The first Annual Top Property Conference will take place at Melrose Arch in Johannesburg on Wednesday, 7 and Thursday, 8 June 2006.  The two-day event is the first of this size and stature, and promises to be the annual definitive property investment experience.  The MC will be well-known business and media personality Michelle McLean.

The conference is aimed at executives, opinion leaders as well as local and foreign property investors and entrepreneurs.

The media partners for the conference are eProp and Commercial and Industrial Property News.  The organiser is Top Conference and Events.  The proceedings will begin at 8 am on both days.

Topics to be addressed by expert industry speakers include a comparison between property and other investment vehicles, the outlook for the commercial and industrial property markets, a guide on how to structure your own mixed-use property development, the international rise of the listed property fund, sectional title hotel ownership, fractional ownership, inner city rejuvenation projects, and the changing roles of valuation and property management.

One of the highlights of this event will be a focus on foreign land ownership by Christine Qunta (panellist, Foreign Ownership of Land) as well as Elna Moolman and Gina Schoeman (Senior Economist and Home Loans Product Developer, respectively, at Standard Bank).

The panel is considering a moratorium on the sale of land to foreigners, while acknowledging the need for foreign direct investment in SA.  Moolman and Schoeman will present their own research on international practice in restricting foreign land ownership.  What makes their work especially interesting is the links between specific limitations and the motives of the countries imposing such restrictions.

The speakers confirmed for the event include Arnold Meyer (CEO, Broll Property Group), Nomonde Mapetla (CEO, Estate Agency Affairs Board), Mike Flax (CEO, Spearhead Properties), Andy Tondi (Chairman of the Property Charter Steering Committee), Dawie Roodt (Chief Economist, Efficient Group), Godfrey Timber (Conveyancing Director, STRB Attorneys), Rael Levitt (CEO, Auction Alliance), Brian Singer (CEO, The Singer Group), and John Loos (Property Economist, FNB).

According to the Event Manager, Marjorie Salaam, “it is high time that South Africa’s favourite asset class gets an annual event of this stature, one that covers as many bases, given the returns we have seen over the past few years.”