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Six reasons to be cheerful about 2009 - property boss
Realestateweb - South Africa
CEO of black-empowered estate agency group sees many economic positives, but chastises South African politicians for "playing the man, not the ball".

In the next of Realestateweb's end-of-year series on what estate agency bosses expect for their businesses and the property market in the year ahead, Leapfrog Property Group CEO Jan le Roux sees more positives than negatives.

It is time for South Africa's political leaders to stop looking after themselves and rather care for the country, taking it forward to realise its potential, particularly now that some economic indicators show that the worst of the economic slump South Africa has experienced may be behind us and that the country is set for renewed growth by 2010.
Realestateweb.co.za

Credit Act 'saved house market'
Fin24.com - South Africa
The advent of the National Credit Act has protected hundreds of thousands of South African households, and rescued the property market over the long term.

Realty 1 International chief executive Mike Bester says that before the act came into force last year South Africans lived lavishly on credit, with the average homeowner having a bond or two, having bought one or two cars on debt, and with a number of credit cards and personal loans.

Then, overnight, the Credit Act turned off the tap for consumer borrowing - and the housing market felt the greatest impact. He reckons in hindsight that was a good thing, rescuing the housing industry over the long term.
Fin24.com

Township property booms
The Sowetan
Demand in market outshines suburbs
Township properties are looking ever more tempting for buyers and investors as credit restrictions put the squeeze on buying power.

Since the implementation of the National Credit Act last year, property prices have experienced a significant slow-down.

But demand for reasonably-priced quality housing has boosted demand for township homes, according to FNB's third quarter township property barometer released yesterday.
The Sowetan