The Sunday Mail
Talk of the Town with Kimberly Mhembere
A new trend has hit Zimbabwe’s urban areas and it is slowly spreading to many of the country’s tourist resorts.
It seems people have become so smitten with grand homes.
Known for their exclusivity, style and comfort, these luxurious apartments, or grand homes, have been on the rise.
They are similar to upmarket housing estates found in South Africa and the United States of America.
Such properties are suitable for diplomats, corporate executives and the rich.
Currently, they are mostly located in low-density suburbs such as Newlands, Greencroft and Greendale.
In most cases, they are closed to the outside world, as they have their own schools, healthcare services and other facilities.
But what attracts people to such properties?
“It’s the convenience of the inner city living and a pacified, posh area, which is away from pickpocketing and harassment,” said one tenant.
The grand homes are usually either four- or three-bedroom apartments.
“The need to stay close to your working place and the convenience of local shopping and entertainment options is what really attracted me,” explained another tenant.
A new private residential estate in Greendale stands out for such grand homes.
It has its own gym, clubhouse, sauna and other amenities.
There are shared paved access roads that are illuminated by solar-powered streetlamps.
Interiors at the three estates are largely open plan on the ground floor with the kitchen, dining room and lounge.
Kitchens have top-of-the-range appliances for convenience and a touch of luxury, and the open-plan spaces lead out to private secluded gardens.
There is a separate exterior door leading from the ground floor service area so that domestic staff can have their own entryway without disturbing residents.
Scullery and laundry areas are separate from the main kitchen and entertaining areas.
Not leaving one of the most important aspects – the bathroom!
They have high-end, low-maintenance finishes, and the bedrooms have built-in wardrobes for storage.
All these projects have balconies for outdoor living.
These residential suites offer amenities, CCTV, high security, electric security and solar lights.
To add icing to the cake, one has to have a deep pocket as these housing areas, as mentioned earlier, cater for the elite.
These are the new houses satisfying emerging, expensive tastes.
