latest available statistics – an average house in Cape Town cost R1,11 million, indicating an increase of 1,4% on the last quarter of 2008. This is showing that the housing market is slowly getting out of the doldrums, with banks’ forecasting growth for 2010 of between 6% and 8%.

In the middle segment, or houses between 80m² and 400m², the average Cape Town house cost nearly R1,7 million by the end of 2009, and improvement of 6,1% compared to the end of 2008.

Investors are also returning to the Cape Town property market to buy prime property at good prices before the market takes off again. In addition, increased lending from banks and relatively low interest rates are also expected to boost the market this year.

Cape Town, with a reputation for being extremely well managed compared to South Africa’s other metros, is also an award-winning tourist destination. Some estate agents believe that World Cup fever will provide additional impetus in the Cape Town property market, especially in popular tourist areas like the city centre and along the Atlantic Seaboard.

As South Africa’s oldest city, Cape Town features a host of beautiful old buildings, some of which have been in existence for hundreds of years. The architectural impact of city’s early colonisers – the French, Dutch and British – is strongly felt throughout the city, as is the influence of the Malay people who were brought to the Cape as slaves.

Many of these historic buildings are still in use today, most of them serving as museums, monuments and galleries. They showcase Cape Town’s intriguing and oft-chequered past, serving as fascinating relics of bygone eras. Some even still exist as homes, such as in the Bo-Kaap area, which has been the chief enclave of many Malay people since they were brought to the Cape by the Europeans.

Start your journey through the annals of Cape Town’s history in the vibrant suburb of Bo-Kaap. This is city’s oldest suburb, and certainly its most colourful. Then visit some of the Cape’s most famous monuments, including castles, churches, dungeons and prisons, as well as the eclectic Long Street – one of Cape Town’s oldest streets, yet still one of its hippest.

From Bo-Kaap to Betram House: Cape Town’s most historic buildings

Bo-Kaap, set against the slopes of Signal Hill, is home to a collection of tightly-packed cluster homes, brightly coloured and often featuring original Dutch and British architecture of the 1700s. The oldest building in the suburb is located at 71 Wale Street. This, today, is the Bo-Kaap Museum, and has been restored to reflect an authentic 19th century Muslim home: During apartheid, Bo-Kaap was classified as a Muslim region, and the suburb is still a primarily Muslim community.

From Bo-Kaap, travel into the centre of town – just a few minutes’ walk from the cobbled streets of the old suburb – to discover a wealth of historic architecture. Most notable is the Castle of Good Hope, which was originally built under the auspices of Jan van Riebeeck during the latter 17th century, when the first settlers arrived in the Cape.

According to historians, construction on the castle – which was in fact a defensive fort – began just days after the Dutch settlers arrived in the Cape. Celebrated among sailors as the “Tavern of the Seas”, it served as a replenishment station for the Dutch East India Company, as well as a fort to protect the company’s lucrative advantage along the spice route. It’s an awe-inspiring structure that, in the early years, housed governors and dignitaries, served as a centre for the military and a place of incarceration for prisoners. 
Today, the Castle remains a centre for the military, but its eerie dungeons contain only shadows, and its majestic wings, the impressive William Fehr art collection. It’s a monument that is at once fascinating and chilling, and it’s well worth a visit.

The centre of town is also the site of South Africa’s oldest church, Groote Kerk, located within walking distance of the Castle of Good Hope. Taking pride of place in Adderley Street, this impressive cathedral was constructed in the 1800s, and more than 200 people – including several governors – are buried beneath its soapstone floors. The architecture is impressive, as is the church organ which, with almost 6,000 pipes, is the biggest in the southern hemisphere.

The Old Town House, built in the Dutch-Rococo style of the 18th century, is situated near to Groote Kerk, in the historic Greenmarket Square. The Old Town House originally served as the city hall, and today houses a world-class collection of Nederlandish art, as well as temporary exhibitions which are of interest to locals and visitors alike. The historic building, which was donated by Sir Max Michaelis in 1914, also features a beautiful tea garden, which is best enjoyed during the summer months.

Cape Town’s culturally rich city centre

Apart from these historic buildings, Cape Town’s city centre features many other old buildings that reflect the diverse influences of Cape culture and architecture. Traverse vibrant Long Street to discover Victorian buildings of the 19th century, beautifully restored and housing antique shops, clothing boutiques, book shops, pavements cafes and backpackers’ lodges. Also be sure to visit the museums and galleries located in the city’s “museum mile”, alongside the magnificent Company Gardens in Adderley Street.

Town Homes Come With Many Advantages

If you want to buy a home but aren’t looking forward to spending your time off from work mowing the lawn, shoveling snow, raking leaves, or painting your house, a town home may be exactly what you’re looking for. You can still own the home, but the community’s association fees will take care of various maintenance requirements. You will also not have to worry about loud neighbors above or below you, since town houses only have common side walls.

Simple to Luxury Designs are Available for Town Homes

No matter what type of town home you can afford, there is a designer that will work closely with you to decide on what type of house you need. Today, town houses are available with different amenities and views. Inner city townhouses allow people to live closer to where they work, without having to rent a smaller apartment. Some neighborhoods are constructing town houses along natural or manmade lakes for a glistening water view to give owners a relaxing atmosphere.

Custom town home designers allow you to create a home to match your personal style. The interior of a town house can often look small and dark when not designed properly. Since every wall doesn’t connect to the outside, making use of what you have is vital for those that want a home with natural sunlight. An architect will need to efficiently use the floor plan to create an easy flow from room to room. Different residential house styles can be used to design a town house to create the look you want.

One and two story town homes are available to give you more design options. Families within any age group can take advantage of living in a town house. No matter what type of town home you’re looking for, a custom designer can listen to what you want from your house and make it happen. Town homes can be made for families of different sizes. Whether you’re single, married, or going into retirement, a town house will have its benefits for you.

Town Homes Provide Homeowners with Less Work

Town houses are often found in communities that offer different amenities to property holders. Pools, tennis courts, and fitness centers are popular choices for town home communities. Since you’re going to be paying for the upkeep of these facilities, finding a community that offers amenities you will use is important. Of course, the fees you pay will also go toward the maintenance of the yards and exterior of each home. You won’t have to spend your Saturday mornings mowing the grass. Instead, you could go for a swim in the neighborhood’s pool or spa. Most town home communities are gated, which provides a secure area from the outside. Parents may be more comfortable letting their children play in the community playground.

Each town home community will attract certain types of buyers. If you want to live in an area where people share your interests, do some research to see what type of people are buying a town house. The amenities that are offered can usually tell you who will be more attracted to living there. Swimming pools and playgrounds may attract families with children, while fitness centers, sporting courts, and spas could interest more singles or those that enjoy healthy activities.

It clearly takes time for many properties to find their correct price level in this market, due to the lack of transparency in the market, the unrealistic expectations of owners etc and, even then, as many readers will know, it is only a minority of properties that eventually get priced appropriately and move themselves from the world of fantasy to the “this may now realistically sell” world which I presume is where most owners would like their property to be!!

With that in mind here are a few properties in one village, Alaro, that strangely enough offer good value (sorry that is just cynical old me talking)! If you are looking for a town house in Alaro one of these could just fit the bill.

The first is a traditional town house lovingly restored offering spacious accommodation and, unusually, a large garden and garage (admittedly small!) For details see Traditional Alaro town house

The second is a newer style town house offering very good sized rooms and large kitchen diner, 2 terraces with countryside views and a swimming pool. Another big plus is the integral double garage ideal for bicycles, jet ski’s etc (yes I know it is Alaro but the beauty of this centrally located town is that everything is little more than 20 minutes drive away!) See Town house with swimming pool  (by the way check out the m2 of this house and the price per m2. Good value!)

Number 3 is a cute very quietly located town house in a cul de sac and views to the countryside. I like the views here and the outdoor space for the summer. all a short stroll from the town square! Alaro village house

Last but not least is this village house with large garden again and light bright aspect. Also a short stroll from the centre. See ref NP 2166 on the Novi Property Mallorca web site

Please enquire for more details

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