The Top 5 Property Trends Set to Shape 2026 — What Investors Need to Know

Loading player...
South Africa’s residential property market has pulled off an unexpected turnaround. After sluggish sales and affordability pressures in 2024, the sector entered 2025 with cautious optimism and ended the year on a high, buoyed by long-awaited interest rate cuts and a resilient economy. Now, with the prime lending rate down a full percentage point and further cuts expected into mid-2026, investors have reason to lean in again.

We’re joined by Grant Smee, CEO of Only Realty Property Group, to unpack the five major trends he says will define the residential landscape in 2026, from stabilising house price inflation to the rise of rentvesting, foreign capital returning to Gauteng, and the growing impact of short-term rental regulations.
9 Dec 2025 3PM English South Africa Business News · Investing

Other recent episodes

SANEDI on Key AEF Takeaways critical for South Africa's Energy Future

Prof. Sampson Mamphweli, the Head of the Energy Secretariat at the South African National Energy Development Institute (SANEDI), joins us for his view on South Africa's future. He unpacks policy and project-based initiatives that came to the fore on the agenda at this week's Africa Energy Forum.
18 Jun 3PM 11 min

Africa’s Power Market Is Learning to Share: AEF 2026 Highlights

From Uganda’s first independent transmission project to South Africa’s R440bn grid expansion plan, AEF 2026 showcased a continent shifting toward private‑sector participation and distributed energy. Absa CIB's Nikhil Kasiram breaks down the biggest trends shaping Africa’s power future.
18 Jun 3PM 12 min

Pivot Point: BrightRock at 15 and CEO Stevens on Leading the Next Chapter

BrightRock celebrates 15 years of disrupting the life insurance industry with its needs‑matched model. CEO Suzanne Stevens reflects on her leadership journey, the company’s growth to over 12% market share, and the future of life insurance in a rapidly changing consumer landscape.
18 Jun 3PM 18 min