Old Mutual Properties has offered to buy the entire business of Durban-based property group Marriott Holdings in a deal that could be worth up to R500m .

The Allan Gray Property Fund (Grayprop) makes it into the Morgan Stanley Capital International Global Index (MSCI) - suggesting the South African listed property sector is a viable proposition for overseas investors. With Angelique de Rauville from Investec

Listed property loan stock company ApexHi Properties' acquisition of Prima Property Trust's portfolio will help consolidate the listed property sector

Listed property fund ApexHi Properties has made an offer to acquire the property portfolio owned by Prima Property Trust for R1-bn.

The commercial property market and the listed property sector enjoyed a period of exceptionally strong growth last year. So what are the prospects for foreign companies wanting a slice of the rich pie?

Resilient Property Income Fund is planning to put together another listed property fund with exposure to retail properties in rural areas and parts of Africa.

Listed Prima Property Trust, a property unit trust, has managed to increase its liquidity significantly for the year to April, with 42% of its weighted average of units in issue being traded during the period.

The general market view is that listed property loan stock company Hyprop Investments’ hostile takeover bid for SA Retail Properties will succeed.

Property group Marriott upped the ante yesterday in its bid to protect SA Retail, which it manages, from a hostile takeover by Hyprop Investments.

Durban-based Marriott and its four listed funds - SA Retail, Martprop, Ambit and Oryx - are the most vulnerable in the sector to the predations of their peers