People who choose to settle in Roseville rarely leave, and some residents have owned their properties for 40 years or more
Long ownership periods are common with properties in Roseville, a neighbourhood to the north of Pretoria Central and lying in a quiet corner of the Moot. Even by the standards of the Moot, which is known for long periods of ownership and residence, Roseville still comes across as a bit out of character.
Some older residents have owned their properties for 40 years or more – a statistic which reflects in a high pensioner demographic which, at 30%, has a few parallels in other areas. “People who choose to settle here hardly ever leave,” says Rensia O’Reilly of Dormehl Phalane Property Group.
A 25-year resident of Roseville, she wryly quips some leave Roseville only when they die, or as in the case of three of her clients, emigrate. A third scenario is when people reach a stage when they need to move into a retirement home or downscale.
This is all to be expected, given Roseville’s background as an established and close-knit suburb of neighbours who look out for one another. Roseville was established in 1898, the same year as this newspaper and Muckleneuk, another of the former Greater Pretoria suburbs, says O’Reilly.
“More young people are moving into the area. Its racial composition is also definitely shifting in a noticeable way,” she says, pointing to ownership gradually spreading more evenly among racial groups.
O’Reilly mentions affordability, nearness to essential amenities and relative safety as the main attractions of the suburb. “Demand is particularly high for homes priced between R1 million and R1.2m,” O’Reilly says, emphasising Roseville’s proximity to schools, including Hillview High School and Laerskool Mayville.
These add to other convenience factors such as nearness to shopping and health facilities as well as main centres. Mayville Mall, Life Eugene Marais Hospital and Steve Biko Academic Hospital are some of the essential amenities close by, while Pretoria Central is within a 10-minute drive.
Then there’s the perceived relative safety and security of the area. “We have an active sector police. They take care to know the residents personally. When it’s late, they frequently stop night-time strollers to establish their identity and safety,” says O’Reilly, who also mentions a neighbourhood security app that residents can download for extra safety. Such positive attributes partly explain the higher-than-expected values that properties in Roseville do occasionally fetch.
O’Reilly says she recently facilitated a sale of a home for R1.6m and says another client’s property sold for about R2m three months ago. “For that price such a property would fetch maybe R3m in Pretoria East,” says O’Reilly.
The average stand in Roseville is between 1 200m² and 1 300m². O’Reilly says Roseville was originally a farm, and a property thought to be the original farmhouse is still standing on Magdalena Street. Property values here match those for Mountain View, says O’Reilly
Elrika Smith’s favourite eateries around the suburb
1 Die Wit Huis
What a nice place for breakfast or lunch. On Sundays they offer buffets. Corner 10th Avenue and Ben Swart Street, Gezina. 012 335 1601
2 Casbah Roadhouse
They’ve an extremely diverse and extensive menu, including great pizzas. 630 Steve Biko Road, Gezina. 012 335 9003
3 The Monument
I recommend this, particularly for weekends. They have lovely buffets on Sundays. Monument Street, Groenkloof. 082 780 5057
4 Mader’s Restaurant
You can pick your favourite piece of steak for them to prepare for you. There’s also an onsite bakery making pies and pastries daily. 816 Paul Kruger Street, Mayville. 012 335 9977
5 Kruger’s Pub and Grill
A great steakhouse with excellently prepared and affordably priced meals. 627 Paul Kruger Street, Eloffsdal. 012 335 3383
6 Hunter’s Grill Restaurant
Great food plus live entertainment and events. 517 De Beer Street, Wonderboom South. 083 785 1789
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