Carey Neal Wakefields Property Professional

14/10/2026

Joburg's first skyscraper is up for sale!

Corner House, completed in 1903 in the heart of the C*D, has hit the market for R117 million. This nine-storey landmark features imported Bela-Bela stone cladding and stands as an iconic piece of South African financial history.

Urban Ocean previously redeveloped the building through adaptive reuse, creating a mixed-use precinct that blends ground-floor retail with commercial offices and residential apartments.

The incoming buyer now faces a very interesting choice for the upper floors, and each path creates a distinct commercial outcome.

Doubling down on the existing mixed-use model offers a defensive, steady cash flow. Spreading tenancy across retail, office, and residential units buffers the owner against downturns in any single sector, though it comes with standard rental caps and requires active, multi-tenant property management.

Converting those upper floors into a luxury boutique hotel is a much higher-yield play. It capitalises on the building's historic charm to command premium room rates, but demands substantial upfront capital for hospitality retrofits while exposing the business to broader tourism cycles and city perception.

The decision will more than likely come down to whether the buyer prefers multi-tenant stability or wants to make a high-conviction play on inner-city tourism.

What would you do with this building?
Copied off Linkedin RealNet site

13/10/2026

13/10/2026

TO THE CLASS OF 2026 🎓

You've put in the hours, made the memories and worked towards this moment. Now it's time to give it your all!

As you head into your final exams, remember to believe in yourself, stay focused and be proud of how far you've come.

From all of us at Wakefields, we wish you every success as you take this exciting next step towards your future.

Good luck, Matrics! Your future awaits! 💛

12/10/2026

South Africa’s 60-plus population is expanding at more than double the overall national rate, and that demographic growth is starting to reshape regional housing demand.

Interprovincial migration data estimates that roughly 281,000 people moved into KwaZulu-Natal over the past five years, mainly from Gauteng and the Eastern Cape. While employment drives most of that general migration, Property Practitioners and developers are seeing a distinct, lifestyle-led shift within that broader pool.

The more significant change may be in the timing of the decision. Buyers in their early 60s are choosing to relocate while they are still healthy and independent, rather than waiting for a health crisis to dictate their options later in life.

Cost of living plays a big role in that decision. While luxury North Coast developments pull headlines, inland nodes like Howick and Hilton, alongside parts of the South Coast, offer a compelling mix of relative affordability, solid medical care, and quick flight access back to children in Gauteng.

This is shifting demand from isolated care facilities toward secure, lock-and-go communities built for an active 20-year lifestyle, with access to care structured for when needs change down the line.

Longer term, this trend could ripple into other markets. If more 60-plus homeowners relocate from the major Gauteng metros, it could help free up long-held family housing stock and bring fresh inventory back to the market for younger buyers.

A steady influx of Gauteng capital into smaller inland nodes supports local businesses and property values, but it could also gradually create affordability friction for younger local buyers trying to get a foothold in those same towns.

Ultimately, South Africa’s 60-plus population is choosing to pick their next home while they still have plenty of energy to actually enjoy it. And across the broader property market, we might all be better off for it.
Copied off LinkedIn

12/10/2026

🏡 Fewer applications. Stronger buyers. Continued lender support.
September’s home loan market remains resilient, with first-time buyers continuing to play an important role.

Read the full article: https://www.multinet.co.za/2026/10/09/september-showed-a-resilient-home-loan-market/

09/10/2026

08/10/2026

Household finances held up better than expected in the second quarter, despite the fuel price shock and rate hikes in May and again in September. Whether that resilience lasts into year-end matters for anyone watching bond approvals and arrears.

08/10/2026

D

07/10/2026

WHAT IS OCCUPATIONAL RENT?

Buying or selling a property? You may come across the term occupational rent but what does it actually mean?

Simply put, occupational rent is the amount paid when someone occupies a property before transfer is officially registered.

For example, if you buy a home and move in before the transfer is registered, you would typically pay occupational rent to the seller for the period you occupy the property. Likewise, if the seller remains in the property after transfer, they may pay occupational rent to the new owner.

The key takeaway: Occupational rent helps clarify who pays for occupying the property during the period between occupation and transfer.

Have questions about buying or selling? Let Wakefields guide you through the process