People from Johannesburg often say, that when looking for a house in the city, "Location is Key". This is genuinely true. The location of your home makes a huge difference between a good standard of living and bad. Many years back, I regularly commuted between Pietermaritzburg and Durban and didnt struggle. In Johannesburg, driving from A to B is tiring. The main reason is the regular stopping and starting in traffic jams and accidents. When we first moved here, we decided from a strategic perspective that we would seek a home in Greenside/Emmarentia. These areas were historically majority White but in recent years has seen a massive movement of Indian Muslims moving in. Most of these people used to reside in the suburbs of Mayfair and Lenasia and have moved in primarily because it is an upmarket neighbourhood (you dont see a lot of riff raffs and beggars)situated close to the Sandton and Johannesburg CBD's and surrounded by good schools, shopping centres (the Zone and Cresta), parks, a dam and a golf course. Our reasoning for wanting to and moving into this area conformed with the majority.
Muslim people tend to move in the following sequence. A few families move in, a Mosque gets built and finally Muslims arrive en masse causing the overall property price to increase by anything between 500-1000%. This same sequence was observed in Robertsham, Mayfair, Greenside, Emmarentia, Sandton but most recently Northcliff following the building of a Mosque.
From a geographical perspective Emmarentia and Greenside is located in the municipal area of Randburg, and despite having common streets are seperated by Barry Hertzog Avenue which acts like the Mason Dixon Line in the USA, seperating the Rich North(Emmarentia) from the Poor South (Greenside). The main difference between these two areas is that Emmarentia has bigger plots coupled with high society status. Other than that you get smart and shit looking houses in both. There are 4 main areas in the neighbourhood.
We have the Greenside Mosque which is technically in Emmarentia frequented by Muslims, "Las Vegas" situated on Greenway and Gleneagles Road in Greenside frequented mainly by Non Muslims, the Indian shopping district on Barry Hertzog which has many of the amenities one would find in Fordsburg/Mayfair for example, a Pakistani Hairdresser charging 10 bucks more than their comrades in Fordsburg, a Chinese Massage Parlour, Jimmys, Adegas, Mochachoes and I see recently, the Upper Crust/3Guys Bakery from Mayfair opened a branch albeit extremely expensive and lastly the Checkers on Barry Hertzog which is the "Rainbow Nation" district frequented by all different race groups and cultures.
To get a home in this neighbourhood is not easy, it took us 6 years to finally get a decent place due to the following realities: People want their grandfathers price, If you see something below R 2 Mil, you are buying total shit and may need to spend another 500-1 Mil fixing it up to your liking and secondly, the principle of "If you snooze you lose" applies, there are hundreds of people behind you wanting to buy. If you see something nice within you budget, you dont have much time to sit on you ass and think. I must have lost out on at least 5-10 houses just because I wanted a week or so to think and to do some homework.
First Impressions
Moving into Greenside, was somewhat of a culture shock when we first moved in. Greenside, trully is Green. There are trees all over and people appear to take good care of their gardens and parks. You also see a lot of people jogging and walking with their dogs. Another observation, is that people tend to take offense if you ask a Greensider if hes from Emmarentia and vice versa.
Secondly, one coudnt help but notice the fancy cars that people drive. To date I have seen many Feraris, Lamboghinis and other fancy cars passing my home on a regular basis.
Thirdly, unlike Robertsham and Mayfair, one does not hear any Adhaan(Muslim Call To Prayer). Due to the multicultural nature of the neighbourhood, the Adhaan is recited only in the Mosque without the use of a
loudspeaker. On this basis, one would need to invest in a Bilal Radio which brings the Mosque into your house so to speak.
Fourthly, was our neighbours. Before we were surrounded by Indians, who knew everything that went on in your house. People often joked that if you farted in one end of Mayfair or Robertsham, people on the other end would here it. I remember once coming home when my neighbour called me asking for some scones. I was like Wft. When I reached home the wife had scones on the table. Now most of our neighbours are of a different race group and are very independant to a point of being very lonely.
Overall
Overall, we moved to this neighbourhood to enjoy a greater quality of life. To get to the Johannesburg and Sandton CBD's does not take a long time and secondly my kids will be attending better quality schools than what is available in the South. From a quality of life perspective, I am definately in a better place. Despite having many of the ammenities I used to enjoy in Mayfair and Fordsburg, the main thing I miss are the humble, talk any kind of shit people I used to encounter in Mayfair, Fordsburg and Robertsham. I will miss you.
From a geographical perspective Emmarentia and Greenside is located in the municipal area of Randburg, and despite having common streets are seperated by Barry Hertzog Avenue which acts like the Mason Dixon Line in the USA, seperating the Rich North(Emmarentia) from the Poor South (Greenside). The main difference between these two areas is that Emmarentia has bigger plots coupled with high society status. Other than that you get smart and shit looking houses in both. There are 4 main areas in the neighbourhood.
We have the Greenside Mosque which is technically in Emmarentia frequented by Muslims, "Las Vegas" situated on Greenway and Gleneagles Road in Greenside frequented mainly by Non Muslims, the Indian shopping district on Barry Hertzog which has many of the amenities one would find in Fordsburg/Mayfair for example, a Pakistani Hairdresser charging 10 bucks more than their comrades in Fordsburg, a Chinese Massage Parlour, Jimmys, Adegas, Mochachoes and I see recently, the Upper Crust/3Guys Bakery from Mayfair opened a branch albeit extremely expensive and lastly the Checkers on Barry Hertzog which is the "Rainbow Nation" district frequented by all different race groups and cultures.
To get a home in this neighbourhood is not easy, it took us 6 years to finally get a decent place due to the following realities: People want their grandfathers price, If you see something below R 2 Mil, you are buying total shit and may need to spend another 500-1 Mil fixing it up to your liking and secondly, the principle of "If you snooze you lose" applies, there are hundreds of people behind you wanting to buy. If you see something nice within you budget, you dont have much time to sit on you ass and think. I must have lost out on at least 5-10 houses just because I wanted a week or so to think and to do some homework.
First Impressions
Moving into Greenside, was somewhat of a culture shock when we first moved in. Greenside, trully is Green. There are trees all over and people appear to take good care of their gardens and parks. You also see a lot of people jogging and walking with their dogs. Another observation, is that people tend to take offense if you ask a Greensider if hes from Emmarentia and vice versa.
Secondly, one coudnt help but notice the fancy cars that people drive. To date I have seen many Feraris, Lamboghinis and other fancy cars passing my home on a regular basis.
Thirdly, unlike Robertsham and Mayfair, one does not hear any Adhaan(Muslim Call To Prayer). Due to the multicultural nature of the neighbourhood, the Adhaan is recited only in the Mosque without the use of a
loudspeaker. On this basis, one would need to invest in a Bilal Radio which brings the Mosque into your house so to speak.
Fourthly, was our neighbours. Before we were surrounded by Indians, who knew everything that went on in your house. People often joked that if you farted in one end of Mayfair or Robertsham, people on the other end would here it. I remember once coming home when my neighbour called me asking for some scones. I was like Wft. When I reached home the wife had scones on the table. Now most of our neighbours are of a different race group and are very independant to a point of being very lonely.
Overall
Overall, we moved to this neighbourhood to enjoy a greater quality of life. To get to the Johannesburg and Sandton CBD's does not take a long time and secondly my kids will be attending better quality schools than what is available in the South. From a quality of life perspective, I am definately in a better place. Despite having many of the ammenities I used to enjoy in Mayfair and Fordsburg, the main thing I miss are the humble, talk any kind of shit people I used to encounter in Mayfair, Fordsburg and Robertsham. I will miss you.