Where to invest in offices in SA

Although Pretoria has a lower average office rental level than the Witwatersrand, it has a higher five-year growth rate.

The leading office nodes in Pretoria are Faerie Glen, Nieuw Muckleneuck, Brooklyn-Waterkloof and Menlyn, says Rode's Growth Points, a new tool that was launched on Monday.

The best office nodes in South Africa are Melrose Arch in Johannesburg, Granger Bay in Cape Town and Sandton's CBD. On the other hand, Boksburg-North, Boksburg's CBD and decentralised Benoni are the worst areas for office property investments.

"It's a worldwide phenomenon to locate offices close to the homes of decision-makers. The East Rand will therefore never be a sought-after office area," he says.

The top three industrial areas are Bellville's Oakdale in Cape Town, the River Horse Valley business park and Jacobs in Durban. The worst performing industrial areas are Marlboro in Johannesburg and Wilsonia and North End in East London.

Rode says another interesting trend is that industrial areas near informal settlements are growing fast, although from a low base.

"Our theory is that the scarcity of land forces land developers to consider areas which didn't previously fall within their ambits," Rode concludes. – Elma Kloppers, Sake24

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