BALWIN PROPERTIES SIGNS EXLUSIVITY AGREEMENT WITH CRYSTAL LAGOONS IN SOUTH AFRICA

JSE listed Balwin Properties, a South African developer that cares about environmentally responsible building practices and the delivery of high-quality apartments to its valued clients, announced the signing of an exclusivity agreement with Crystal Lagoons® to develop private access fresh water lagoons in five strategic nodes across the country, namely in Johannesburg, Pretoria, KwaZulu-Natal, the Western Cape and Nelspruit.

Steve Brookes, founder and CEO of Balwin Properties, commented: “Balwin Properties has always been differentiated by its innovative approach to creating quality lifestyle developments for our clients. We developed the first Crystal Lagoons amenity in South Africa at The Blyde and the support from the public for this concept has been simply overwhelming.

“The conclusion of this exclusivity agreement allows us to guarantee the quality and roll-out of similar developments in the future, cementing our partnership with Crystal Lagoons.”

The crystalline lagoon at The Blyde in Pretoria East spans 4 acres (approximately two rugby fields) and uses water saving technology to minimize wastage while using a minimum amount of additives and energy. Strong support from prospective homeowners – largely as a result of the unique Crystal Lagoons amenity, saw sales outstripping the national average of approximately 30 units per month.

Crystal Lagoons Regional Director for Africa, Alastair Sinclair, also emphasizes “the increase in price generated by the clear turquoise lagoons, as is the case for The Blyde, has been exceptional.”

The real-estate market rewarded this innovative concept by generating Balwin Properties’ best sales numbers to date registered during 2018 – 2019. Additionally, The Blyde won the International Property Awards 2019-2020 for “Best Leisure Architecture South Africa,” “Leisure Development South Africa” and “Best Leisure Architecture Africa”.

“We are very excited about the way Crystal Lagoons will offer beach life and will change sectional title housing in South Africa. Our next Crystal Lagoons development will be significantly larger than the first, offering a host of new innovative lifestyle amenities,” concluded Brookes.

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In Onikisubat, Turkey, the Public Access Lagoons™ project by Crystal Lagoons, which has the largest lagoon in Europe, is garnering worldwide attention as the venue for a significant expo and summit on healthy lifestyles, green economies, sustainable living, education, and innovation.

The event promotes cooperation and knowledge exchange among countries regarding an environmentally respectful and sensitive culture within cities.

The Mayor of Onikisubat, Hanefi Mahçiçek, emphasized the significance of this development as the most prominent setting for the event due to its environmental characteristics. He also noted that the PAL™ development is part of the urban plan to transform the city into a model and modern district.

Indeed, one of the attributes of this project, in partnership with the local municipality, is the sustainability of Crystal Lagoons® technology and its contribution to urban public entertainment, setting a new standard with high social impact.

This Expo 2023 features the participation of over 24 countries and is expected to draw more than 2 million visitors worldwide. The exhibition encourages cooperation and knowledge exchange among countries on healthy lifestyles, green economies, sustainable living, education, and innovation.

The sustainability of Crystal Lagoons® technology, which has received multiple global awards, has been certified by Bureau Veritas for its low water and energy consumption. Another noteworthy feature is that it uses any type of water: fresh, seawater, or brackish. It uses up to 100 times fewer chemicals than a traditional pool and can reduce the carbon footprint in the tourism and transportation sector by over 40%.In Turkey, Crystal Lagoons is also in advanced negotiations to develop PAL® projects in several country cities. These complexes provide access to crystalline lagoons and white sandy beaches for anyone through the purchase of a ticket, delivering a tropical paradise experience amid the city. Around the lagoon are spaces for fairs, launches, food halls, weddings, hotels, shops, restaurants, and concerts on multiple stages, terraces, domes, and amphitheaters.

Crystal Lagoons has completed a significant expansion in Australia. The multinational innovation company has signed an important contract with investment fund Vibranium Capital Partners to develop 16 new Public Access Lagoons™ projects, also known as PAL™ developments, in Australia. Additionally, the agreement considers the possibility of entering with ten additional projects in other countries in Oceania and Southeast Asia.

Australian cities have been ranked among the best in the world because of their geographical richness and nature. Through this contract, cities like Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, Perth, Brisbane, and the Gold Coast will have large crystalline lagoons suitable for swimming and water sports, surrounded by white sand beaches. These complexes contribute new beach hubs, catering to the Australian lifestyle where aquatic activities and entertainment are prioritized.

While these cities are located close to the coast, the projects of Crystal Lagoons will develop second and safer shorelines. They will provide additional tourist infrastructure to the natural beaches that enable people to swim and practice water sports securely, free from the sea risks in that area.

The partner in this contract is an Australian investment fund with operations in Oceania, the Americas, and Asia, with more than 30 years of experience and an investment portfolio of US$4 billion. The firm’s interest in the PAL™ model is to expand its strategic partnerships and real estate development opportunities in key markets.

 

What to expect

Like all public access projects of Crystal Lagoons, the centerpiece is a crystalline lagoon, which can be accessed via ticketed entry. The PAL™ complexes also incorporate restaurants, multifamily areas, hotels, retail, beach clubs, etc.

Australians love the water and outdoor life. However, as with many tourist destinations worldwide, coastal edges are highly developed, and land is expensive. PAL™ developments offer a successful and sustainable alternative to developing beach and recreational infrastructure in inland areas, giving a larger part of the population access to these recreational spaces,” said Alastair Sinclair, Regional Director of Crystal Lagoons.

“We look forward to leveraging our experience under this partnership and the potential of Crystal Lagoons® concepts and technology, particularly in Australia. We will now focus on building partnerships with strategic investors, developers, and landowners in each of the territories to bring these projects to fruition,” added a Vibranium Capital Partners spokesperson.

Dive into our PAL™ projects and enjoy a new stream of possibilities here! 

Since expanding to the United States, the success of Crystal Lagoons has not stopped. Their developments have always been at the forefront of real estate sales rankings in the country. This is the case with their first project, Epperson in Florida, to the newest ones, Mirada and Sunterra in Florida and Texas.

This is again confirmed by the 2023 real estate ranking by RCLCO, one of the USA’s leading real estate consulting firms, recently released. In it, five projects of Crystal Lagoons are among the top 50 top-selling master-planned communities in the country. These include Sunterra, Sierra Vista, Windsong Ranch in Texas, and Mirada and Epperson in Florida.

All of them have a crystalline lagoon as a central piece. Sunterra was the best-selling development in Texas, with a 49% increase. Mirada, which features the largest artificial lagoon in the country, grew 59% in sales, being the project of Crystal Lagoons with the greatest dynamism.

Within RCLCO’s rankings, developments with crystalline lagoons are always among the best sellers. Crystalline lagoons impact the speed of sale and price, generating an advantage over the competition.

According to the consultancy, the success and added value of the lagoons are because amenities like these are among the most sought after by families in this country. These bodies of water allow for water sports, beach life, outdoor activities, and access to nature, benefits that buyers increasingly value.

“Artificial lagoons are a cross-cutting sales driver confirmed in various rankings in all their versions, such as RCLCO and the John Burns Real Estate Consulting ranking. That’s why the United States is the world’s main market for Crystal Lagoons, with more than 275 projects in different stages of development and negotiation,” explains Ivan Manzur, Senior VP of Sales at Crystal Lagoons US Corp.

This success reflects how the Crystal Lagoons® concept and technology, patented worldwide, has become the world’s top amenity, changing the landscape and creating a unique environment of turquoise waters and white sandy beaches.

 

RCLCO, Real Estate Advisors

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