Property│Spotlight on Charlo
The name Charlo is derived from the first four letters of his first name and the first two letters of his surname.
The suburb is known for its treelined streets and spacious homes with large gardens. Its peaceful atmosphere contributes to its appeal.
“Charlo is a quiet and relaxed suburb,” says resident Hayley Egling. “You often see children playing in gardens or in the open spaces. It’s a family-oriented neighbourhood.”
Charlo offers freestanding houses and townhouse complexes and the area is generally affordable, attracting a wide variety of people.
Its proximity to shopping centres such as Walmer Park, Moffett Retail Park, 17th Quarter, Moffett on Main and the Fig Tree complex – all of which boast shops, restaurants and chain stores – also makes the area sought-after.
Apart from all the benefits of living in Charlo, Hayley loves her home. “We love that Charlo has nice, big, flat erven. Our home has a big garden, allowing lots of space for future plans and for our children to play. There are spacious living areas and lots of room for entertaining, with a nice flow from inside to outdoor entertainment areas.
“We’ve completed some renovations to open up some of the living areas, which I think many people do.”
Resident Mel Morgan has lived in Charlo for three years and says the biggest drawcards for her were her pool and garden.
“I also love my fireplace in the winter,” she says. Other houses in the area have a similar setup and feel.
“Our type of home is standard for the area and our next-door neighbour’s house is almost an exact replica of ours,” Mel says.
While traffic has increased since they moved in, Charlo is generally a quiet family-friendly neighbourhood. “There are always people jogging, cycling and walking dogs,” she says.
Hayley says many traffic-calming measures have been put in place since they first moved in and security in the area has improved.
“I feel that the Atlas patrols have increased over the years, which helps us feel more protected.”
Charlo is connected to the main attractions of Port Elizabeth by the William Moffett Expressway and Main Road, Walmer, making it ideal for those wanting to take a drive to the beach or to entertainment venues such as The Boardwalk.
There are also many things to do without having to drive anywhere.
According to Mel, the Italian Club always has something happening, whether it’s Pilates, dance classes or the Achilles running club which meets there during the week, and there are plenty of events there on weekends.
“The park on Angela Avenue is my favourite. We love to walk our dogs there while our children play on the playground equipment. I love to run or drive along Margery Avenue and see all the wild bunnies that live along the railway tracks coming out to sun themselves on the grass verge,” says Mel.
Charlo residents have a fair choice of schools, with Charlo Primary and Walmer West Primary just a short drive away. A little further, but less than a five-minute drive away, you can find the Theodor Herzl Schools (pre-primary, primary and high schools) as well as DF Malherbe High School, which is next to Walmer Park Shopping Centre. All of these schools offer excellent education and extracurricular activities.
Property Prices
The median asking price for a typical property in this suburb such as a three-bedroomed house is R1,16 million.
You could expect to pay around R850 000 for a property in a complex, R800000 for an apartment and around R1.12 million for a house.
Most of the stock is in houses, which only one in 10 properties a flat. Around a quarter of the properties in Charlo are in a complex.
As far as rentals are concerned, the average monthly rental for a three-bedroomed house is in the region of R9 000. For a townhouse you can expect to pay around R7 500 per month and around R6 000 for a flat.
Eat out
The Rose Garden at Floradale Nurseries in Circular Drive: for a relaxing brunch
Eagle Ridge Spur: for family-friendly meals
Cafe Dulce, Wimpy, Mugg and Bean, Cafe Capellini and Woolworths Cafe at Walmer Park Shopping Centre: for a pleasant stop while shopping
Where to shop
Walmer Park Shopping Centre is within easy reach of Charlo, has movies and a variety of stores Moffett on Main Lifestyle Centre has great decor shops, as well as clothing, arts and indoor entertainment Youtopia Health and Wellness Centre in Circular Drive is the ideal place to unwind and offers a variety of beauty and body treatments
What to do
Kidz Play Park at Windsor is ideal for birthday parties or for an outing with the little ones
The nearby Walmer Country Club has beautiful surroundings and a challenging golf course
Beans with Wings off Circular Drive, previously occupied by The Pink Fig, is a hub of entertainment for the kids.
