The beach is open on this private island - but it doesn't come cheap

Feeling cramped under lockdown? Why not buy your own island home in Knysna, complete with bridge and seahorses?

Those with a few million rand to burn — R19.9m to be exact — might wish to consider a level 2 lockdown life on Num Num within the Thesen Islands “archipelago”.

It has its own beach, two private jetties and a state-of-the-art home overlooking the Western Cape estuary.

The property is one of six private islands within the 20-year-old Thesen Islands development, a residential marina that is also home to the endangered Knysna seahorse.

“This island is right in the centre [of the development],” Sue Abernethy from Remax Properties told TimesLIVE. “The house itself is immaculate and beautifully kept. The current owner has owned it since 2003.”

Home features include rooms with stacking glass doors opening on to decks overlooking the water, underfloor heating, and a self-contained flat.

The property has its own causeway linking it to the rest of the development and its amenities, among them tennis courts, a putting course and a “harbour town” with shops and restaurants.

Scientists studying the endangered Knysna seahorse recently discovered the species uses the Thesen Islands man-made marina walls as a habitat.

Remax is also offering something a little more upmarket, for those with quite a few more millions to spare: a R150m Cape Town home with touchscreen-operated shutters, lighting and air-conditioning.

The 2,000m² home in Fresnaye has four garages, a fully equipped gym and a sauna.

Interested buyers for whom these price tags are a bit hefty can at least take heart from recent surveys that suggest luxury mansion prices may sell at significantly less than the asking price — by about 40% at the top end of the market.

Analysts predict an overall 5% drop in average house prices across the spectrum, mainly because of Covid-19.

TimesLIVE