PHP SimpleXml - Cannot access "date"

wondering if someone could help me! I am stuck! I am processing an xml file with php, and have the following... I can access all of the information apart from the one called 'Date' as PHP is treating this as the date() function GGGRRR!. I have tried {'date'} and date_parse($Property->date); and varius other suggestion solutions buy i seem to be missing something...

The XML...

<property>
  <id>591157</id>
  <ref>C00337</ref>
  <price>219500</price>
  <date>2014-10-14 13:15:44</date>
  etc etc 
</property>

The PHP...

foreach ($xml->property as $property) { 
  $propertyid = $property->ref;
  $price = $property->price; 
  $lastUpdateDate = $Property->date;
  etc ect 
}

it is the $lastUpdateDate = $Property->date; I am struggling with. Can anyone help?