Property industry professionals attended the launch today of Henley Real Estate Centre Africa

Set against the backdrop of moderate economic activity and floundering business confidence, non-residential property fundamentals continue to struggle. This is according to property economist Erwin Rode in the latest issue of Rode’s Report on the S.A. Property Market.

There are early indications that the grade-A office market might be staging a recovery as indicated by the recent performanc of the Sandton CBD, but this belies a number of structural challenges

The overhang of residential property's 'shadow inventory' is massive and will likely weigh on market dynamics for the next 18 to 24 months, according to analysts surveyed by Auction Alliance.

Nominal house price growth more than halved last year as buyers shied away from an already expensive housing market. According to the latest Absa house price index, nominal price growth declined from 30,8% year on year in January last year to 14,7% in December.

Investors in property have had another wonderful year on the listed sector, with a total return of about 33%

Developers get a reality check while buy-to-let investors mostly manage to pip inflation - provided they bought in the right places, writes Chris Needham

The surge in listed property prices over the past few years looks likely to continue, according to the latest report from property economists Rode & Associates.

Listed property had another good run in 2004 achieving average total returns of 41%, outperforming the JSE Securities Exchange’s all-share index, bonds and cash. Those who invested in listed property via specialist unit trust funds (offered by among others Coronation, Marriott, Old Mutual and Stanlib) would have achieved similar returns. Figures from Standard & Poor’s (see unit trust pages) confirm that flexible property unit trust funds achieved total returns over the past 12 months of between 30% and 38%. The top performer in this sector was Old Mutual’s SA Quoted Property fund.

Deductions for renovations, new buildings will draw large investors, and should form part of integrated strategy, experts say.