Hong Kong homebuyers return in droves for a sell-out weekend of flats offered by Sun Hung Kai and Henderson Land

Sun Hung Kai Properties (SHKP) sold 126 of the 133 Wetland Seasons Park flats in Tin Shui Wai as of 9pm, agents said

Henderson Land Development sold 77 flats of its 80 units on offer at Two Artlane in Sai Ying Pun

Hong Kong’s homebuyers turned up in droves to snap up new flats at two projects on Saturday, shrugging aside concerns about the city’s unemployment and the worst economic recession in decades, as social-distancing regulations eased.

Sun Hung Kai Properties (SHKP), Hong Kong’s largest developer by value, sold 126 of 133 flats, or 95 per cent of the units offered in the first batch of the third phase of its Wetland Seasons Park project in Tin Shui Wai as of 9pm today. As many as 22 buyers registered for each available flat.

In Sai Ying Pun, Henderson Land Development sold 96 per cent, or 77 of the 80 units offered at Two Artlane, with around nine bidders vying for each flat, agents said.

“Some homebuyers may not have dared to come out to view real estate projects over the last two or three weeks, but with the easing of social-distancing regulations and economic activities slowly going back to normal, more prospective buyers have come out,” agent said.

The potential sell-out weekend vindicates the decision by developers to put their projects back on the market, as generous discounts and easier financing enticed investors and shoppers back to property launches. New daily confirmed cases have fallen to single digits, giving local authorities the confidence to let restaurants and pubs stay open until midnight, while other entertainment venues closed since July 15 were allowed to reopen.

Prices at the latest batch of Wetland Seasons Park started at HK$4.2 million, or HK$12,513 per square foot, going up to HK$12 million (US$1.55 million) with an 18 per cent discount. Flat sizes ranged from 300 sq ft for a one-bedroom unit to 816 sq ft for a three-bedroom flat. The units at Two Artlane cost between HK$5.6 million and HK$8.9 million for flats ranging from 214 sq ft to 287 sq ft.

Most flats at both projects were priced at less than HK$10 million each, so would benefit from recent financing and mortgage measures, agent said. The agent added that more than half of those who purchased flats at Two Artlane were aiming to rent the properties, due to expectations of a low interest rate environment over the next three years.

While the city’s unemployment rate remained unchanged at 6.1 per cent in August during the height of the third wave of Covid-19 infections, the number of people who were underemployed rose to a 17-year high, according to a government report on Thursday.

Hong Kong’s economy remains mired in a recession, contracting 9 per cent in the April-to-June period, and falling for the fourth straight quarter. The city’s gross domestic product is forecast to shrink between 6 and 8 per cent this year, as the coronavirus pandemic continued to wreak havoc on the economy.

While the city’s tourism sector has ground to a halt, retail sales have fared no better. The city’s retail sales in July fell 23.1 per cent year on year for the 18th month in a row, according to the latest government statistics.

(South China Morning Post)

新地高鐵上蓋申建兩幢鑽石形地標建築

新地(00016)去年11月動用高達422.32億元投得西九龍高鐵站上蓋商業項目(下稱高鐵上蓋項目)，最新發展藍圖曝光，城規會2010年批准該用地興建3幢波浪形建築物，新地最新建議放寬高度限制，以興建2幢20至30層(另設2層地庫)鑽石形地標建築，原方案約28.6萬方呎寫字樓樓面則撥作零售用途，令該項目的零售樓面大增約九成，至約60.28萬方呎。

根據新地向城規會提交的最新方案，建議興建2幢商業樓宇，總樓面面積約316.46萬方呎，以約5倍地積比率發展，其中寫字樓地積比率約4.05倍，樓面面積約256.18萬方呎，零售用途的地積比率約0.95倍，樓面面積約60.28萬方呎。新方案之下，建築物高度約114至159米(主水平基準以上．下同)，較大綱圖容許的90至115米，高約27%至38%，亦須獲城規批准。

新地並就該項目提出多項發展特色，包括一條由中九龍幹線園景平台、經過該項目連接至西九文化區海濱一帶的「西九花園綠徑」，全長約1.5公里；而該項目的總綠化空間約10萬方呎，包括約4萬方呎的中央廣場，可作為藝術展覽和音樂表演等用途。此外，高鐵上蓋項目與毗鄰的尖沙咀九龍站上蓋和鄰近的文昌街一帶住宅建築，建築物高度呈層遞的階梯式建築，形成新的九龍城市天際線。

近月新冠肺炎肆虐，令市場對寫字樓於通風和健康等方面設計尤為關注，新地遂於寫字樓部分引入4.2米高的特高樓底，並設有綠色天台和陽台等設施。

對於新方案的零售樓面有所增加，新地代理特別發展部項目總監麥孟添表示，原方案下的零售樓面只有約30萬方呎，規模主要服務其樓上的商廈或附近的居民，但高鐵上蓋項目的商場冀可打造為地區性的項目，可吸引附近社區的居民等使用，原有方案的商場規模未能配合，增加後約60萬方呎樓面面積較為適合。至於寫字樓樓面雖然相應減少，但麥孟添認為，相比之下只減少約一成樓面面積，對該區寫字樓供應的影響有限。

新地代理地產策劃及發展部規劃總監黃舜浣預計，整個項目若明年首季順利獲城規會批准，可望明年次季動工，2024年起部分設施開始落成，整個項目預計2028年完工。

資料顯示，新地去年投得高鐵上蓋項目後，先後兩度為寫字樓部分引入投資者，包括新地郭氏家族和平保(02318)旗下平安人壽；其中，新地佔50%股權、平安人壽佔三成，餘下20%則由郭氏家族持有，商場部分則由新地全資擁有。

(信報)

嘉芙中心全層叫價逾2775萬

有代理表示，尖沙咀嘉芙中心13樓全層，面積約2832方呎，以呎價約9800元放售，涉及金額逾2775萬元。

物業連租約出售，現由酒吧以月租約7.5萬元租用，租期至2021年中。

該代理指出，業主於去年底原叫價約3000萬元放售，是次下調意向價約7%，租金回報上升令物業更具競爭力。嘉芙中心樓上租客多以酒吧為主，出租率約九成，相信在疫情消退後，主題大廈的協同效應會發揮所長，租務需求可望更趨穩定，極其適合購入作長線收租投資之用。

(信報)