The latest interest rate hike has prompted potential investors to take a further closer look at debt levels among South African listed real estate companies, says Craig Ewin, head of listed real estate at Old Mutual Investment Group Property Investments

Cape Town - Habitat Property Investments, a residential property income fund, was going ahead with its intended listing on the JSE Securities Exchange, Anton Botha, the managing director of Catalyst Property Asset Managers, the manager of Habitat, said on Friday.

PROPERTY loan stock company Shops For Africa said yesterday that it would wind up its activities and delist this year.

The impressive levels of growth in the listed property sector have fuelled a belief that listed property is more accessible, more liquid and more easily traded than direct property.

Habitat Property Investments, South Africa’s first residential property income fund which is set for a JSE listing shortly, has acquired the Academia student complex in Stellenbosch for R29,6 million from Syfin Properties (Pty) Ltd.

Pundits say commercial property sector is getting stronger, more sustainable and less risky

Residential property can be expected to deliver better investment returns than listed commercial property over the next five years, says Harry Boonzaaier, a director of Catalyst Property Asset Managers.

South Africa’s first residential property income fund is on track for a JSE listing in the coming months.

SHOPS for Africa, a listed property loan stock company on the JSE Securities Exchange SA, said at the weekend it had acquired a major share in Sammy Marks' Square, a shopping centre located alongside the State Theatre in the Pretoria central business district.

Shops for Africa, the focused retail property company that listed in the JSE property loan stock sector in July 2001, is aiming to more than treble the value of its portfolio to R1-billion.