EDITOR’ S VIEWPOINT
Momentum Returns: Markets turning & REI Levels Up
October feels different, in the best way. REI. co. za has been recognised as Runner-Up: Property News Website of the Year at the SAPOA 2025 Awards. It’ s our eighth SAPOA recognition and a clear signal that independent, investor-first journalism still wins in a noisy market. Awards are great; your results are better. That’ s the bar.
Markets are also starting to move. Transaction appetite is edging back, developers are re-running feasibilities, and lenders are selectively leaning in. This isn’ t euphoria; it’ s disciplined optimism, the kind you can put to work. Tighten assumptions, prioritise cash flow and operational excellence, and keep your powder dry for high-quality opportunities.
Inside this issue, we go straight to what matters. Our cover feature sits down with CEO Antonie Goosen on Meridian Realty’ s 20-year journey, how to scale, lead and stay human in a digital market. We launch a new five-part series, The Power of the Auction, with Prof Adrian Saville and Ian Macleod unpacking why auction markets price risk faster and how savvy investors can use that edge.
Our monthly agency spotlight returns with practical playbooks from top producers. We also go continental with Broll Properties Part Two West & East Africa, stepping inside the markets with Bolaji Edu in Nigeria and Moses Lutalo in Uganda to separate signal from noise. And we lean into strategy with From Average Returns to Massive Cash Flow: The Power of Multi-Let Property Investing, focusing on systems, tenant mix and funding. To cap it off, don’ t miss our highlights of this year’ s SAPOA Award winners.
We’ re also building what you’ ve asked for. REI Premium Membership is coming: exclusive member-only content, calculators, step-by-step playbooks, live clinics, and priority invites designed to help you decide faster with less noise and more clarity.
Thanks for being part of this community. Let’ s keep building smarter and create the future we actually want to invest in.
8 REI MAGAZINE OCTOBER 2025
Founder & Editor-In-Chief