尖沙嘴余仁生中心放售全层意向呎价1.7万

股市连番波动，观望气氛进一步蔓延，部分业主放售旗下商厦物业，尖沙嘴余仁生中心全层单位，面积约1978方呎，以意向价3300万放售，平均呎价约1.7万，买家料享回报约3厘水平。

代理表示，上述放售物业为尖沙嘴漆咸道南11至15号余仁生中心低层全层，面积约1978方呎，意向售价约3300万，折合呎价约1.7万。该代理续指出，虽然市场近期受多项利淡素夹击，惟部分商厦业主持货力强，议幅未见扩阔，该放售单位方正实用，享开扬景致，料回报约3厘，属不俗水平。

料回报三厘

该代理续指出，该商厦位处区内核心地段，邻近港铁尖东站，周边亦有多条巴士綫往来各区。大厦附近商厦林立，可成协同效应，随着高铁西九龙站及西九文化区等大型建设相继落成，料区内物业将备受追捧，预料是次放盘将短期内获投资者吸纳。

据代理资料显示，该商厦对上一宗成交追溯至2016年10月，该商高层全层，面积约996方呎，以1728万成交，平均呎价约17349元。

(星岛日报)

加路连山道商地挑战百亿地王

下年度卖地表新增多幅商业用地，其中铜锣湾加路连山道商业地可建楼面高达107.6万平方呎，属区内难得大型商业地供应，有测量师认为作写字楼及商场综合发展较佳，估值162亿至269亿元，挑战成「百亿地王」。

规划署早于10多年提出将铜锣湾前机电工程署旧总部、邮政体育会、电讯盈科康乐会及前民安队大楼等组成的大型用地改划，拟分为南、北两幅地皮发展。其中北面地盘便是今次的加路连山道地皮，佔地15.9万平方呎，预计可提供约107.6万平方呎商业楼面。

可建两幢商厦提供107万呎

据分区大纲图显示，该地建筑物高限将获放宽至主水平基準以上135米，与附近商厦高度相同，计划可兴建两幢28至35层高商厦，其中一幢可远望维多利亚公园一带景致。

该地规定要将部分楼面留作兴建一所地区康復中心及幼儿中心，以及不少于125个停车位的公眾停车场，以及小巴等公共交通上落客设施，并须提供最少近6.5万平方呎公眾休憩用地。同时要预留地下接驳口，以连接未来的地下行人通道，通往铜锣湾港铁站等。综合市场估值162亿至269亿元，每呎楼面地价约1.5万至2.5万元。

南面地盘建新法院综合大楼

至于南面地盘，政府将会兴建两幢新法院综合大楼，重置湾仔区域法院，也会容纳家事法庭及土地审裁处等，楼面约75.3万平方呎，整个发展预计2026年完成。由于地皮仍处改划阶段，估计最快下半年度或明年才推出。

有测量师认为，港岛区大型商地供应少，今次地皮近民居，也较近利园山道，预计适合作综合性发展，视乎地契要求，作写字楼及商场组合发展较适合。区内也有多个大地主，相信吸引财团争夺。

铜锣湾近年区内全幢商厦买卖不多，例如邻近的开平道Cubus在2017年中以约20亿元易手，呎价约2.9万元。而糖街27至31号两厦同年亦以16.8亿元获华润集团买入，呎价约2.7万元，计划重建。

属铜锣湾大地主之一的希慎(00014)，在地皮周边有多个商业项目，包括希慎广场及礼顿中心等，当中利园3期平均呎租达60至75元。

(经济日报)

Investments in Hong Kong’s offices, shops and homes slowed to a standstill as Covid-19 outbreak adds to market’s woes

Investments in Hong Kong’s real estate are almost at a standstill, as the global coronavirus outbreak exacerbated the slumping sentiment from half a year of anti-government protests and the ongoing US-China trade war.

February’s transactions declined 13 per cent from last year to 3,572 deals, the lowest monthly tally in four years, comprising both newly launched property and lived-in homes, according to estimates by a real estate agency firm. On the high end of the property market involving offices, shops or homes exceeding HK$100 million (US$12.87 million) in value, only 17 deals changed hands last month, the lowest since 2009 while the average deal size shrank 44.1 per cent to a decade low of HK$235.3 million.

“There is a lack of incentives for transactions,” an agent. “Landlords want to wait until the coronavirus situation eases before selling their property and have stronger holding power due to low interest rates.”

The data underscores the market’s gloomy outlook, as the bull run in the world’s most expensive real estate market stumbled after many months of anti-government protests sapped appetite. Now, as the coronavirus outbreak shows no signs of letting up, few buyers dare to venture into sales rooms or commit to big-ticket purchases.

The last weekend offered the latest sign of gloom: China Evergrande sold 49 of the 141 flats on offer at its Emerald Bay project in Tuen Mun, even after the developer increased its average discount to 14 per cent. The sales slump was the city’s first major launch in two months, further weighing down on home prices, which have fallen 7.6 per cent this month from a record last May.

“We are just starting to enter a down cycle, unlike the severe acute respiratory syndrome [outbreak in 2003] when we were coming to the end of the down cycle since 1997,” another agent said, adding that the agent expects prices in the mass-market and mid-market segments to drop by 10 to 15 per cent this year. That could generate interest in buyers, the agent said.

Hong Kong’s home prices slipped 6.5 per cent in February from its August 2018 peak before the city was engulfed by anti-government protests, according to a property price index compiled by a real estate agency. In comparison, home prices plunged by as much as 70 per cent during the 2003 Sars outbreak from their 1997 peak.

An agent said that Hong Kong’s current shortage of land and homes, combined with the backdrop of declining interest rate and easier mortgage rules, could provide a strong support for home prices.

Declining home prices may find a floor if the current Covid-19 outbreak stabilises by June or July, according to a forecast by an international agency firm, adding that first-half transactions may drop 10 per cent to 22,720 from the second half of 2019.

In the luxury segment, local and mainland Chinese high net worth individuals have “virtually stopped all dealings” and opted to diversify in overseas markets, the agent said in February. These potential buyers are likely to turn cautious on investment as business prospects and economic conditions weaken in Hong Kong, which would pull luxury prices down by another 5 to 10 per cent for the year.

“Investors want to hunt for bargains before buying, because factors such as the trade war, last year’s social unrest and the current coronavirus situation have pushed home prices down,” the agent said.

(South China Morning Post)

More Ocean Marini flats go on the market

Wheelock and Company (0020) released 60 flats in the third price list for Ocean Marini at Lohas Park yesterday, offered at an average of HK$15,698 per square foot after discounts. The developer had received 1,500 checks as of Monday for the 202 flats released in the first two price lists, 6.4 times oversubscribed.

The project will provide a total of 503 units, with most of them being two-bedroom and three-bedroom flats.

Meanwhile, CK Asset (1113) will raise the prices of 30 flats at Seaside Sonata in Sham Shui Po by 2 percent, and the first five buyers who purchased designated residential properties will be entitled to receive one gold ingot in the value of HK$98,000 for each residential property purchased.

In the commercial property market, a street shop with a gross floor area of 800 square feet on Yiu Wa Street in Causeway Bay changed hands for HK$34 million, or HK$42,500 per sq ft, after HK$86 million was slashed from the initial asking price.

In the secondary market, a 522-sq-ft flat at Sky Tower in To Kwa Wan fetched HK$8.7 million, or HK$16,667 per sq ft, after HK$2.1 million was cut from the original asking price.

A 705-sq-ft flat at Lohas Park Phase 1 The Capitol sold for HK$8.9 million or HK$12,624 per sq ft, after HK$800,000 was reduced from the first asking price.

In Pak Sha Wan, a 645-sq-ft flat at Heng Fa Chuen changed hands for HK$9.9 million, or HK$15,349 per sq ft, after HK$2.38 million was rubbed off from the initial asking price.

In other news, overall stamp duty raised from home purchases in February dropped 4 percent month-on-month to HK$785.8 million, hitting a six-year low, according to data from the Inland Revenue Department.

The amount of buyer's stamp duty collected surged 18 percent month-on-month to HK$235 million and the amount of double stamp duty applied to residential property transactions plummeted by 10 percent month-on-month to HK$334.4 million.

In the rental market, the average rent of private residential properties dropped 2 percent month-on-month to HK$34.7 per sq ft in February due to the spread of the coronavirus.

(The Standard)