Reside Awards 2026 honours SA’s residential leaders

• Record entries showcase strong momentum across SA’s residential property sector.
• Lifestyle estates, PropTech and affordable housing dominated major categories.
• Steve Brookes honoured with the 2026 Residential Lifetime Achievement Award.

South Africa’s residential property sector gathered at the prestigious Reside Awards this week to celebrate the country’s top residential developments, property innovators, estate agencies and industry leaders.

Hosted at the Sandton Convention Centre as part of the 4th Annual Reside Summit, the awards highlighted the growing innovation, diversity and resilience of the residential property sector, from affordable housing and student accommodation to luxury lifestyle estates and PropTech innovation.

Co-hosted by Real Estate Investor (REI), the awards attracted a record number of entries in 2026, reflecting growing investment and transformation across the sector.

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“The Reside Awards are about recognising the people, companies and projects genuinely reshaping South Africa’s residential landscape through innovation, leadership and long-term impact,” said Neale Petersen, Founder and Editor-in-Chief of REI and Awards chair.

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Debbie Tagg, Chair of the Reside Summit, echoed this sentiment: “These awards are more than recognition, they are a call to action. They celebrate developers, entrepreneurs, and practitioners who are not only reshaping property but reshaping futures.”

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Honouring a Legend: Steve Brookes of Balwin Properties‍

One of the evening’s highest honours, the Residential Lifetime Achievement Award, was presented to Steve Brookes in recognition of his extraordinary contribution to South Africa’s residential property sector.

Under Brookes’ leadership, Balwin Properties has become one of the country’s most influential residential developers, pioneering large-scale sectional title lifestyle estates that combine affordability, quality, sustainability and modern living.

Since founding Balwin in 1996, Brookes has helped reshape the residential market through innovative apartment developments, green building initiatives and lifestyle-focused communities across Gauteng, the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal.

Today, Balwin has delivered more than 100 developments nationally and remains one of South Africa’s largest apartment developers, with a pipeline that continues driving urban residential growth and housing innovation at scale.

Reside Awards 2026 Key Winners Include:

Residential Lifetime Achievement Award

• Steve Brookes

Lifestyle Estate of the Year

• Waterfall Equestrian Estate
• Zimbali Lakes Resort

Luxury Multi-Family Residential Project

• Ellipse Waterfall

Affordable Multi-Family Residential Project

• Yethu City on Sisulu Street

Social Housing Project

• The Zuri Apartments by Africrest

Student Accommodation Residential Project

• ADOWA Living @ Ravenscraig House

Residential Property Management Company

• Preferental Managed Services

Residential Estate Agency of the Year - Large Agency

• eXp Realty South Africa

PropTech Innovator of the Year

• Meta-dology
• Preferental

Community Scheme of the Year

• Menlo Views

The awards once again demonstrated how rapidly South Africa’s residential sector is evolving, with stronger focus on sustainability, lifestyle integration, affordable housing delivery, technology and community-focused living.

As housing demand, semigration and urbanisation continue reshaping the market, the Reside Awards are increasingly becoming one of the sector’s most important platforms for recognising excellence and innovation across residential property.

Stay tuned to REI.co.za for extended winner interviews, photo galleries and additional coverage from the Reside Summit & Awards.

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