In recent years, lifestyle estates have become a prominent feature in both the
rural and urban areas of South Africa. This research report argues and
demonstrates that there has been an evolution of lifestyle estates in South Africa
catalysed by private property developer’s concerns about the financial viability of
these developments. The result has been the development of new types of
lifestyle estates such as wildlife, country and eco-estates that do not include a
golf course component. These new types of lifestyle estates are shown to be
both more financially viable and environmentally sustainable than the original golf
estate model that previously dominated the lifestyle estate sector in South Africa.
The study comprises three main case studies, which include interviews with a
property developer, estate agents and estate managers. The study also includes
interviews with national financial institutions, to indicate that the findings by and
large typify national lifestyle estate development trends.