By Business Reporter ZIMBABWE’S property investment forum, ZimReal, will be held in Harare next month focusing on the opportunities that are emerging in the sector.
The annual conference, which will be held on September 7, will bring together more than 150 local and international stakeholders, including local government, property developers, real estate agents, legal practitioners, financiers as well as retail and hospitality experts.
This year’s conference is themed “Zimbabwe 2022: A New Horizon,” and will centre on consolidating the post-pandemic recovery by exploring opportunities in various sub-sectors such as retail, residential and hospitality.
Despite facing challenges which include limited infrastructure development, currency fluctuations and liquidity challenges, the property sector has remained resilient and the upcoming conference will be a catalyst for opportunities to spur growth in the country.
“The uniqueness of ZimReal is that it covers emerging global issues and ties them to what is happening in the local Zimbabwean context,” Mashonaland Holdings managing director Gibson Mapfidza said. “It provides real estate investors with key market insights on how to ensure successful property investment. Sharing of market information improves efficiency across the inherently fragmented and inefficient market. ”
West Property chief marketing and sales officer Marilyn Mosha expects the summit to provide a balanced assessment of the state of the property sector and insights into the future.
“Coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a growing shift towards bigger spaces and outdoor living areas for a better quality of life to enable people to work from home,” she said. “Having a home has become an even more important investment, and when you have a convergence of private and public companies, insurance and pension funds, and property developers in one room, you can expect workable pathways towards meeting demand.”
ZimReal event organisers, API Events, said industry players should use the conference to seize opportunities emerging across multiple sub-sectors.
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“Zimbabwe’s real estate landscape is diversifying and there is a lot of interest in the country as an investment destination. For example, the first ever Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) is set to be listed on the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange this year, and that will unlock immense value for institutional and individual investors as well as help drive economic activity,” API said.
Apart from REITs, the conference will explore ways to address the long-standing need for affordable quality housing, the investment case for suburban retail property developments, accelerating new development nodes outside CBDs, and the future of hotel and tourism real estate.
Delegates from internationally recognised companies such as Hilton, IFC, Radisson, Old Mutual, Standard Bank and Profica will be in attendance to network and learn from local property professionals.
Registration for the conference is still open.
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