Prof Francois Viruly is a well known South African property economist and professor in Property Economics, Property Investment and Property Finance.

François Viruly is a property economist with over twenty years of experience in the analysis of the South African Property market. He lectures in Urban Economics, Property Development and Portfolio Management at UCT in the School of Construction Economics and Management.

François held the position of Chief Economist at the Chamber of Mines. He was Head of Research at JHI Professional Services (valuations, research and legal services) and more recently Head of School of the School of Construction Economics and Management at Wits University.

He is a Fellow of RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors), immediate past President of the African Real Estate Society and is the Acting Chair of the Ethics in Research Committee Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment at UCT. He is also on the ARUP social and ethics board.

Professor Viruly has undertaken extensive research into the South African property cycle, the development of township commercial properties, and the application of Institutional Economics to the analysis of property markets in emerging countries. He is a non-executive director of the Orion Real Estate Group. Also acts as expert witness in property related cases.

The worst could be over for the listed property sector, which has experienced severe volatility this year, provided there are no nasty interest rate surprises in the next quarter.

The drive for transparent property valuations appears to be creating opportunities for independent private valuers.

Hands-on management, long-term commitment could deliver better yields than in northern suburbs.

High turnover of analysts prohibits continuity of quality studies, resulting in buyers making ill-informed investment decisions.

Using different methodologies leads to distrust in the investment community.

The SA Property Owners' Association (Sapoa) is demolishing industry stereotypes and installing its first woman vice-president.