New homes hit the market as nano flats feel the heat

A property agency recorded 19 secondary transactions at ten major housing estates over the past weekend, down by 13.6 percent week-on-week, as developers continued to launch new home sales in the primary market, while rents of nano flats came under downward pressure.

Laguna City in Kwun Tong and Metro City in Tseung Kwan O recorded no secondary transactions at all.

In Fanling, a 520-sq-ft flat at Fanling Centre changed hands for HK$7.18 million, or HK$13,808 per sq ft, after HK$20,000 was cut from the asking price.

In the primary market, Sun Hung Kai Properties (0016) released 70 flats in the second price list of Wetland Seasons Park Phase 2 in Tin Shui Wai, at an average price of HK$11,779 per sq ft after discounts, 3.6 percent higher than the first price list.

The first two batches of the project have been oversubscribed 8.5 times with around 2,000 checks received for 210 units.

Meanwhile, around 2,000 prospective buyers for Aquila ‧ Square Mile in Tai Kok Tsui, visited the project's show flats located in Central, between Friday and yesterday.

And in Yuen Long, Road King Infrastructure (1098) sold 11 flats at Crescent Green over the past three days.

Property agency expects the number of primary transactions to hit 2,000 this month.

But there were also two cases of forfeited deposits of around HK$220,000 and HK$300,000 after purchases of two flats at Emerald Bay in Tuen Mun were canceled.

The HK$220,000 forfeiture involved the would-be purchase of a 229-sq-ft studio flat at Emerald Bay Phase 1, which was priced at HK$4.37 million. The HK$300,000 forfeiture related to a 372-sq-ft flat at Emerald Bay Phase 2 that the purchaser had agreed to buy this month for HK$5.95 million.

In the rentals market, rents of micro flats came under downward pressure. A 166-sq-ft studio at AVA 55 in Kowloon City was rented for only HK$8,000 a month, or HK$48 per sq ft.

And in Pak Shek Kok, a 248-sq-ft studio flat at Solaria was let for only HK$8,900 last month, or HK$36 per sq ft, after HK$2,100 was cut from the asking price. The rental yield was only 2.1 percent per annum, as the owner purchased the unit for HK$5.15 million in 2018.

 (The Standard)

商廈驚現頂租放盤潮中環金鐘成重災區疫市下前景未明朗租戶紛提前離場

疫市持續多時，經濟前景未明顯，不少企業經營困難，惟有縮小規模甚至結業，紛放棄所承租的據點，提早離場，令商廈市場驚現頂租放盤潮，核心區中環金鐘成為重災區。

業界人士指出，租戶推出頂租放盤，皆因租約有私人擔保，不能隨意撤走了事，因而找新客頂替。市場上頂租放盤向來不多，惟近期市場湧現頂租放盤，分布單一業權或散業主大廈，且不乏大面積及全層單位。

全港逾100個頂租放盤

當中，中環皇后大道中9號目前有5個頂租盤，全部逾3000方呎，租期長達2023年；美國銀行中心有6個，包括一個全層單位；中環中心更多逾10個，細至2000方呎，大至逾萬呎的半層單位。有代理透露，現時全港商廈共有逾100宗頂租放盤，中環金鐘成為重災區。

過去十個月以來，整體甲廈租金普遍跌幅30%至50%，因此，租客即使幸運地找到有人頂租，都要支付新舊租金差價，代理舉例說，以美國銀行中心一個面積約5500方呎單位為例，新月租(32萬，每呎60元)與舊月租(52萬，每呎95元)，月差20萬，若果於2021年4月約滿，期間10個月租金差價涉200萬。

舊租客支付差價

舊租客可「一筆過」或逐月繳付差價。「不過，既然做不下去，未必有能力一次過賠償，通常逐月支付，亦有業主視乎情況，以折扣價收取賠償額。」代理續說。

代理說，生意人都懂計算，有裝修的租盤向來受捧，尤其疫市下開業的更加實際，因此，頂租放盤吸引力在於裝修，放盤叫租貼近舊有租金，或低約10%，惟最後都以市價租出。他又說，商廈裝修簡單，不像鋪位投入生財工具，舊租客沒有「頂手費」可收。

另一代理表示，近期政府推工資補貼為企業舒困，惟一些公司面對全球嚴峻環境，加上示威及疫市後遺症，導致經營困難因而放頂租。

 (星島日報)

泛海六全層逾三萬呎PUREYOGA推頂租

消息人士透露，中環泛海中心的大手租客，瑜伽公司PURE YOGA將其承租的6全層樓面，推出放頂租。　

上址為皇后大道中59號至65號泛海大廈15、17、20、21、22及23樓，共6全層樓面，共涉逾3萬呎，由PURE INTERNATIONAL (HONG KONG)LIMITED承租。記者現場所見，上述部分樓層為寫字樓，部分放置雜物，至於該廈2樓則為瑜伽學校。本報向該廈大業主查詢，泛海集團執行董事關堡林回應，該數層屬租客後勤部門，他們有意遷工廈節省成本，至於位處低層樓面的學校，則繼續租下去。本報亦向PURE YOGA查詢，惟直至截稿時未獲回覆。

八年前進駐

有代理透露，PURE YOGA大約於2012年進駐該廈，至今八年，上址目前最新平均呎租逾45元。

業內人士指，租客推頂租，首先要取得業主同意，試過有租客多番努力下，找到人頂租，業主不放行，最後不成功。他又形容，只有一些較有人情味的業主，才容許租客頂租，部分大業主企硬，不容許頂租。

 (星島日報)