Minutes of Annual General Meeting No 3 held on 4 December 2008

CROYDON VINEYARD ESTATE HOMEOWNER ASSOCIATION


Tel: (021) 843 3610
Fax: (021) 843 3609


MINUTES FOR ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING NO. 3

DATE: 4TH DECEMBER 2008
TIME: 17:00
VENUE: CROYDON VINEYARD ESTATE







ATTENDANCE PANEL ORGANIZATION

JG Bergman (In the Chair) Developer Trustee (JGB)
D Ashworth Developer Trustee (DA)
B de Sousa Developer Trustee (BdS)
C Steenkamp Homeowner Trustee (CS)
G van Ryn Exceed (GvR)
C Visser Estate Manager (CV)

ATTENDANCE FLOOR ERF

J van der Horst Developer Trustee (JvdH)
J Schooling Developer Representative (JS)
PL van der Merwe Erf 1339
E Burger Erf 1344
KT Aldum Erf 1345
EE Burger Erf 1355
Lombicore 101 cc Erf 1358
WC Rossouw & L Robertson Erf 1395
Bernard Family Trust Erf 1417
M Myburgh Erf 1418
Dr J Pieper Erf 1462
Volkel Properties Erf 1486
Verbei Dei Investments Erf 1503
Milestone Properties 15 Erf 1505
C Harris Erf 1522
Verbei Dei Investment Erf 1536
J Pheiffer Erf 1537
J & L Fullstone Erf 1546
W Bronkhorst Erven 1559 & 1560

MINUTED BY

T Tyson JBB Development Consultants (TT)


Next meeting: TBA



1. WELCOME AND INTRODUCTION

1.1. JGB welcomed all to the 3rd Annual General Meeting of the Association and apologised for the late start but confirmed that start was within the stipulated half hour proceeding.

1.2. JGB confirmed that the developer was present and represented by J Schooling and therefore a quorum was in place and the meeting could be legally constituted.

1.3. JGB introduced the panel to the floor, namely:

1.3.1. Dean Ashworth who is a Developer Trustee

1.3.2. Casper Steenkamp who is a Homeowner Trustee

1.3.3. Himself, Jan Bergman as the chairman and Developer Trustee

1.3.4. Basil de Sousa who is a Developer Trustee

1.3.5. Gerhard van Ryn who is the representative form Exceed being the Associations Auditors

1.3.6. Corius Visser as the Estate Manager

2. APOLOGIES

2.1. The apologies for non attendance to the AGM received by the Association were as follows:

2.1.1. JH Bos (Developer Trustee)

2.1.2. C Fourie (Homeowner Trustee)

2.1.3. Clive Lewis (Erf 1461)

2.1.4. John Swart (Erf 1534)

2.1.5. MC Engelbrecht (Erf 1453)

2.1.6. Naude (Erf 1572)

3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING HELD ON THE 28TH NOVEMBER 2007

3.1. Approval of the minutes of the previous Annual General meeting was proposed by John Schooling (Developer representative), seconded by Jason Parkin (Erf 1505). No objections or comments were received from the floor. Therefore the minutes were duly accepted as being correct.

4. MATTERS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES AFORESAID (ITEM 3)

4.1. The panel and floor noted no matters arising from the minutes of the previous AGM.

5. CHAIRMANS REPORT

JGB as chairman of the Trustees Committee presented his report as follows:

5.1. Administration

5.1.1. The company Exceed has successfully taken over the accounting and auditing function of the books for both the Homeowner Association and Croydon Wine Company.

5.1.2. In addition an in-house bookkeeper has been appointed to perform the bookkeeping functions for the estate as well as assist with general administration.

5.2. House Design and Construction

5.2.1. The functions of plan scrutiny and building site control have successfully been outsourced to Boland Building Control Services. This arrangement has proven to be most beneficial to the Association and its members with plans scrutinised and commented mostly within a week from submission. No negative feedback has been received from a Homeowner to date.

5.2.2. The current status is as follows.

• Plans submitted to date 32
• Plans approved 30
• Houses completed 14
• Houses under construction 4
• Families living on the estate 12, 4 of which are rentals

5.2.3. A significant increase in plan submission and construction is expected during the course of 2009.

5.3. Wineco

5.3.1. Wineco has performed well even in the adverse economic climate and all the management and staff of WINECO must be given recognition for this achievement.

5.3.2. Wineco harvested its first crop this year and will bottle the first wines early in the new year.

5.3.3. The first crop produced almost 22 000 litters of wine and the second production looks to be at the full projected capacity of 50 to 50 tons.

5.3.4. In summary WINECO is in a financially sound position in spite of the current economic climate.

5.4. Financial

5.4.1. It has been a challenging year with costs increasing dramatically.

5.4.2. An in-house house bookkeeper has been employed and together with the assistance from Exceed the accounts have been placed in good order.

5.4.3. Some members are in arrears with the payment of levies but the trustee committee is dealing with this on a case-by-case basis.

5.5. Security

5.5.1. The security company has performed well and the estate has had no breaches of security.

5.6. Lifestyle Centre

5.6.1. From January 2008 to present approximately 1300 people utilising the function room.. There has been approximately 11 homeowner functions with the balance being people from the public domain.

5.6.2. Charmain has been doubling successfully as a function coordinator in addition to her normal functions and the facility has operated very successfully.

5.7. Sales/Resales

5.7.1. The Developer have 14 erven unsold at present and even though he is not legally compelled to do so is paying levies on these erven.

5.7.2. Seeff Properties are currently contracted as the on-site sales agents and have created a regular presence in the winery and on the estate.

5.7.3. From June 2008 to date approximately 10 resale’s have been registered at the Deeds Office.

5.8. The Area

5.8.1. The Cape Town Film Studios has now commenced with the recent launch that was held on Monday, 1 December 2008. The City has already begun to spend their money and construction by the developer is expected to commence in January 2009.

5.8.2. Croydon Olive Estate is nearing completion and the developer has around 45 erven unsold.

5.8.3. De Kelderhof is in its construction phase and the construction on the first houses should commence around March 2009.

5.8.4. There are development plans issued in various states of formality available for the site on the corner of Kramat Road and the R102, as well as for the portion of Vergenoegd adjoining Kramat Road. The trustees are commenting on the application and the members of the association are also welcome to do so directly.

5.8.5. Sitari is taking some time to get off the ground but the approvals for the residential development is linked to the construction of a golf course and any changes the trustee committee has, through the attorneys, issued a pre-emptive objection to the local authority against any transfers that may be requested prior to a guarantee for the cost of constructing the golf course having been issued. The trustees are monitoring the situation. The trustees will also try and negotiate memberships and the like when the golf course goes ahead.

5.9. Trustees

5.9.1. As we are still in the development period, the trustee committee comprise 5 developer trustees and 2 homeowner trustees.

5.9.2. The trustees meet on a regular basis of at least once per month in order to deal with any issues that may arise.

5.9.3. In addition, several focus meetings are held, mostly regarding finance and architecture, on an ad-hoc basis with certain individual Trustees who then report back to the Trustee committee.

5.10. General

5.10.1. The Estate is operating at a satisfactory level and this holds promise for the stage when more members reside at Croydon Vineyard Estate.

5.10.2. Most of the issues that normally appear in the start-up phase of such developments have been resolved and most elements of the Association are now operating problem free.

5.10.3. In closing JGB thanked the trustee committee for all their time and effort they have put into the estate. In addition JGB thanked the management and the staff of the estate for the successful running of the state.

5.11. The only comment from the floor with regards to the Chairman’s report was a request to ensure that the report is put onto the estates website.

6. FINANCIALS

6.1. Presentation and adoption of the financial statements

6.1.1. Gerhard van Ryn gave a brief overview of the financial statements pointing out the following:

6.1.1.1. It was noted that the 08 financial statements are calculated on a 15 month and not a 12 month period in comparison to the 07 financial statements.

6.1.1.2. It was noted that income in the 08 (15 month period) was at 2,847,527 as opposed to the 07 (12 month period) of 1,801,749

6.1.1.3. It was noted that in the 08 15 month period expenses were 2,830,955 as opposed to the 07 12 month period of 1,721,393.

6.1.1.4. The above resulted in the association making a small profit of approximately 50,000.

6.1.2. A query with regards to the accounting fees was made and received response as follows:

6.1.2.1. Willie Bronkhorst (Erven 1559 & 1560) raised a query with regards to the substantial increase in accounting fees from the 07 financial year to the 08 financial year and felt that an amount of approximately 120,000 for accounting and bookkeeping fees is a bit excessive. He made the suggestion that an in-house person should be appointed to do the Pastel accounts and these should just be audited at the end of the year.

6.1.2.2. Ivan van der Merwe (erf 1339) agreed with the sentiments as expressed by Mr Bronkhorst in item 6.1.2.1 above.

6.1.2.3. CV explained that one of the reasons that the accounting fee appeared drastically less in the 07 financial statements was due to the fact that the previous auditors, Enslins Lindermans, had included a portion of their fees under Management fees and therefore the 07 figures under accounting fees are not a true representation of the costs.

6.1.2.4. GvR added that the fees were higher in the 08 financial year as they had to be paid an hourly rate in order to complete the bookkeeping function of the estate during the period where a suitable staff member was being appointed and this raised the cost.

6.1.2.5. JGB explained that the approximately 120,000 only equates to approximately 8,000 per month.

6.1.2.6. CV explained that currently the situation is running as WB suggested whereby they have appointed a competent person to do the estate bookkeeping as well as assist with the estate administration for R 9,000 per month.

6.1.2.7. GvR advised that the audit fee has been substantially reduced from the R 40,000 proposed by the previous financial firm to the R 20,000 charged by Exceed.

6.1.3. A query with regards to the Estate Managers fees was raised:

6.1.3.1. IvdM raised a query with regards to the costs of the Estate manager and his remuneration and queried who makes payment of his salary and who evaluates performance and the like.

6.1.3.2. JGB explained that the HOA only pays an amount of approximately R 10,000 towards the managers salary and the balance is decided and paid by the Wine Company.

6.1.4. A query with regards to landscaping fees was raised:

6.1.4.1. WB raised a query with regards to the cost of Landscaping on the estate and felt that 400,000 was too high:

6.1.4.2. CV reiterated that the financials reflect a 15 month period. CV explained that this costs include maintenance of irrigation, diesel, chemicals, labor ect and all these costs have gone up substantially from the time the last financial statements were prepared.

6.1.4.3. WB queried the laborers and how they operate. CV advised that he received 3 quotations from various parties and that the labor is outsourced but managed in house, this is done in order to minimize employees of the Association.

6.1.4.4. JGB advised WB that a true cost comparison, as stated by WB, cannot be made between the Croydon Olive Estate and the Croydon Vineyard Estate as at this stage as the majority of costs including landscaping still fall under guarantee.

6.1.4.5. Johan Pheiffer (Erf 1537) suggested that people apply their minds to the costs and stated that taking a landscaping cost of R 400,000 and dividing that by the 15 months and then the 205 erven it services comes to R130 per month which sounds reasonable.

6.1.5. WB raised a query with regards to the increase in security costs:

6.1.5.1. CV advised that there has been a substantial increase in activity on the estate due to more people residing on the estate and the increased building activity, to this end additional guards are being utilized as opposed to the first 12 months of the estate operating.

6.1.6. IvdM queried the high scrutiny fee originally paid to Van Biljon & Visser and now Boland Building Control Services:

6.1.6.1. BdS explained that this is a contract between the HOA and Boland Building Control Services, the HOA therefore pays the scrutiny fee to BCS and recoups same from the individual HO and is therefore not an actual cost to the HOA>

6.1.7. WB felt overall that costs are too high and should be brought down. IvdM advised he is concerned that the estate is run on a fixed income and therefore that leads to the impression that everything needs to be utilized.

6.1.7.1. JGB advised that costs have been compared to both Atlantic Beach and kenrock Country Estate and CVE is operating within the other estate parameters.

6.1.7.2. JP agreed that costs should be critically looked at but is also not keen on cutting costs and therefore risking the estate functionality or appearance.

6.1.7.3. JGB advised that it is also up to the members to throughout the year be involved and not just at the AGM. IvdM stated that the AGM is the only chance that the members get to comment. Emile Burger (Erf 1344) advised that he does not reside on the estate but managed to remain involved.

6.1.7.4. IvdM suggested that financial reports should be prepared once every quarter and then comparisons could be made. This suggestion was met with agreement.

6.1.7.5. EB stated that a balance should be maintained.

6.1.7.6. BdS stated that he serves as a Trustee for many estates and the worst complaints to be faced with at an AGM of an active estate is poor service delivery and residents would far rather pay more for a high standard.

6.1.7.7. CS advised that he too is involved with many estates and feels that the levy of R890 per month is a bargain.

6.1.7.8. JGB advised that the Trustees are by no means blaze about costs.

6.1.7.9. JGB advised that should any homeowner wish to be involved on a sub-committee level with regards to financial or the like they are more than welcome to do so, in addition any member is more than welcome to come to the estate and look into the financials should they so wish to do so.

6.1.7.10. It was suggested that for the next AGM the figures are presented as actual versus budget and short descriptions are provided for each. This suggestion was agreed.

6.1.8. The signing off of the financial statements was proposed by Junior van der Horst and seconded by John Schooling with no objections from the floor and therefore passed.

6.2. Levies for 2008 / 2009

6.2.1. A levy increase of 9% was proposed, bringing the levies from R930 to R1015 per month inclusive of VAT.

6.2.2. Marius Snyman (Erf 1503) advised that levies increasing on an annual basis is reasonable but queried how persons not paying levies are dealt with:

6.2.2.1. BdS advised that currently the estate is doing everything legally possible. The current procedure includes firstly the estate will contact the member and try to come to some kind of payment terms with the member, including getting them to sign a stop order for the monthly levies so they don’t fall further behind on their levy payments. If the homeowner does not attend to this then the legal process is being followed where the estate is at the end of with a few people. This includes a summons being issued which depending on the person, could lead to a sale in execution. BdS advised that in certain cases this is working and there has been a significant improvement in compliance with levy payments.

6.2.2.2. JGB advised that the estate is always protected as a condition of title is that the HOA needs to provide a consent to transfer of any erf and this they will not do without the levies being paid in full.

6.2.3. IvdM felt that the estate was in breach due to non deliverance of wine:

6.2.3.1. JGB advised that the Constitution stipulates that the wine allocation is an annual allocation and in addition that this will be made available when it is available and does not need to be distributed monthly.

6.2.3.2. CV advised and the floor confirmed that the availability of the wine was communicated with the members.

6.2.3.3. IvdM felt that the 3 month wine collection stipulation would now be unfair as there would be a substantial quantity to collect when it is next available. JGB advised that this was taken to a vote and passed at the previous AGM. The estate was having serious problems with non collection of wine with people taking 18 months to collect it which led to storage and other problems. JGB advised that should a member have a problem in collecting the wine they are requested to contact the estate directly in order to make alternative arrangements with them.

6.2.4. The increase in levies was proposed by JS and seconded by IvdM with no objections from the floor and therefore passed.

6.3. Auditor’s remuneration for the past financial year

6.3.1. The auditors remuneration for the past financial year was 22,000 exclusive of VAT.

6.3.2. JP queried the type of audit that is conducted. GvR stated that all the statutory requirements are met. Should a serious issue be picked up (of which none were) then this will be investigated.

6.3.3. No objections were revived and the auditors remuneration was passed.

6.4. Appointment of Auditors

6.4.1. Exceed was reappointed and no objections from the floor raised.

7. THE ELECTION OF TRUSTEES OTHER THAN THE DEVELOPERS REPRESENTATIVES

7.1. JGB advised that in terms of the Constitution the Developer Trustees are nominated and elected by the Developer and will remain the same as last year as follows:

7.1.1. Jan Bergman

7.1.2. Basil de Sousa

7.1.3. John Bos

7.1.4. Dean Ashworth

7.1.5. Junior van der Horst

7.2. JGB advised that in terms of the constitution the Homeowner Trustees are supposed to be nominated by the Developer and appointed at the AGM however should anyone from the floor wish to nominate or be nominated the Trustee Committee was more than happy to put the nominations to a vote.

7.2.1. No nominations from the floor were made and therefore the nominations from the developer namely, Casper Fourie, Casper Steenkamp, MC Engelbrecht and Jason Parkin were put to a vote.

7.2.2. Casper Steenkamp and Jason Parkin were voted in as the homeowner representatives unanimously.

8. TO CONSIDER AND, IF DEEMED FIT, PASS WITH OR WITHOUT MODIFICATION THE PROPOSED GENERAL RESOLUTION NO1 AND SPECIAL RESOLUTION NO 1

8.1. JGB advised that General Resolution 1 is not technically required in terms of the constitution but has however been submitted and that the delay in the holding of the AGM was due to finalisation of the accounts. No objections were received from the floor and was therefore passed.

8.2. JGB advised that Special Resolution 1 was required as the erf numbers of the vineyard erven were erroneously omitted when preparing the constitution. No objections to the amendment was received from the floor and was therefore passed.

8.3. JGB advised that Special Resolution 2 was required due to a typographical error. No objections were received from the floor and was therefore passed.

9. GENERAL

9.1. JGB requested that all members confirm their contact details with the estate as they are unable to ascertain as to weather or not notices, news, ect are being received by the members.

9.2. JP requested that penalty levies in terms of the commencement of construction be looked into:

9.2.1. JP put to the committee the fact that he purchased for investment purposes and the current economic climate was not foreseen at the time. He further stated that he feels let down by the developer as he was not aware at the time that an opposition estate would be erected on the adjacent property by the same developer.

9.2.2. Several suggestions were put forward by the floor including:

9.2.2.1. Penalty levy deferment

9.2.2.2. Penalty levy waiver for a fixed period of time.

9.2.3. JGB advised that the legal implications of the above would mean the following:

9.2.3.1. The constitution would need to be amended and therefore a Special General meeting would need to be called for as amendments of the constitution does not fall within the Trustees power. This would require attendance by 51% of the members of the association who are legible for voting and a 75% majority to vote for the amendment of those in attendance.

9.2.3.2. JP raised concern with regards to non attendance of members to the Special meeting looking at the small outcome at the AGM. JGB responded in saying that this is a decision to be made by the members and should attendance be poor then penalty levies are deemed of little importance to the members.

9.2.3.3. The suggestion of giving a member from the floor the contact details of the other members in order for them to lobby responses was rejected due to privacy policies.

9.2.3.4. JGB advised that the Trustees do have the power to defer payment or make payment arrangements of the penalty levies. And the Trustee committees current opinion is that they are happy to meet with individuals on a case by case basis in order to discuss the possibilities as mentioned above.

9.2.3.5. A concern was raised by a member of the floor with regards to members entitled to vote as this would affect the voting of the resolutions. CV advised that currently people behind on their levies and therefore not entitled to vote only equates to approximately 10% of members and therefore should not affect it greatly.

9.2.4. Members for the penalty waiver were of the following opinions:

9.2.4.1. A member from the floor stated that the current economic slump was not anticipated and are sitting with a 2 year investment that has not as yet shown growth.

9.2.4.2. Juan Hammond (Erf 1503) stated that he feels that a penalty levy will scare away possible investors and he supports the penalty levy waiver.

9.2.4.3. A member from the floor felt that penalty levies would result in more foreclosures.

9.2.5. Members against the penalty waiver were of the following opinions:

9.2.5.1. JGB stated that he feels it would be unfair on the members who have already gone to the expense of building to waiver the penalty levies.

9.2.5.2. CS requested that the members for the penalty waiver think it through carefully as the plots and houses on the estate will have a higher value if more properties are built.

9.2.6. Developer position:

9.2.6.1. JGB, as a developer Trustee, stated that at the end of the day the estate belongs to the members and should a Special General Meeting be called for the developer would abstain from using its casting vote, however will reserve the right to cast votes on the 14 unsold erven. In addition the developer will also not utilise its casting vote for the calling or attendance of the Special General Meeting.

9.2.7. Outcome & General Comments:

9.2.7.1. It was suggested, and agreed to, that the following course of action is followed:

9.2.7.1.1. The developer together with the HOA will draft a few resolutions in this regard with various stipulations such as signing of stop orders for normal levies, landscaping of erven ect for circulation to all members of the association.

9.2.7.1.2. The members can peruse and put forward suggestions in this regard. Once all suggestions have been received the resolutions can be sent out with a notice for the Special General Meeting.

9.2.7.1.3. Members can either then vote by proxy or in person at the Special General Meeting.

9.2.7.1.4. Should the resolution to waiver penalty levies not be passed the Trustee committee will still be open to looking into individual cases with regards to payment terms.

9.2.7.1.5. Levies for the upcoming year are calculated taking into account the profit received by the Association in the previous financial year. Should the payment of penalty levies result in a profit for the association this could result in a reduction of levies in the following financial year.

9.3. A member from the floor queried the high scrutiny fee and feels it is too high as he approached the estate and asked advise on who to appoint as they would know the design manual. He was of the opinion that the scrutiny fee should be less for someone going with an architect suggested by the estate.

9.3.1. JGB advised that this is a question of cost and he should therefore approach the Trustee Committee in this regard.

10. CLOSE

10.1. JGB thanked all for attending and called a close to the AGM.

10.2. A member from the floor thanked the developer for its independence.

10.3. A member form the floor and the Trustee committee thanked the Estate Manager and staff of the estate for their work throughout the year and complimented them on the operations thereof.

On show during the festive season

CROYDON VINEYARD ESTATE ON SHOW DURING FESTIVE SEASON
Contact resident Seeff agent to view!
Gerhard van Deventer
076 590 7758

Albert Gerber
084 464 6003

Agents on duty over the festive season

Just a reminder that the Gerhard van Deventer's tel nr. has changed:
076 590 7758

The sales force has been running big ON SHOW weekends aimed at the holiday makers and the locals.

The idea is to give as much exposure as possible to the estate, and you can view a copy of the ad (as PDF) by contacting the agents and youR feedback would be much appreciated.

Keep in mind this runs along with the normal office hours on site too.

Blog back next week: the blog writer is away

Notice of AGM for home owners association 4 December 2008 at 17:00

Home owners will also have been emailed this information plus the financial statements for the year ending 2008, plus the budget for the year ending 2009. If you have not received these (your email might have changed) for any other reason please contact the Winery 021 843 3610 in order for them to get copies to you. The budgets and financial statements are not published on the blog.

Home owners are reminded that each property has one vote and that members can only vote if their levies are up to date.

CROYDON VINEYARD ESTATE HOME OWNERS ASSOCIATION

NOTICE AND AGENDA FOR ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

Owners are advised that the Annual General Meeting of the Croydon Vineyard Estate Home Owners Association will be held on 4 December 2008 at the Croydon Winery at 17:00. Please arrive slightly earlier to register.

AGENDA

The agenda for the meeting is as follows:

1. Welcome.

2. Apologies.

3. Approval of Minutes of Annual General Meeting held on the 28 November 2007 (page 2-6)

4. Matters arising from the Minutes aforesaid.

5. Chairman’s Report.

6. Financial matters:

6.1 Presentation and adoption of financial statements.

6.2 Levies for 2008 / 2009.

6.3 Auditor’s remuneration for the past financial year.

6.4 Appointment of Auditors.

7. The election of Trustees other than the Developer’s representatives.

8. To consider and, if deemed fit, pass with or without modification the proposed General Resolution No. 1 and Special Resolution No. 1. (Page 7)

9. General.

10. Close.



MINUTES OF AGM YEAR ENDING 2007

Minutes from the AGM held on 28 November 2007

MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF THE CROYDON VINEYARD ESTATE HOME OWNERS ASSOCIATION HELD AT CROYDON WINERY ON 28 NOVEMBER 2007

In attendance:

(refer to attendance register held at winery)

Trustees:

M Voortman (in the chair)

C J Fourie

B de Sousa

C Steenkamp

Apologies:

J Bos

J Elan-Puttick

D Erasmus

J Hill

R Lange

L van Niekerk

J van der Horst

By invitation:

C Visser

Secretarial:

W H Lowe


1. Welcome.

The chairman declared at a quorum was present and that the meeting was properly constituted. Mr de Sousa confirmed that meeting was able to consider and pass a special resolution. The chairman noted that the developer was personally present and that no proxies had been received. He noted for the meeting that the AGM was being held later than required due to a proposed change in the financial year end which would be part of the later business of the meeting.

2. Matters arising and approval of minutes of the Annual General Meeting held on 22 March 2006.

The chairman reported that the proposed use of treated effluent for irrigation was still a possibility but that it was not being used presently. In reply to a question from Mr Volkel the chairman said that the irrigation water came from the Eerstrerivier.

Mr Bergman proposed the adoption of the minutes and this was seconded by Mr Volkel and the minutes were duly adopted.

3. Chairman’s report for the year ending February 2007.

The chairman reported on the affairs of the Association over the past 20 months and made the following points:

• The accounting firm Enslins Lindemanns had resigned and that the finances and administration was being restructured to occur in-house with a proposed book keeper commencing work in December 2007.
• Building plan approval and housing supervision had been contracted out to Boland Building Control Services. To date 17 house plans had been submitted, 11 had been approved, 3 houses were complete and 8 were under construction.
• The Croydon Wine Company has performed well and supported the cash flow of the association due to outstanding levies, a situation which has been largely rectified. The wine company was recording a small loss for tax avoidance reasons due to the diligent treatment of stock, the result being that the wine company was cash positive. The chairman complimented the wine maker on his astute bottling procedures. The first harvest was soon and it was expected that profitability would improve further as will quality.
• The Association had a gross profit for the period of R 82 512. Cash flow had improved although it was noted that profitability required a levy increase.
• Security was in place and functional and ready to meet the demands of additional residents to the Estate.
• The lifestyle centre was hosting an event every weekend.
• A proposal had been received for the operation of an on site estate sales office and this proposal would be considered by the incoming trustees and normal operations by estate agents that were accredited were continuing. The developer still retained ownership of 17 stands which are not actively being marketed. It was noted that more residents than investors could be expected from the second tier purchasers.



4. Financial matters:

4.1 Presentation and adoption of financial statements FYE February 2007

The representative from the auditing firm tabled the accounts and indicated that there were no qualifications to the accounts. There was a change to Page 7 of the accounts whereby “Current assets” would include a stock item of R 42 040 which would represent inventory. He also mentioned that common property had been transferred to the Association at zero value.

4.2 Levies for 2007/2008

It was proposed that the levies be increased by 9,5% over the previous budget would had been set in 2003-2004 which was an effective 4,7% annual increase. The chairman stated that the budgets reflect a realistic financial scenario and that the trustees were confident that the budgets were satisfactory. The budget was proposed by Mr Bergman and seconded by Mr Steenkamp and duly adopted.

4.3 Auditor’s remuneration for the past financial year

It was noted by the meeting that the remuneration would be R20 000 excl VAT. In reply to a question from Mr Volke it was confirmed that the auditors were changing because they had resigned.

4.4 Appointment of auditors

It was noted by the meeting that the firm Exceed had been appointed as auditors for the next year.

5. Election of trustees other than the developer’s representatives.

The chairman advised that in terms of the constitution, the developer nominees would remain in office save with the retirement of Messrs van Niekerk and Voortman and that they would be replaced by Messrs Ashworth and Bergman. It was further noted that no other nominees had been received for the position of the owner members, and that the existing owner members had agreed to remain as trustees for another year.

The meeting resolved therefore that the trustees for the next year would be: D Ashworth, J Bergman, J Bos, B de Sousa, C Fourie, C Steenkamp and J van der Horst. In reply to a question from the floor it was noted that the chairman is elected from amongst the trustees themselves in a separate meeting.

6. General Resolution No 1

The chairman introduced General Resolution No 1 as follows:

Members are furthermore requested to consider and, if deemed fit, to pass with or without modification, the following resolutions:




GENERAL RESOLUTION NO: 1

RESOLVED THAT:

The members condone that this Annual General Meeting takes place more than 3 (Three) months after the financial year end of the Association, being the end of February 2007.

The resolution was passed unopposed.

SPECIAL RESOLUTION NO: 1

RESOLVED THAT:

The HOA Constitution be amended in accordance with the Summary of Proposed Amendments to the Home Owners’ Association Constitution annexed in the notice of meeting and marked “A” and recorded below.

SUMMARY OF PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE CROYDON VINEYARD ESTATE HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION CONSTITUTION

1. Clause 6 amendments:

Terms: Deletion of the existing clause and the substitution thereof with the following:

“The Financial Year End of the Association is the end of May of each year, or such other date as the Trustees may decide.”

Effect: This amendment will result in the financial year end for 2007 / 2008 being at the end of February 2008 so as to co-incide with the financial year end of Croydon Winery, and further provision is made that the Trustees can in future decide, if needs be, whether or not to change the financial year end without having to obtain a Special Resolution in this regard.

Reason: So that the financial year end of the HOA runs parallel to the financial year end of Croydon Winery, which in turn corresponds with the financial year end of the wine industry.

2. Clause 12.2 amendments:

Terms: By inserting the following clause at the end of the existing clause:

“Each Member’s entitlement to the wine as aforesaid is subject to the condition that the Member is not in arrears with levies due to the Association and as such, for every month that the Member is in arrears with his levies, he shall not be entitled to receive wine for that month. Furthermore, wine shall be stored by the Company for a maximum of 3 (Three) months only and accordingly, should a Member fail to collect his wine from the Croydon Winery, alternatively arrange for the delivery thereof and make prepayment of the delivery charges, such Member’s wine shall be forfeited to the Company at no cost.”

Effect: Members who are in arrears with their levies or who do not collect their wine or arrange for same to be collected within a 3 (Three) month period, will not be entitled to the wine.

Reason: The storing, production and bottling of wine is done at a cost and as such, persons who have not paid the levies which are due should not be entitled to such benefits. In addition, the storage facilities at Croydon Winery are at a minimum and therefore it is essential that owners either collect their wine or make pre-payment for such wine to be delivered to an address of their choice.

3. Clause 32.1 amendments:

Terms: By the insertion of the words “or by telefax or email”.

Effect: This will allow the Association to now give notice, in addition to notice sent by registered mail or delivered by hand, by way of telefax or email.

Reason: This will make the giving of notice less expensive and more effective.

4. Clause 32.3 amendments:

Terms: By inserting the words “and any notice given by telefax or email shall be deemed to have been received by 16h00 on the first business day following the day of transmission thereof”.

Effect: Is to amplify the provisions of Clause 32.1.

Reason: To amplify the provisions of Clause 32.1.

The special resolution was passed unopposed.

7. General

The chairman introduced the general item and tabled the following:

7.1 An objection to the time of the meeting has been received from Mr J Hill. The chairman explained that the time of 17:00 was not generally felt to be unreasonable and there was no comment from the meeting. The chairman explained that the other issue raised in his letter would be passed to the Croydon Wine Company for attention as it was not related to the business of the meeting.

7.2 The chairman pointed out that there were plans for the development of Vergenoegd and Spier and that owners might want to register as an Interested and Affected Party and receive the opportunity to comment. HE confirmed that the developer and the association would comment on these proposals too. Ms Aldum added that the words WINE could be used on the websites of the Vergenoedg project for access passwords and codes.

7.3 Mr Volkel asked about the development of Kelderhof. It was explained that this township was approved prior to the promulgation of the Land Use Planning Ordinance (LUPO) and that it was sold out.

There being no further business the chairman declared the meeting closed.
RESOLUTIONS

GENERAL RESOLUTION NO: 1

RESOLVED THAT:

The members condone that this Annual General Meeting takes place more than 3 (Three) months after the financial year end of the Association, being the end of May 2008.

SPECIAL RESOLUTION NO: 1

RESOLVED THAT:

The Constitution of the Croydon Vineyard Estate Home Owners Association be amended in accordance with the summary below:

FIRST AMENDMENT

Clause 2.1.8: "Croydon Winery" means the Vineyards, Olive Groves and Winery to be established on Erven

Be amended as follows: “Croydon Winery" means the Vineyards, Olive Groves and Winery to be established on Erven 1408, 1347, 1407, 1499, 1440, 1459, 1517, 1558.”

Reason: specify erven numbers on which the vineyard, olive groves and winery have been established to describe property more accurately.

SECOND AMENDMENT

Clause 37.2: “It is further recorded that a Shared Services Agreement is to be concluded between the Estate and Croydon Vineyard Estate in terms of which the Estate shall be entitled to the use of the infrastructure supply systems, including but limited to water, electricity and reclaimed effluent, for the purpose of its (Croydon Olive Estate) members, the cost whereof shall be for the account of Croydon Olive Estate. Furthermore, in terms of the Shared Services Agreement, Croydon Vineyard Estate will be allowed to utilize certain stormwater drainage and detention systems which are located on Croydon Olive Estate, the cost whereof shall be for the account of Croydon Vineyard Estate.”

Be amended as follows: “It is further recorded that a Shared Services Agreement is to be concluded between the Croydon Olive Estate and Croydon Vineyard Estate in terms of which the Croydon Olive Estate shall be entitled to the use of the infrastructure supply systems, including but limited to water, electricity and reclaimed effluent, for the purpose of its (Croydon Olive Estate) members, the cost whereof shall be for the account of Croydon Olive Estate. Furthermore, in terms of the Shared Services Agreement, Croydon Vineyard Estate will be allowed to utilize certain stormwater drainage and detention systems which are located on Croydon Olive Estate, the cost whereof shall be for the account of Croydon Vineyard Estate.”

Reason: Properly describes the agreement by correcting a typographical error in the description of the Shared Services Agreement between the Croydon Vineyard Estate and Croydon Olive Estate.

FORM OF PROXY


For use by members of the Association at an Annual General Meeting of members of the Association to be held at 17h00 on 4 December 2008 (“the AGM”).


I/We being the registered owner(s) of _______________ Erf/Erven in the

Estate and accordingly entitled to ___________ vote(s), appoint :


1. or failing him,

2. or failing him,

3. the chairperson of the general meeting,

as my/our proxy to act for me/us and on my/our behalf at the AGM which will be held, inter alia, for the purpose of considering, and if deemed fit, passing, with or without modification, any resolution/s to be proposed thereat and at any adjournment thereof; and to vote for and/or against the resolution/s and/or abstain from voting in respect of the number of votes that I/we hold.



NUMBER OF VOTES

FOR AGAINST ABSTAIN




SIGNED at on 2008.

Spring time at Croydon

Spring time at Croydon

Spring time at Croydon

Zoom in on Croydon Vineyard Estate.
Walk around Croydon Vineyard Estate and take a closer look. These are some of the jewels you might spot.
They vary from flowers, raindrops, the new grapes, bugs, baby plovers, swallows.

Supplied by Resident Seeff Agent.

Croydon featured in WINE Magazine

Croydon was featured in the September 2008 editionof WINE Magazine. Here is the full text of the article and you can also read it online here:
http://www.winemag.co.za/content/online/lifestyle/singlepage.asp?in=1360

WINELANDS RESIDENTIAL ESTATES

ZONING OUT

Wineland residential estates have risen fast in the popularity stakes – but are they good for the wine industry? And can the good times continue for developers? Jackie Cameron investigates.

Meander through the winelands these days and you are likely to notice as many sale boards advertising property developments as you are signposts alerting you to cellars open for tasting. Golf course homes, equestrian complexes, residential villages and other so-called “lifestyle” estates all vie for the attention of well-heeled passers-by with money to spend on pricey real estate.

Not so long ago, Franschhoek was a sleepy collection of quaint Huguenot-style heritage buildings. Now grand entrances to upmarket residential-cum-wine-farming estates like La Ferme Chantelle and Domaine des Anges signal your arrival in the fashionable restaurant town. And other wineland towns and suburbs haven’t gone unscathed by the trend. From Durbanville in Cape Town’s bustling northern suburbs to the wind-scrubbed edges of Bot River near coastal town Hermanus, developers have staked their claim to land with a view to reparcelling it for gated estate living.

Some watchers worry that the strenuous pace of urbanisation is not good for us or the environment. Inge Kotze of the Biodiversity & Wine Initiative, a partnership between the wine industry and the conservation sector, says her organisation is among those “very concerned” about high-density properties being developed on high-yield agricultural soil. “Agricultural expansion is being pushed out to marginal areas and that means they need to use lots more chemicals and fertilisers to get the same yield, which in turn is detrimental to the environment,” she says.

POLITICS AND PROPERTY
Some of the other points under debate in green circles include the extent to which property developments might be replacing vineyards. Some detractors believe the long-term character of the farming districts, a magnet for foreign and domestic tourists, is at stake, not to mention the country’s future agricultural requirements.

Others see the profit imperatives of developers and investors as getting in the way of political objectives like land redistribution. Remarks Liezl Wales of the nongovernment Women on Farms Project: “Land wanted for emerging farmers is being sold off for housing estates, as is the case in Rawsonville.”

Government is way behind on its redistribution goals, with only about 7% of land transferred nationally. The target is 30% of white-owned land, she says. But Western Cape real estate is pricey, especially in the winelands, and R20 million upwards not an unusual asking price for a medium-sized farm. As a result, she says it is just not possible to buy such agricultural land for farmers from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Black economic empowerment players, meanwhile, have accessed winelands property with greater ease, thanks no doubt to their deep pockets. For example, a subsidiary of Tokyo Sexwale’s Mvelaphanda Holdings recently snapped up Bloemendal Estate in Durbanville for a whopping R105 million.

UNLOCKING CAPITAL
Not everyone thinks the mushrooming residential property complexes are a bad thing. As André Morgenthal of Wines of South Africa, the organisation for export-oriented wine farmers, points out, property developments carefully handled can help producers tremendously. “It is such a competitive market that land-owners may need to diversify. The fact of the matter is a wine farm is profitable only to the extent that it provides a very nice lifestyle. It is usually not a cash-flush business, as everything is tied up in land and bottles,” he says.

Also not to be underestimated is South Africa’s place in the world relative to other wine-producing regions. China already has 450 000 hectares under vine, reckon some, while SA has little over 100 000ha – and must still compete for global palates with Australia, France, Italy, the United States and other nations. Is the land available for vineyards getting smaller due to property developments? “I don’t think so,” says Morgenthal. “The researchers tell us we don’t have much scope to expand our vineyard coverage.”

He adds that some property developments, particularly those that attract the holidaymaker, help promote a destination. “There is a fine balance between development, wine growing, tourism and economic viability.”

CHI CHI WINE LABELS
In the light of this, then, are wine-producing estates competing with wine farmers in an already packed market? No, says property developer Wayne Lowe of JBB Properties, which is behind the Croydon Vineyard Residential Estate as well as the Croydon Olive Estate. Top cellarmaster Beyers Truter is responsible for quality control from that particular vineyard, but Lowe insists this is more about ensuring that the farm produces “real” wine as opposed to “plonk”, rather than for serious profit motives. The Beyers Truter brand has huge appeal – and value – for those who invest in the estate. “The amount of wine we are producing won’t be significant: about 5 000 cases,” says Lowe.

Although the wine farm element will be handed over to property investors when it is solvent, the idea is to help fulfil owners’ aspirations of making their own wine. Lowe makes the point that the farm was created “from scratch”. The development wasn’t agricultural but zoned residential, with vineyards subsequently planted on it.

The same applies to many similar developments. Monte Levin, co-principal of Pam Golding Properties in Franschhoek, points out that only one or two small wine estates have been used for residential property. As for the rest in the town, it has been a case of “the look is vineyard”. He explains: “It is the romance of the vineyard. People like the open feeling of vineyards but with controlled access. I don’t think we’ll see much more in Franschhoek because we don’t have the land. And very few wineland residential developments are actually on wine farms.”

SHREWD PROPERTY MOVES
One farmer who has turned the property boom to huge advantage in the sector is Kobus Basson. A former commercial lawyer, Basson was one of three developers who got De Zalze Winelands Golf Estate – a hugely popular and prestigious residential development outside Stellenbosch – off the ground. Then he used the profits to enhance the volumes and quality of his wines at Kleine Zalze, now one of South Africa’s bigger wine exporters with a particularly strong segment of the market in countries like Sweden and the UK.

Basson achieved his business goals while adhering to a strict environmentally friendly approach. De Zalze Winelands Golf Estate, which combines vineyards and golfing fairways, resulted from the amalgamation of three farms, of which two were working wine farms (Kleine and Groote Zalze).

Arable land was increased by more than 30% to 120ha, including shifting vast quantities of topsoil from land not suited to agriculture (now the golf course) to land on which grapes or olives could be planted. “We moved almost a metre of soil from the golf course area and worked it back into 8ha of productive land,” says Basson.

Instead of fertilizers and chemicals, Kleine Zalze planted grain, corn and wheat and ploughed it back into the earth to provide the necessary nutrients. Indigenous plants were returned to the ground. Today, the number of bird species in the area has doubled and creatures like the rare grysbok still live in bushy enclaves on the estate.

Other wine farmers may be tempted to follow Basson’s lead. As he says, there is a need for wine farmers to be able to unlock capital in order to upgrade facilities and generally boost business. There is, however, a proviso for Basson: it must be managed in a way that does not allow things to be “messed up”.

A TRICKY BUSINESS
So far, so good on that front. According to town planners and environmental consultants, it is actually very difficult to get the nod of approval from the various layers of local and provincial government for a residential property development in an agricultural area. Exact figures on the number of lifestyle residential estates in wine-growing areas are not available; anecdotally, there aren’t as many as the hype around them might lead us to believe. And people object more now than they did in the past.

Says town planning specialist Jan Janse van Rensburg, director of TV3 Architects and Town Planners in Stellenbosch: “It is very challenging to get developments off the ground. Every year it gets more complicated. There is more legislation and people are more green-conscious.”

To illustrate just how difficult it can be, he says there are two developments that have been in the pipeline for 12 and 19 years respectively. “It’s not a quick buck.”

Janse van Rensburg and others in the business of providing services to developers in general are “definitely” feeling a big residential slow-down. “You still get the luxury developments, but they are a small proportion and not necessarily affected by interest rates.”

PRICEY PROPERTY
Property price figures for about 50 low-density estates in the Paarl-Franschhoek-Stellenbosch-Somerset West area sourced by Lightstone Risk Management bear testimony to the commercial success of these developments.

An average current price of R4.4 million is confirmed at a number of wineland estates – including De Zalze – by Deeds Office data. That’s up from just under R3 million in 2005. While property volumes around the country are down dramatically since the start of the year, and the Lightstone figures suggest that this is also the case for wineland developments, business has not ground to a halt. Andrew Watt of Lightstone says he is “surprised” at how long demand has persisted in this segment, given the tightening credit conditions. As many of these estates have a “vacation” or second-home element, one would have thought cash-strapped South Africans would lose their appetite for them quickly.

Developers like Lowe remain optimistic that these properties will remain sought-after. “We have a burgeoning black middle class buying existing stock and people who want to make a lifestyle change,” is his reasoning.

For Basson, the attractions of living in a relaxed, secure, country-style environment are unlikely to wane. He sums it up like this: “The next step is heaven.”

Some spectacular views from living in Croydon Vineyard Estate! Compiled by Resident Seeff Agent.

Some spectacular views from living in Croydon Vineyard Estate! Compiled by Resident Seeff Agent.

Some spectacular views from living in Croydon Vineyard Estate! Compiled by Resident Seeff Agent.

Cape Town Film Studios: Croydon's newest neighbours

Anant Singh, Chairman of Cape Town Film Studios has announced the management team that will drive operations of the eagerly anticipated film studios. Nico Dekker, the former head and CEO of Table Mountain Motion Picture Studios, has been appointed CEO of Cape Town Film Studios and will be assisted by experienced general manager and deputy, Rashay Magan.

Singh said Cape Town Film Studios was fortunate to acquire Dekker’s services as he is South Africa’s most successful studio manager to date. “His extensive experience in managing a profitable studio will be invaluable as we get underway with Phase 1 of the multi-million rand Cape Town Film Studios”.

Commenting on his appointment, enthusiastic Dekker says, “I learnt a lot about what works and what doesn’t under difficult circumstances whilst developing and running Table Mountain Motion Picture Studios and I believe I can add considerable value in my new role here.”

“This is a 10-year, multi-million rand project that has no equal in South Africa – it is the greatest investment in the South African film industry to date. This is not simply about building studios – it’s about establishing a home for film in South Africa that will benefit everyone. Our vision is for Cape Town Film Studios to be the bridge between the South African and the international film industry. Through active partnerships, we envisage bringing productions into the country that couldn’t previously be accommodated, as well as unlocking financial opportunities that were not available in the past,” he said.

Cape Town Film Studios are the first custom-built, Hollywood-style studios in South Africa’s history. The ownership structure of the studios is made up of a formidable team of shareholders including Videovision Entertainment (Anant Singh), Sabido Investments / etv (Marcel Golding), the Rico Trust, the Helderberg African Chamber of Commerce and Wesgro, the Western Cape’s investment and trade promotion agency.

Other new members of the Cape Town Film Studios team appointed include Fadiel Martin as Accountant and Diana-Jane Weaver as Administrator and PA.

As the management team settles in, Phase 1 of construction is already well underway. Foundations at the site in Faure have already been laid in preparation for the commencement of work on the main building in late October 2008. Phase 1 is valued at a quarter of a billion rand and includes four stages of varying sizes (1 x 2100m2, 1 x 1200m2 and 2 x 1850m2), plus production offices of 1,500m2 and workshop space in excess of 2,800m2. This first phase is scheduled for completion during the first quarter of 2010.

The tender for the construction of the internal boulevard has been awarded while the winning tender for the supply of civil engineering services will be announced soon. Tender information is available online at www.capetownfilmstudios.co.za.

In preparation for the construction of the studio buildings, earthworks of approximately 180,000m³ of filling material was used during June, July and August to create building platforms and berms. A portion of the earthworks originated on-site – recycled earth - while the rest was imported from commercial sand mines located close to the site.

“Cape Town Film Studios is unique to South Africa because it will be a part of a mixed-use film city that includes commercial and light industrial spaces. We have taken Pinewood Studios in the United Kingdom as one of the models for a self-sufficient, fully-integrated ‘film city’. The industry in the Western Cape is going from strength to strength. Not only has a new local television station been launched but we continue to attract top-notch productions each year. We compare very favourably with the likes of Miami, Buenos Aires and Atlanta,” says Singh.

Singh also announced that a waiting list for future property owners and tenants has been opened and emphasised that CTFS will strive to achieve the tenant mix that is best-suited to meet the demands of the industry and of the productions that use the studios.

“This will truly be an all-encompassing, one-stop production centre that offers the possibility to do business and live with the stars,” confirms Dekker. “It is an exciting time to be based in the Western Cape if you work in the movie industry. As they say in the classics: ‘You ain’t seen nothing yet!’”

Any party wishing to express their interests in either:
• property purchases, or
• becoming involved in establishing a business on the studio site, or
• renting premises, or
• the use of the studios for production purposes
should contact the Cape Town Film Studios Office at: 021 462 1838 or email enquiries to: nico@capetownfilmstudios.co.za.

Log onto the CTFS website at www.capetownfilmstudio.co.za for more information.

Update of development of Spier South Bank

Click here to read the update on the environmental process underway for the proposed Spier South Bank development. The summary of this notice indicates that the developer has decided to explore alternative sites and that the Interested and Affected Parties will be notified in due course of this.

This means that the home owners association will be kept informed of the status of this development and make respresentations in the association's interest when possible.

More spring pictures!

A new day dawns at Croydon Vineyard Estate

Spring is in the air here at the beautiful Croydon Vineyard Estate. Even though there is still a cold chill in the air, the promise of a spectacular spring and summer is already unfolding. From the golden sunrise over the Helderberg Mountains with sparkling diamond-like dewdrops on the new buds to the glorious sunset over Table Mountain, owners can enjoy the promise of a new harvest.




The short outlook for the owners at Croydon Vineyard Estate will look like this …

September: Drive through the estate and you will see the budding Pinotage. The Malbec will follow shortly.
October – November: Removing access buds and blossoms assuring that the strong branches produce even better quality grapes. Owners will be invites to join in the event and learn more about their wines.
(Provided by onsite winemaker: Corius Visser)

Drive through our boutique estate and you will notice the new buds, with Watsonia all over the place and the trees starting to show off their new lease on life.

We are all aware of the loads of rain, but this holds a promise of a green summer with all our dams to a 100% capacity. This also holds some award winning blended promise for Croydon Vineyard Estate as the new harvest forms in the veins of the vines. Soon the co-owners of this signature estate will start to see the blossoms on their vines. This 33.3ha farm on the outskirts of Somerset West produces about 70 tons of grapes and about 60 000 bottles of quality Cape blends called Title Deed and Covenant. Title Deed is the blend owners receive as part of their levy.

As you drive through our estate the birdlife will catch your eye. The red bishop-birds are all over the estate showing off their spring colours. If you’re lucky enough, you will spot the resident barn owl above the entrance to the main building. Spend some time out in the gardens and you will see the blacksmith plovers and crowned plovers defending their nests and eggs from crows. We would all agree that the sunbirds drinking from the new flowers bring in that extra touch of colour and a smile to the face. I, in particular, am spoiled with the nest of a dusky flycatcher outside the living room window. The 4 babies were bold and well.. constantly hungry. To add to this list you will find the beautiful fish eagle circling over the estate’s dam.

There are currently 15 completed houses on the estate with another 8 plans approved for new dwellings. The estate offers 205 stands and all the signs are out there that this is the new hot spot considering what the estate has to offer. The exciting news for potential buyers is that there are some really good deals around with spectacular stands and prime houses for sale.

The estate has it own design guidelines in the Cape venacular and all houses are single storey but with room for a loft. All houses overlook a vineyard or green belt. With the boom in the rental market this might be the best place to invest and buy to build to let.

So what is the advice to potential buyers?

With the interest rate much more stable the advice is to buy now as good deals will get less and less as property owners ride the storm out and this will again push prices up. Buy now, smile later – SMART MOVE!!!

For more information regarding this wine lands estate you can visit our onsite Seeff office or contact the Resident Seeff Agent.

Compiled by Gerhard van Deventer (082 374 9036) Gerhard@seeff.com or visit our blog at www.croydonvineyard.blogspot.com

And lunch enjoyed by all

Pruning Day!

Spring is nearly here!


This description of Pruning Day was brought to you by Gerhard van Deventer of Seeff Properties who are running the on site sales and rental office from the Winery. They are on site daily to service your sales and rental needs. Thanks to everyone that attended!

9 August 2008, Women’s day, but also the day that the co-owners of the Croydon Vineyard Estate could share in the start of the 2009 harvest. The owners are invited on a regular basis to participate in the activities of the farm. This forms an integral part of the culture here at Croydon Vineyard Estate.

It is said that “a day without sunshine is a dark day indeed”. At Croydon Vineyard Estate we create the day and add meaning by inviting the owners to prune their own vineyards along with master winemaker Beyers Truter and Corius Visser. We had the perfect day to spend outdoors, and where better than in your own vineyard on your own estate. The idea was to tell the owners why the vines need to be pruned, and then, to teach them how to prune them to get the best harvest.

The day started with a welcome glass of champagne. Each of those present was given a pair of pruning shears and joined the master in the vineyards. After a short but very specific lesson the owners were given a few vines to prune, all under the watchful eye of Beyers himself. Some got the hang of it very quickly while others, with mum, dad and the kids took a little longer as each and everyone wanted to join in. The experience proved to be relaxing and a great deal of fun for the whole family. When you get going you can become very involved in the process! Later the “team” had to be persuaded to leave the vineyards with a firm invitation to lunch and a reward of a VERY strong, sweet wine for their labours, but let’s leave that there!

The Croydon Estate has a fully fledged Lifestyle Centre with its very own gym and pool. It is here that the owners participated in a feast fit for a king with tables full of delights from our own farm kitchen. All this accompanied by nothing more fitting than a glass of red wine from your own estate and music by the very talented Melanie. The owners were invited to taste the latest harvest and to write their comments down. These varied with some who found the wine to be of subtle texture and others finding too much wood. Some disagreed to a greater or lesser extent but all reflected in the wonderful occasion and agreed that perfection was within their grasp. Surely this is the life!

At the end of a meaningful and eventful day the owners wandered home with a song of joy on their lips and an inner peace in their hearts.

This is a beautiful secure Estate with wonderful walks and acres of space. We are within easy reach of all amenities with quick access to all major roads. You too could become part of our world and an owner of the unique experience that living at the Croydon Vineyard Estate offers.

For more enquiries on this elite wine farm contact Gerhard van Deventer on 082 374 9036 (gerhard@seeff.com) or Albert Gerber on 084 464 6003 (albert@seeff.com)