Companies are jumping on the opportunity to upgrade to bigger and better offices amid Hong Kong's rare property downturn.

Jefferies Financial has moved from Li Ka-shing's Cheung Kong Center to Two International Finance Centre; ByteDance has relocated to One International Finance Centre and law firm Stephenson Harwood has leased One Taikoo Place in Quarry Bay, switching from United Centre in Admiralty.

Tenants in Kowloon are also moving to Hong Kong Island to be closer to the central business district, with premium spirits company Edrington Group upgrading from Exchange Tower at Kowloon Bay to a 16,700-square-foot space at Swire Properties's (1972) Two Pacific Place.

With slowing demand and an impending influx of supply, Grade-A office rents are 31 percent lower than in 2019, according to a property agency data.

"Right now we've got a lot of nice buildings, whereas in the past even if you wanted to get in you can't get in," an agent said. "With Hong Kong's overall vacancy at around 15 percent, it's giving occupiers the opportunity to go in, look for better stuff and at more affordable rental levels."

(The Standard)

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Hong Kong home rental market on fire as influx of mainland professionals, graduates stokes deal volumes in key areas

Transaction volumes in Mid-Levels West and Yuen Long strike all-time highs in July, as fresh demand invigorates rental market

Demand surge can also be attributed to prospective buyers postponing their purchase plans due to rising interest rates, experts say

The demand for rental homes in several prominent districts of Hong Kong struck an all-time high in July as an influx of mainland China professionals and graduates added pressure to a red-hot market and fuelled expectations of further rent increases in the second half of 2023, property agents said.

The Mid-Levels West area recorded a total of 501 leasing transactions in July, the highest monthly tally ever, according to a property agency.

In Yuen Long’s district centre, rental agreements also hit a record of 200 last month while the 85 rental transactions struck in Tsing Yi was a three month high, according to the data complied by agents.

“Hong Kong’s rental market has entered its peak season,” an agent said. “Overseas students, mainly from mainland China, are returning to Hong Kong to study. That has brought fresh demand in the market. It is expected that the rental performance will continue to improve in the third quarter.”

This surge in demand can also be attributed to prospective buyers postponing their purchase plans due to rising interest rates, another agent said.

There were 4,426 property purchase transactions recorded in July, down 7.34 per cent from a month ago. Among them, residential transactions fell 15.16 per cent month on month to 3,065 deals, according to the data released by Land Registry on Wednesday.

The implementation of various talent schemes has attracted a substantial influx of professionals and graduates to the region, further driving the demand, the agent said. “Considering these factors, the residential leasing market has experienced remarkable activity,” the agent said adding that rents will rise further.

Hong Kong’s Top Talent Pass Scheme was launched last December in a bid to reverse a brain drain and address challenges stemming from a declining population. Under the scheme, a new two-year visa is offered to those who earned no less than HK$2.5 million in the previous year and graduates of the world’s top 100 universities with at least three years of working experience in the last five years.

Hong Kong has received more than 100,000 applications to various talent schemes so far this year and approved over 60 per cent of them, nearly double the number targeted, according to the government.

In a reflection of the heated market conditions, just 13,239 rental units are on offer, according to the property agency, meaning there were five prospective tenants for every available unit in Hong Kong. The agency said it had arranged a record of over 3,000 leasing transactions in July.

Housing rents have been rising in Hong Kong since the beginning of this year due to an influx of mainland professionals and graduates.

The average rent per sq ft calculated by usable area was about HK$34.79, representing a month-on-month increase of 0.7 per cent. That is the fifth straight monthly rise and reaches a level not seen since December 2021, according to another property agency.

On a six month basis, overall home rents rose 3.2 per cent, with flats in the size category of 1,076 to 1,721 sq ft seeing the biggest growth of 5.5 per cent, according to the Rating and Valuation Department.

According to an agency in Hong Kong, luxury rents are anticipated to rise by as much as 5 per cent in the second half of the year.

A property agent concurred with this upwards trend saying that this was due to limited new supplies of large-sized flats. The agent estimated that since 2019 around 600 new flats measuring 1,000 sq ft or larger had entered the market each year. “Considering the new demand from talent schemes, the market has been oversubscribed,” the agent said.

“When professionals with families arrive, they seek larger flats. As a result, the agency predicts that luxury flats measuring 1,700 sq ft or more will experience a four per cent increase in the second half of the year.”

In some cases, even tiny high-end flats in good locations are able to charge high rents. For instance, a 271 sq ft unit, together with a terrace of 107 sq ft, was rented for HK$24,500 per month or HK$90.4 per sq ft, making it the most expensive deal in per square-foot terms for the month, data from the agency showed.

(South China Morning Post)

上月整體物業買賣登記料4426宗 7個月新低

樓市近月持續交投淡靜。有本港地產代理行引述土地註冊處統計顯示，上月整體樓宇買賣合約登記 (包括住宅、車位及工商舖物業) 錄4,426宗，總值329.67億元 (有關數字主要反映6月市況)，較6月的4,777宗及396.69億元，分別下跌7.3%及16.9%。宗數見去年12月3,565宗後的7個月新低；金額則見本年1月324.95億元後的6個月新低。

該行代理指出，上述統計反映6月利率持續高企，買家態度謹慎，令登記量連續4個月下調，累跌48.5%。7月住宅樓宇買賣登記錄3,065宗及265.91億元，較6月的3,613宗及336.21億元，分別下跌15.2%及20.9%，較今年3月高峰的6,690宗下跌超過五成。

一手私宅方面，上月錄829宗及79.2億元，較6月分別下跌17.9%及37.5%，跌穿千宗水平。至於7月一手買賣登記宗數最高新盤，是新地 (0016) 屯門 NOVO LAND 第2A期，錄321宗及20.23億元。其次是恒地 (0012) 啟德 Henley Park，錄196宗及17.64億元。至於二手私宅方面，上月錄2,098宗及182.2億元，較6月分別下跌12.6%及8.9%，反映二手觀望氣氛濃厚，買賣持續疲弱。

(明報)

豪掃太古城14個車位 投資者：跌價機會微

太古地產於今年6月，以優惠價格推售旗下太古城車位，變相減價28%至32%，有投資者透過多間有限公司，購入至少14個車位，涉資共約2,559.2萬，每個劃一價為182.8萬。

「太古走在市場前端」

該投資者接受本報查詢時回應，太古地產面對現實，敢走在現在市場前端，肯大幅減價，減幅之大，已充分反映該等車位，在未來下跌浪中絕大部分的可能跌幅。他強調，在此價格買入，未來再跌機會不大，縱使下跌，跌幅亦會非常小。

該投資者購入的車位，集中在第四期金殿臺的停車場，他續說，所有車位全部交吉買入，至於車位租金，要等完成交易、收到車位時再作擬定。

全部交吉 作出租用途

該投資者的太太，曾在2009年底大手掃入九龍站漾日居50個車位，合共涉資約2500萬，之後相隔幾個月後，她拆售部分車位，每個升值至約80萬。

除了他之外，恒基地產執行董事葉盈枝亦透過兩間公司，分別購入太古城2個車位，合共作價357.1萬。

代理指，太古城於上月錄3宗車位租賃，每月租金介乎4500至5000元。

太古地產於今年6月推售車位，折實價由130.05萬至套裝車位231.2萬，較之前減價28%至32%。

(星島日報)

尖沙嘴海防道地鋪月租68萬 藥妝店進駐每呎393元返疫市前

近期經濟氣氛欠佳，惟藥妝店仍積極建據點，尖沙嘴海防道一個地鋪，建築面積約1730方呎，由藥妝店承租，月租68萬，平均呎租393元，租金重返疫市前水平；同區「名店街」廣東道地鋪，在丟空3年後，亦迎來藥妝品回歸，月租38萬，則較疫市前下跌逾40%。

尖沙嘴海防道32至34號寶豐大廈地下B及C號鋪，建築面積約1730方呎，以每月68萬租出，新租客為一間藥妝店，該鋪位舊租客萬寧，於2008年時，以每月46萬承租該廈地下A、B及C號鋪，建築面積2980方呎，及後於2019年疫市前，以每月100萬續租，平均呎租336元。現時，B及C鋪已成功租出。

平均呎租393元

至於A鋪則仍在市場放租，建築面積1250方呎，意向月租45萬，業內人士指，大鋪拆細後，可提高呎租，若以呎租計算，租金重返疫市前水平。

事實上，市旺時，租客追求大面積鋪位，於2019年初，承租該廈A、B及C鋪的萬寧尋找擴張機會，以每月55萬增持該廈D鋪，建築面積約450方呎，呎租達1222元，合併成更大的巨鋪，惟在2022年3月第五波疫情時，經營環境嚴峻，放棄續租D鋪，以減少支出。隨後，D鋪曾短租予利是封店，目前仍然在尋找長租客。

尖沙嘴廣東道68至80號恒利大廈地下1號鋪，建築面積約1000方呎，亦由藥妝品以每月約35萬租出，平均呎租約350元。

藥妝每月35萬租廣東道鋪

該鋪位早年由星展銀行自用，及至2018年由藥妝店以每月65萬租用，及至2020年5月，該藥妝店撤出，疫情下鋪位一直丟空，現時再迎來藥妝店回歸，最新租金比2018年時跌46.2%。

(星島日報)

中環凱施餅店舖 月租35萬跌1成

東亞銀行 (00023) 旗下中環德輔道中33號地舖，原由凱施餅店租用，早前欠租並被業主收舖，現舖位獲屈臣氏以每月約35萬元租用，料跌約1成。

呎租284元 屈臣氏租用

中環德輔道中33號地舖，面積約1,229平方呎，獲個人護理用品店屈臣氏租用，近日正式開業。市場人士估計，是次月租約35萬元，呎租約284元。

屈臣氏於同區分店，原為於干諾道中馮氏大廈，而去年一醫療機構大手租馮氏大廈多層，開設綜合醫療服務旗艦中心，屈臣氏即遷出，現於同區重新開業。

翻查資料，德輔道中33號地舖，原由凱施餅店租用，而該連鎖餅店去年始出現財困，分店欠租，而該舖業主東亞銀行有限公司入稟，指凱施餅店自2022年6月1日開始，便沒有繳付租金及相關費用，涉及月租約39萬元，6月份該分店被封舖。若按是次新租金計，跌約1成。

另有代理表示，有業主連租約放售油麻地眾坊街59A號地下連1樓。地舖面積約880平方呎，1樓面積約5,000平方呎，意向價6,900萬元。

(經濟日報)

更多德輔道中33號寫字樓出租樓盤資訊請參閱：德輔道中33號寫字樓出租

更多馮氏大廈寫字樓出租樓盤資訊請參閱：馮氏大廈寫字樓出租

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

內房續減磅 旭輝降價放赤柱5洋房

叫價逾16億減幅達16% 較購入價低8%

內房危機持續，有內房高層減價放售南區一籃子貴重物業。消息指，內房旭輝集團 (00884) 主席林中及相關人士，近日調低赤柱多幢洋房售價，涉及舂磡角道及海天徑共5座獨立屋，叫價大減16%，至逾16.59億元，較逾3年前購入價低約8%，以總樓面逾2.63萬平方呎計，平均呎價近6.3萬元。

據市場人士指，上述5座洋房為赤柱舂磡角道44號、46號、48號及50號屋，以及海天徑1號，實用面積4,374至6,615平方呎，採4及5房間隔，每座洋房均連私人平台、花園及享有海景，各連同車位出售，有關物業目前由旭輝主席林中、集團副主席林偉及行政總裁林峰透過公司名義持有。

消息指出，該批洋房原於市場以共19.75億元放售，每幢洋房叫價3.16億至5.2億元，惟包括林偉等在內的旭輝管理層，近日將有關物業的售價調低15%至18.6%，至2.68億至4.42億元，總叫價降至逾16.59億元，較起初開價大減16%。

眾多幢洋房中，減幅最大為舂磡角道48號洋房，實用面積6,600平方呎，4房間隔，連1,470平方呎平台及4,351平方呎花園，享全海景，叫價由4.95億元，降至最新逾4.02億元。而最貴重一幢則是舂磡角道50號洋房，實用面積6,615平方呎，目前意向價為4.42億元，相比原先叫價5.2億元，調低7,800萬元，減幅15%。

旭輝逾15億購 18億轉讓高層

翻查資料，上述5座洋房由信德集團 (00242) 發展，發展商在2016年中起推出招標，同年底以全盤形式易手至旭輝集團，作價15.88億元。不過，旭輝集團2020年5月公布，把上述5幢洋房出售予林中、林偉及林峰所持有的投資控股公司，總代價18億元，即若以現時最新叫價計算，較當時轉讓價，低逾1.4億元或7.8%。

旭輝2022年中期年報顯示，該集團總部設於上海，主營業務在內地從事房地產開發、房地產投資及提供物業管理服務業務，並聚焦內地一、二綫城市及重點城市，發展項目涵蓋住宅、商務辦公、商業綜合體等。而截至去年6月底，集團持有2,630萬平方米土地儲備 (約2.83億平方呎)。

舂磡角道屬於傳統豪宅貴重地段，吸引不少城中名人卜居，例如有「打工皇帝」稱號的長和 (00001) 聯席董事總經理霍建寧，就曾持有舂磡角道64至66號兩間大屋。

事實上，近期不乏內房高層、前高層放售或遭出售在港物業，例如恒大 (03333) 前副主席兼行政總裁夏海鈞，今年6月便以1.6億元放售北角柏傲山6座頂層複式戶。而恒大主席許家印持有的山頂布力徑10B號大屋，實用面積5,171平方呎，較早前被銀行接管放售，市值料約8.8億元。

(經濟日報)

內房富豪續沽貨 超豪宅大洗牌？

內房危機爆發多時，除內房持續面臨資金緊張，亦導致不少內房高層或相關行業富豪，身家出現萎縮。有內地富豪已放售或沽出在港物業套現，若有關情況持續，恐觸發本港貴重物業出現大洗牌。

受惠過去樓市攀升，加上傳統地段的豪宅供應緊絀，吸引不少內地富豪將資金調至本港，投資於豪宅物業市場，尤其市區豪宅及超豪等。

內房危機未除 賣港物業套現

然而，在內房危機等影響下，近年內地富豪變賣在港手頭物業的個案持續出現，當中更不乏蝕讓或遭強制出售的情況。例如，融創中國 (01918) 主席孫宏斌胞弟孫宏兵，去年3月以1.38億元售出西半山敦皓高層C室連天台戶，相比2018年購入價近1.89億元，約3年半貶值5,080萬元或26.9%，連同入市辣稅及其他使費，料更蝕近約1.1億元。

此外，海航集團 (國際) 副首席執行官孫乾皓，同年9月以3,008萬元沽售東涌水藍天一幢單號屋，持貨短短逾3年帳面貶值172萬元或5.4%離場。

除內地富豪自行沽貨，一些過往由內地富商持有的物業，近期也接連被接管放售，較近期一宗例如深圳祥祺集團主席陳紅天持有的港島東半山豪宅傲璇單位，早前由債權人委任羅兵咸接管，並於市場標售。

內房危機非一日之寒，若行業痛點未來遲遲未能解決，或有更多相關行業的內地富豪出售在港物業，情況如持續，恐觸發本港貴重物業大洗牌。

(經濟日報)