XOLILE BHENGU

XOLILE BHENGU

South African property owners will from today be able to network and exchange ideas on trends and global developments affecting the local property sector.

Sector leaders and experts will attend the three-day annual Investment Property Databank and South African Property Owners Association Property Investment Conference at the Cape Town International Convention Centre.

The conference will give commercial, industrial and residential property owners a preview of how trends and decisions made this year will affect their property investments next year.

The theme of this year's conference is "South Africa in the global context".

Some of the international speakers expected are the World Bank's Hans Timmer and World Green Building former chief executive Huston Eubank.

Local speakers include Wits University professor Francois Viruly; Old Mutual Investment Group-listed property executive Colin Young and the Financial Mail's property editor, Ian Fife.

Hallowes said: "The global real estate market is massive. Though returns have been good in South Africa, there is a huge scope for South African companies to look abroad for diversification opportunities in the developed world."