GAUTENG

Johannesburg's southern industrial nodes have experienced relatively steady levels of activity over the past year, especially along the M2 motorway in an eastwards direction, although brokers report that rentals have generally remained static. Some evidence of sales activity is emerging, especially since interest rates have started to decrease.

GAUTENG

In a bid to gain insight into the real retail market in the Johannesburg CBD, JHI undertook a combined consumer/ retailer survey in early 1999. The project aimed to probe attitudes and opinions about the node, especially in the light of city-wide concern that the CBD is sinking into urban decay.

GAUTENG

Perhaps the major news currently in the market about the Johannesburg CBD is the sale of the Carlton Centre to Transnet for use, inter alia, as its new corporate headquarters. This move is expected to bring several thousand office workers into the area, which should have positive spin-offs for adjacent and nearby retail facilities.

The South African commercial and industrial property market has faced a tough macro-economic climate for the past two years, with nominal interest rates peaking at 25,5%. The significant slowdown in property-related activity has been much discussed in recent months, but the outlook is increasingly positive.

The information available to the State on its fixed assets has come a long way since 1994 when incomplete and disjointed property information was contained in a roomful of brown files,

Parastatal will handle R120bn portfolio

Consultants in Association, the consortium that won the public works contract to set up a property asset management framework, says it will tread carefully so as not to undermine government's social responsibilities.

Walking the tightrope between financial and social returns

BROOKLYN Mall in Pretoria attracted a record 265000 vehicles during December, vindicating the decision that it will be the only property in the original Richway portfolio not to be sold.

'Rich Man, then Poor Man'