Residents starting to reap the rewards of Cowies Hill Estate

In the ultimate culmination of dedication, passion and community cooperation, the residents of Cowies Hill are now starting to reap the benefits of a modern, suburban management initiative christened the "Cowies Hill Estate". It offers the residents within its secure borders the desirable features of a traditional gated community - effective, dedicated security and community upliftment - without sacrificing on the individuality that gives the neighbourhood its charm and character. Just over ten months ago, the Cowies Hill Estate Urban Improvement Precinct (UIP) model was officially launched, and the results are already telling.

Cowies Hill Estate board member, Michael Woods, confirmed that as of this article's publication, the estate initiative has completed its first phase and installed the initial hardware throughout its designated zones. This includes 36 CCTV cameras, 17 ANPR cameras, a fully operational Estate app for members, and "frictionless boom" access at the main entry points - which are online and report back to the Cowies Hill Estate control centre. In addition, there are two branded and dedicated patrol cars cruising the neighbourhoods 24/7 - ensuring a visible security presence on the streets and rapid response times if necessary. According to Woods, "the Estate is now also clearly demarcated and contained which helps to deter criminals". He adds that, besides the security aspect, in the name of community upliftment, the demarcated area is also in the process of being beautified.

The effects of these new measures are already bearing fruit for homeowners and potential purchasers looking to buy a home within the Cowies Hill neighbourhood. The members of the Cowies Hill Estate board recently released a statement with regards to these new measures: "...we believe that the model we have applied has allowed us to significantly reduce criminal activity in our estate and has placed us in an increasingly strong position to achieve our ultimate goal of becoming totally crime-free." As crime levels begin to decrease, there is a natural increase in desire among prospective homeowners to purchase properties within the safe boundaries of the estate. According to Shelley Residential, one of Cowies Hill's leading real estate agencies, this trend is beginning to yield results as they are already seeing a noticeable increase in demand for properties within this secure neighbourhood.

This will have a positive knock-on effect on the value of properties within the Cowies Hill Estate as properties are sold and go off the market. With a decrease in stock levels and an increase in demand, market conditions dictate that house prices will start to rise. This phenomenon is already beginning to play out in the Cowies Hill property market. According to Scott Allnatt, Managing Director of Shelley Residential, "We are starting to see that the security measures recently implemented are already having a positive impact on sales within the area. We've noticed an increase in enquiries from prospective buyers specifically looking to move within the Estate, and we have recently sold homes within a week or even before they went to market, at prices very close to or at the full asking price. As crime in the Estate starts to reduce, and awareness of the Estate begins to grow, we anticipate a continued increase in demand for homes within the Estate. Once the number of homes on the market starts to decrease, we will definitely see an increase in property values."

With the Cowies Hill Estate set to go from strength to strength, the future looks bright for residents. While plans are afoot for upgrades in future phases, residents are already starting to reap the rewards of an ambitious community dream becoming a reality.