Hong Kong’s homebuying frenzy reaches down to small flats, as customers snap up Vanke’s Vau Residence in Ho Man Tin

Vanke Holdings (Hong Kong) sold 54 units, or 98 per cent of the 55 flats on offer at the Vau Residence project in Ho Man Tin as of 8pm, agents said

The developer received 530 bids for the offer, or up to nine buyers vying for each available flat, according to a spokesperson

Hong Kong homebuyers returned in droves to snap up new flats in Ho Man Tin on Saturday, showing confidence in the city’s property market amid the improving local coronavirus situation and early signs of economic recovery.

Vanke Holdings (Hong Kong), a unit of China’s third-largest developer China Vanke, sold 54 of the 55 units on offer at its Vau Residence project in Ho Man Tin as of 8pm, agents said, adding that they expect the remaining two units to sell out by the end of the day.

Around 530 bids were received for the units, or up to nine buyers vying for each available flat, according to a spokesperson.

“Homebuyers are showing more confidence in the property market,” property agent said. “The coronavirus situation in the city has improved and we’re seeing more days without any new local infections. We’re also seeing early signs of an economic recovery. As the vaccination rate picks up, there are hopes that the border between mainland China and Hong Kong will reopen soon.”

Prospective homebuyers are also rushing to buy new flats as they are worried that home prices may increase over the coming months, the agent added. There is growing optimism that Hong Kong home prices will climb further this year as the city’s economy shows further signs of recovery.

Earlier this month, US investment bank Goldman Sachs said it expected a 5 per cent rise in home prices this year, while property agent has forecast a 15 per cent increase. Hong Kong’s economy expanded 7.9 per cent in the first three months of the year, the fastest quarterly pace in 11 years, beating economists’ forecasts and bolstering investors’ confidence in the city’s property market.

The first batch of Vau Residence flats on offer consisted of one-bedroom and two-bedroom units, ranging from 209 square feet to 388 sq ft (36 square metres) and priced from HK$4.99 million to HK$9.46 million (US$1.22 million), after discounts of up to 16 per cent.

The average price was HK$24,647 per square foot, about 3 per cent more than the flats at Seven Victory Avenue, a two-year-old development within walking distance of Vau Residence. The units at Seven Victory Avenue were selling for HK$23,820 per square foot, according to listings on property agency’s website.

Vanke will also offer a cash reward of HK$28,000 to each of the first 50 Vau Residence buyers who have received their Covid-19 vaccinations before August 31, joining in the campaign among property developers and Hong Kong’s conglomerates to help boost the city’s vaccination rate. Vanke said it expects the cash reward to cost it about HK$1.4 million in total.

The success at Vau Residence followed two successive sell-out weekends at New World Development’s The Pavilia Farm III residential complex in Tai Wai. The developer has sold 2,769 out of a total of 3,090 apartments in the entire project, for a total haul of HK$33.1 billion.

Another 173 units of the latest batch of apartments go on sale on Sunday, for which New World has received 30,500 bids, translating to 176 buyers bidding for every unit.

(South China Morning Post)

六財團入標搶中環地王大發展商主導合資角逐減風險

有力挑戰本港最貴重地王寶座的中環新海濱地皮、於昨日截標，共截收6份標書，入標財團以本地大型發展商為主，因項目投資金額龐大，不少財團以合組形式減低發展風險。消息人士指，其中九倉置業就夥拍華懋及港鐵合作競逐。

中環商業地王於昨日截標，據地政總署發言人表示，共截收6份標書。是次入標財團以本地大型發展商為主，包括長實、新地、恒基、九倉置業、華懋，信和則夥拍招商局置地及鷹君競投。

市場人士透露，中環大地主置地集團亦有入標，本報昨日就有關消息向置地查詢，該集團回應指，不會對該項目作出評論。

梁志堅：審視時間長做法合理

恒基發言人表示，該集團以獨資形式入標競投；九倉置業表示，集團以財團組合入標，惟現階段未能公布財團合組資料。華懋集團指出，該集團以合組財團形式競投，惟現階段未能公布財團資料。消息人士指，九倉置業就夥拍華懋及港鐵入標。

九倉置業系內會德豐地產主席梁志堅表示，該項目反應不俗，對市場具正面作用，發展商之間競爭在所難免，料各大財團「各自計數」出價，該項目最大優點為位處中環海濱區，希望可成功奪地，他亦指，該項目投資金額籠大，並着重審視設計，故項目最遲於今年11月才公布招標結果，亦屬合理做法。

九倉夥華懋及港鐵入標

是次項目採「雙信封」形式招標，除着重出價外，亦要評定其設計方案，兩者比重各佔50%，就算標價最高，惟設計未能配合整體規劃，都未必可成功投得，消息指，部分發展商已搜羅全世界出名的建築師為地皮作設計，亦有發展商更邀請多達一家建築商以上，希望取得最佳方案，以圖脫穎而出。

同時，亦因項目審標書時間較長，賣地章程顯示地皮最遲可於今年11月12日才公布結果，距離截標時間長達5個月。

邀國際知名建築商設計

有測量師指出，項目採「雙信封」形式招標，料流標機會低，每方呎地價約2.3萬至2.5萬，市場估值約370億至400億。另一測量師稱，部分發展商合組形式競投，以減低發展風險，料每呎地價約3.43萬，估值約547億。

「雙信封」招標 同步交設計

中環海濱商業地於昨日截標，該項目採「雙信封」形式招標，其設計方案亦為決勝關鍵，昨日於佐敦永安九龍中心的遞交資料現場，錄得多家財團遞交設計模型。從外型所現，模型擺放在及腰的大型箱子中，面積龐大。

設計方案佔五成比重

中環海濱商業地為市場近期焦點所在，該項目截標形式有別於以往做法，其中，出價金額標書截標地點為金鐘政府總部，惟項目設計模型則設於佐敦永安九龍中心。就本報昨日於現場所見，該項目錄至少兩組財團遞交設計模型，更需要動用6位男士小心翼翼一起運送。

該商業地採「雙信封」形式，除着重出價外，亦要評定其設計方案，兩者比重各佔50%，故此就算標價最高，惟設計未能配合整體規劃，都未必可成功投得。

(星島日報)

力寶中心高層戶叫租逾35.5萬

代理表示，金鐘力寶中心二座高層05至06室，總面積約7110方呎，每方呎叫租逾50元，涉及月租逾35.5萬元。

該代理指出，上述單位質素上乘，屬力寶中心矜罕放租的高層大樓面單位，而且享有優雅全海景，氣派非凡。

另外，物業備有精緻寫字樓裝修，間隔分明，設有經理房、會議室及附來去水的茶水間，設備一應俱全，為準租客節省一筆費用及裝修時間。

(信報)

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