Developers are rushing to launch more projects, as Hong Kong's economy shows green shoots of recovery and the pandemic stays under control.

New World Development (0017) is to sell new homes in Tai Wai at around HK$20,000 per square foot after discounts, while a project in Wong Chuk Hang is attracting celebrity buyers.

New World Development released 182 flats in the first price list of the third phase of The Pavilia Farm atop Tai Wai Station, at an average price of HK$19,999 per sq ft after a maximum 20 percent discount is applied, 5.69 percent higher than the first price list of the first phase. The 182 flats measure between 310 sq ft and 1,014 sq ft.

The cheapest flat, measuring 310 sq ft, is offered at HK$6.74 million, or HK$21,768 per sq ft after discounts.

Henderson Land Development has received 400 checks for the 45 flats on offer at The Upper South in Ap Lei Chau, an oversubscription of 7.8 times. The 45 flats, measuring between 183 sq ft and 264 sq ft, are priced between HK$4.27 million and HK$6.78 million, or HK$22,990 per sq ft to HK$27,058 per sq ft after discounts.

Meanwhile, Emily Lo Suk-yee, the wife of singer Hacken Lee Hak-kan, bought a 937-sq-ft flat at SouthLand, the first phase of The Southside development atop Wong Chuk Hang Station, for HK$25.84 million, or HK$27,576 per sq ft.

Lui Pui-lam, the ex-girlfriend of billionaire Joseph Lau Luen-hung, bought two 919-sq-ft flats at SouthLand for HK$70.55 million in total.

This came when prices of lived-in homes climbed to 21-month high in April, data from the Rating and Valuation Department shows.

The private domestic price index rose by 0.44 percent month-on-month to 390.8, the highest since July 2019.

Given the stabilization of the Covid-19 situation in Hong Kong, prospective home buyers are expected to be optimistic about the market's outlook, leading to higher transaction volumes, particularly in the primary market, property agent said.

(The Standard)

Hong Kong’s lived-in home prices within touching distance of pre-protest days, could set record over next two months

Lived-in home prices in April were within about 1.5 per cent of a historic high recorded in May 2019, before the anti-government protests kicked off

Price index could climb to unprecedented 400-point mark if momentum continues into June, property agent says

Hong Kong’s lived-in home prices were within touching distance of pre-protest days and could set a record over the next two months.

In a reflection of the upwards trajectory in the city’s housing market and economy, the prices of lived-in homes extended a four-month rally in April and were at their highest since July 2019, according to Rating and Valuation Department data released on Thursday. They were also within about 1.5 per cent of a historic high recorded in May 2019, before the anti-government protests kicked off.

“If the increase in May amounts to over 1.5 per cent … [the lived-in home price index] actually can already break the record,” property agent said. The agent added that June’s increase would definitely break the record, “if the momentum is sustained and unchanged”.

The agent was optimistic because Hong Kong has been able to control its coronavirus outbreak, its economy is recovering gradually, its gross domestic product growth has found momentum and unemployment has fallen for two straight months. The response to new projects this month has also been satisfactory.

The price index of lived-in homes edged up 0.4 per cent to 390.8 in April from 389.1 in March, and was about 1.5 per cent shy of the 396.9 recorded in May 2019. The agent expected the increase this month to amount to 1.5 or 1.6 per cent, which meant the index would almost break the record. And if the index rose by about 1 per cent in June, it would climb to the unprecedented 400-point mark.

The agent’s comments echoed an earlier forecast by another property agency, which has said home prices could break records mid this year. “The housing market entered a bull market in the second quarter – home prices may break records next month,” another agent said. The agency expects home prices to rise 15 per cent this year.

In the primary market, the response to new launches had been satisfactory, as indicated by the success of SouthLand, which has been developed by Road King Infrastructure atop the Wong Chuk Hang MTR Station.

“The Wong Chuk Hang project [SouthLand] has sold out for two straight rounds, driving secondary market [turnover] to a relatively high level,” agent said. “So some homeowners find that the overall housing market sentiment is improving. Asking prices have become relatively aggressive and firm. This should drive home prices upwards, with the increase widening again.”

The biggest growth in prices, at 0.8 per cent, was reported for homes measuring between 1,076 sq ft and 1721 sq ft, reflecting a rising demand for larger homes.

The transaction volume of the secondary market rose 6.2 per cent month on month to 6,258 deals in April, the highest in the past 102 months, according to the Land Registry.

The agent, however, did not think the government would impose extra cooling measures because housing prices were increasing gradually, instead of rising sharply. It might intervene if the increase became uncontrollable or very obvious. “What’s more, the market is still overshadowed by the pandemic, which has not fully dissipated,” the agent added.

The overall rental index also extended a two-month rally, surging 1.9 per cent – its biggest increase since June 2012 – in April to 177.7, its highest level since November 2020, according to the Rating and Valuation Department data. It was, however, still 11.2 per cent below its historic peak, 200.1 points recorded in August 2019.

Rents were expected to rise gradually, at around 0.5 per cent per month, in the next two months, the agent said.

“Hong Kong’s pandemic has in recent months been controlled properly, with prospects for border reopening and economic recovery [improving]. So the rental market has recovered gradually,” agent said. “Hong Kong’s economy is gradually picking up. Demand in the leasing market will gradually increase, which can drive rents upwards and support property prices at the same time.”

(South China Morning Post)

甲廈租務轉活 機構搬遷主導大市

疫情緩和甲廈租務略為增加，惟入境措施未解除下，新需求仍然疫弱，而主要租務來自機構搬遷。

有代理最新發表的報告指出，4月整體甲級寫字樓市場錄得99,400平方呎的負吸納量。截至4月底，中環甲級寫字樓空置率升至7.5%，較上月升0.2個百分點，至於整體空率為9.5%，按月升0.1個百分點，各區以港島東空置率較低，約6.6%。由於空置率持續高企，整體甲級寫字樓市場租金按月下跌0.9%。

尖沙咀甲廈租金 按月跌2.5%

各主要寫字樓分區市場中，以尖沙咀的租金跌幅最大，按月下跌2.5%，港島東則相對穩定。代理表示，由於不少租戶仍然着力節省成本，月內企業縮減規模的趨勢持續。隨着租戶紛紛開始調整疫後的物業要求，市場對優質寫字樓的需求持續增加。

中資每呎120元 租交易廣場全層

租務方面，消息指，中環交易廣場一座中高層全層，面積約1.3萬平方呎，獲中資金融機構、中國人壽富蘭克林資產管理租用。據悉，該機構於2007年成立，為香港第一家有保險背景的中外合資資產管理公司，現時甚具規模。據了解，該機構原租用同區長江集團中心 3樓，如今作出搬遷。是次成交呎租約120元，而3年前甲廈租務高峰時，該廈呎租高見約150元，現時租金較高峰下跌約2成。

另中環皇后大道中15號約克大廈錄租務，涉及9、10及16樓，每層面積約8,000平方呎，合共約2.4萬平方呎，成交呎租料約90元。據了解，新租客為一家律師行，原租用同區中匯大廈，而約克大廈樓齡較新，搬遷作升級。

近月租務較旺的港島東，再錄大手租務，涉及太古坊一座 3層樓面，合共約6萬平方呎，以每平方呎約50元租出。據悉，該3層樓面原由一家廣告公司租用，因業務有新部署，決定棄租，並於市場放盤求頂租。新租客為免稅店DFS集團，該租客原租用尖東華懋廣場多層，如今轉租新甲廈太古坊一座，既可提升物業質素，而因涉及原租客求頂租，提供補貼，吸引DFS搬遷。

分析指，疫情緩和後，經濟預期回復增長，市況可望轉好，帶動商廈租務。不過，由於現階段仍屬封關狀態，外資機構來港租寫字樓仍待重新開關，最近租務主要來自搬遷，包括中環區內搬遷，或搬至非核心區，相信搬遷活動仍主導市場，直至通關，新租務需求才明顯上升。

(經濟日報)

更多交易廣場寫字樓出租樓盤資訊請參閱：交易廣場寫字樓出租

更多長江集團中心寫字樓出租樓盤資訊請參閱：長江集團中心寫字樓出租

更多中匯大廈寫字樓出租樓盤資訊請參閱：中匯大廈寫字樓出租

更多約克大廈寫字樓出租樓盤資訊請參閱：約克大廈寫字樓出租

更多中環區甲級寫字樓出租樓盤資訊請參閱：中環區甲級寫字樓出租

更多太古坊一座寫字樓出租樓盤資訊請參閱：太古坊一座寫字樓出租

更多鰂魚涌區甲級寫字樓出租樓盤資訊請參閱：鰂魚涌區甲級寫字樓出租

更多華懋廣場寫字樓出租樓盤資訊請參閱：華懋廣場寫字樓出租

更多尖沙咀區甲級寫字樓出租樓盤資訊請參閱：尖沙咀區甲級寫字樓出租

迪生創建2.16億 租銀行中心舖6年

月租約300萬 屬疫後最大商舖租務

核心區舖位租務個案略增，迪生創建 (00113) 表示，以2.16億 (6年租金) 向招商永隆銀行租旺角彌敦道銀行中心廣場舖位，月租涉約300萬元，租務屬疫情後最大商舖租務。消息指，集團將把旗下朗豪坊Beauty Bazaar Harvey Nichols搬遷至新舖。

迪生創建指，與招商永隆銀行達成協議，租用旺角彌敦道636號銀行中心廣場地下地下01至03、06至19號舖及1樓17號舖，租期由2021年8月至2027年，為期6年，涉及租金約2.1626億元，月租涉及約300萬元。

市場估將引入BEAUTY AVENUE

旺角銀行中心廣場為區內核心零售地段，人流暢旺，而是次租用涉及舖位，面積約1.2萬平方呎，現時由周大福、屈臣氏等租用。是次新租務涉及月租約300萬元，按金額計為去年疫情爆發後，錄得最大宗舖位租務成交。物業原租客之一的周大福，租用銀行中心兩地舖，面積逾2,000平方呎，月租料約100萬元。消息指，周大福是次不續租，同時預租彌敦道683至685號美美大廈地下舖位，面積約2,200平方呎，月租近20萬元。

迪生創建業務主要為零售成衣、手錶、眼鏡、珠寶等，旗下品牌包括百貨Harvey Nichols、美容專門店BEAUTY AVENUE等，而集團位於旺角朗豪坊商場的BEAUTY AVENUE涉及逾萬平方呎，據悉租約即將屆滿，業界估計，不排除租用銀行中心舖作搬遷。

另有代理表示，灣仔軒尼詩道107號地下，面積約900平方呎，獲現租客米綫店以月租約12萬元續租，加幅約50%。

(經濟日報)

粉嶺有成行全幢2.17億沽

全幢工廈趨活躍，粉嶺安樂村新錄大手買賣，涉及粉嶺有成行物流中心全幢以2.17億，平均呎價4689元。

市場消息透露，安樂門街38號有成行物流中心全幢以2.17億易手，建築面積合共約46278方呎，平均呎價約4689元。有成行物流中心於2002年落成，樓齡至今僅約19年，屬區內罕有集新樓齡的物流中心，物業位處單邊，地下停車場高達5.4米，足以容納40呎高貨櫃，加上1至3樓樓底亦高達約4米，並可負重300磅，屬於工廈優質盤源，切合用家需要。

平均呎價4689元

區內矚目的成交為新加坡豐樹產業，於今年2月以8.1294億投得粉嶺安樂門街工業地，樓面呎價3750元，地皮位於安樂門街、安全街與安居街交界，地皮面積約4.34萬方呎，最高可建樓面約21.7萬方呎，可作倉庫及附屬辦公室、資訊科技及電訊業、研究所、設計及發展中心等用途。

(星島日報)