Balwin Properties
Balwin is South Africa’s leading residential property developer of large-scale, sectional title estates with a focus on high quality, environmentally efficient and affordable apartments with an innovative lifestyle offering for residents.
Listed in the Real Estate Investment and Services sector on the JSE since 2015, and on A2X since 28 February 2023, the group is based in Johannesburg, with regional offices in Somerset West (Western Cape) and Umhlanga Ridge (KwaZulu-Natal) to service the expanding development portfolio.
Founded in 1996 by Steve Brookes, the current CEO and largest shareholder, Balwin completed its first sectional title development later that year in Johannesburg south. The first large-scale estate development was undertaken in 2007 in Johannesburg east, with the business expanding into the Western Cape in 2011, Tshwane in 2014 and KwaZulu-Natal in 2017.
Large-scale residential estates
Balwin’s residential estates are located in high-density, highgrowth areas in Johannesburg, Tshwane, the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal. Estates typically consist of between 1 000 and 3 000 sectional title residential apartments. Larger estates are developed where market demand and infrastructure requirements allow. An increasing number of larger-scale developments are being introduced into Balwin’s portfolio where the economies of scale allow for the desired affordability of the apartments.
Estates are conveniently located close to amenities including shopping centres, entertainment and leisure facilities, medical centres and schools.
Balwin estates offer secure and conveniently located, one-two-, and three-bedroom apartments designed to appeal to a wide range of home buyers and investors. Apartments include modern fitted kitchens, prepaid water and prepaid solar assisted electricity, eco-friendly fittings and appliances, and are all fibre enabled. Through its investment in green innovation, Balwin strives to provide energy security for residents, with solutions ranging from solar energy at developments which are currently in progress to the installation of generators or battery backup solutions at other developments.
Development Brands
Balwin operates a build-to-sell model, currently developing and selling approximately 2500 – 3000 sectional title residential apartments each year. Developments comprise three distinctive collections:
The Green Collection
Targeting lower income consumers than the Classic Collection, Green-branded developments have distinctive architecture and high quality standards which are synonymous with Balwin, also offering residents access to lifestyle facilities. Apartments are priced from R599 900 to R1 299 900.
Example: Greencreek
The Classic Collection
The Classic Collection is Balwin’s core development model comprising four-storey, walk-up apartments. The apartments are targeted at the country’s growing middle income market with prices ranging from R769 900 to R2 439 900 and offer secure, affordable, high quality and environmentally friendly developments with a focus on lifestyle offerings to residents
Example: The Reid
The Signature Collection
The Signature Collection comprises three developments: The Polofields and Munyaka Lifestyle Centre (both located in Waterfall City, Johannesburg) and Izinga Eco Estate (Umhlanga KwaZulu-Natal). Our signature development in the Western Cape, Paardevlei Lifestyle Estate, was sold out during the current period under review. Apartments in the Signature collection are built to higher specifications with luxurious finishes and are priced from R1 019 900 to R3 199 900.
Example: The Polofields
Lifestyle, Leisure and Lagoons
Lifestyle centres are an integral part of Balwin’s developments and offer all-inclusive value-added facilities and services. These lifestyle centres generally include a wellness spa, restaurant, gym, squash court, running track, action sports field, games room, cinema room, swimming pools, playgrounds, laundromat and concierge services. The lifestyle offering has been extended with the building of padel courts at five of the developments.
The Blyde development in Tshwane East was the first in South Africa to incorporate an innovative clearwater lagoon built in a beach setting. The second lagoon was launched at Munyaka in Waterfall, Johannesburg in March 2023.
Environmentally Sustainable Building
Sustainable building is core to the development process. All apartments are built to global environmental standards aimed at obtaining the Edge Advanced certification from the International Finance Corporation while the lifestyle centres are constructed to Six-Star Green rating and Net Zero Carbon emission standards as certified by the Green Building Council of South Africa (GBCSA). Over 21 000 apartments have received Edge certification, and the ninth Net Zero Carbon emissions certification was achieved for The Reid development (Linbro Park, Johannesburg).
The commitment to environmentally sustainable building allows for significant savings for customers through lower utility costs and reduced interest rates through green mortgage bonds developed with most major financial institutions. The lower interest rates assist in unlocking investment potential of green infrastructure technologies and services while offering value to customers through improved affordability.
Growing Annuity Revenue
Through Balwin Annuity a range of value adding products and services are offered which enhance the client experience and make living at Balwin developments more convenient and cost effective. These services generate annuity revenue and diversify the group’s sources of income.
Balwin Annuity currently has a portfolio of 11 diverse businesses, with the largest contribution to annuity revenue being from the longer established businesses of Balwin Fibre and Balwin Mortgages. Balwin Rentals currently has 215 rental apartments at Greenpark (Boksburg). The other early-stage annuity businesses, which include energy, lifestyle centre management, security and financial services, are progressing well.
International Recognition
Balwin is the proud recipient of 38 international property awards, recognising the quality of the developments and the creative design of the apartments.
In the past year the group won six categories in the Africa and Arabia Property Awards 2022–2023 and also received four awards at the International Property Awards. This includes the prestigious Best International Social Housing Award for the Greenbay development in Gordon’s Bay in the Western Cape.
Commitment to Community Investment
As an invested corporate citizen of South Africa, The Balwin Foundation supports and empowers the younger generation and previously disadvantaged people to gain greater knowledge and skills through technical education and training. Students, employees, contractors and job seekers are trained in building industry-related trades which includes bricklaying and construction entrepreneurship.
Through funds donated by Balwin from the registration of each apartment, the Foundation trained more than 1 400 previously disadvantaged individuals in the past year and funded bursaries for 15 scholars and 18 tertiary students. The water safety programme undertaken through the Foundation has reached more than 3 000 children in townships and rural areas.