One of the more positive signs of the property market in 2013 is that banks started to ease their lending criteria.

Growth in the property market will come from smaller offices and sectional title offices

The multi-billion Rand Time Square development in the east of Pretoria – which will include a five star hotel and casino – is drawing negative feedback from the public, including a group of 22 residents' associations, known collectively as the Joint Action Group.

It appears that industrial property developers are looking at developing smaller properties –certainly in the greater Irene area –and this became evident at the pre-launch of the latest industrial development in Irene, The Rietvlei Corporate and Industrial Estate.

After becoming the first office park to install an open-access dark fibre network three years ago, Route 21 Corporate Park, the R2 billion office park development near Irene, has now moved into phase two.

Tenants are taking advantage of perennially high office vacancies to negotiate favourable long-term leases at low and in some cases, zero escalating rates on rentals

Following the successful launch of one of the first boutique office parks in the greater Irene area, Quattro Fontane, the next phase of Irene Land Corporation's successful commercial and industrial developments is now in pre-launch phase.

Abacus Divisions reports that, after a slow start to the year, it sold seven stands – worth R25 million – in the Irene area.

So it’s official, serviced offices are in vogue. Together with a rise in demand for furnished offices, serviced offices are emerging as a product paying its way in a new austerity driven market.

2013 is set to be a year when disaster recovery will be a principle feather in the cap of office parks wanting to add value to their office space products. This trend is scoring big business among leaders in the field.