疫情冲击商务活动，不过亦有个别行业疫市下生意不跌反升，更可趁商厦租金下跌有所扩充。外卖平台foodpanda，租用铜锣湾时代广场两层写字楼，达3.8万平方呎，作为扩充业务及升级。至于经营网购的HKTVmall，据悉亦扩充物流中心楼面。业内人士指，租金下跌加上疫情缓和，个别企业近期重啟扩充，惟仅佔少数。
市场消息指，铜锣湾时代广场写字楼录得大手租务，涉及2座23及24楼全层，每层面积约1.9万平方呎，合共约3.8万平方呎，以每平方呎约45元租出。据悉，该厦高峰期呎租高见60元，如今回调约25%，亦是近期较少录得大手租务。
涉3.8万呎楼面 呎租约45元
据了解，新租客为外卖平台foodpanda，该品牌最近从多方面宣传，包括请来知名艺人拍广告。事实上，疫情期间因晚市禁堂食及市民减少外出，叫外卖的比例大幅增加，令该平台甚受欢迎。
今年首4个月，foodpanda在香港外卖市场市佔率达51%，位居首位。据悉，该公司目前租用上环商厦，如今预租时代广场两层作扩充业务，亦可升级至铜锣湾地标商厦。
另外，支付服务商BBPOS亦有所扩充业务，消息指，集团原租用荃湾如心广场低层单位约1.6万平方呎，如今扩充至全层，面积约2.1万平方呎，呎租料22元。该公司为全球大型支付终端供应商及首批供应行动刷卡机公司。
除了商厦外，亦有企业扩充物流中心楼面。消息指，青衣丰树物流中心全层单位，面积约14.7万平方呎，以每平方呎约15元租出。
据了解，新租客为经营网购的HKTVmall，集团早于2016年，租该厦全层楼面，如今扩充业务。
疫情期间市民网购需求上升，该公司生意在疫情下大增，故需要更多楼面，作储仓等之用。
代理：机构控成本 租金仍向下
对于有个别行业进行扩充，代理分析，疫情下涉及网购、外卖及科技等公司，生意没受明显影响，甚至上升，经过一年疫情后，相关机构预计后市转好，有扩充业务空间。
同时，商厦租金过去一年下跌，机构若生意保持稳定，便趁租平扩充写字楼。整体市况上，该代理指出近一两个月市场上渐有机构查询扩充业务，情况是去年极罕见，惟整体来说不算多，机构仍以控制成本为主，故相信商厦租金仍会向下，空置率未见明显回落，而九龙区因租金较便宜，亦吸引机构搬迁省租金，跌幅较低，全年料跌1至2%。
(经济日报)
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中环甲厦呎租111.8元 跌1.1%
商厦空置率偏高，租金持续向下。数据显示，中环整体甲厦租金按月仍跌约1.1%，过去一年租金跌约14%。
较去年跌约14.1%
据代理每月商厦租金统计显示，中环整体甲厦呎租报111.8元，按月跌约1.1%，较去年跌约14.1%，而区内超甲厦呎租为131.3元。
中环租金跌幅略为收窄，而上月甲厦租金跌幅，主要来自边綫地区，如铜锣湾最新呎租为60.5元，按月跌3.1%，而鰂鱼涌租金亦较上月跌约2.3%，两区跌幅较核心区为高。
近期市场录得租务不算多，中区租务主要来自搬迁活动，包括中国人寿富兰克林资产管理租用交易广场全中高层全层，面积约1.3万平方呎，呎租约120元，机构原租用同区长江集团中心 3楼，如今作出搬迁。此外，同区亦录律师楼租用约克大厦 3层，亦属同区搬迁。
外资预租太古坊二座 港岛最大
本年港岛区最大宗租务成交于港岛东录得，私人银行瑞士宝盛，预租明年落成的太古坊二座多层，涉约9.2万平方呎楼面，平均呎租约65元。机构现租用中环国金一期等楼面，搬迁料可节省大笔租金。
代理指出，疫情下机构「去中环化」大势持续，以节省租金支出，该行预计港岛东有新商厦落成，吸引中环租客迁至，料该区租金水平及空置率相对稳定。
(经济日报)
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本地疫情缓和下，市场接连录得多宗商厦大楼面租赁成交，当中不乏核心区甲厦获青睞，反映企业对经济前景重拾信心，对设立办公室据点态度转趋乐观，而中环商业地王截标在，势必进一步推高核心地段甲厦市场气氛，诱使不少业主乘时推售单位，而属金鐘指标甲厦的力宝中心及海富中心，分别有连装修优质单位放盘。
力宝中心连装修户 每呎叫租40
代理指，有业主放租金鐘区甲级写字楼，分别为金鐘道89号力宝中心一座高层07至08室，面积约1,680平方呎，现以每平方呎约40餘元招租，单位望山景，景致舒适开扬，同时附有写字楼全装修，并已分间经理房及会议室等，亦将连部份傢俬出租，为準租客节省一大笔装修费及翻新时间，属现时市场上最受欢迎的租盘之一。
海富中心中高层连约 呎价3.5万
至于，另外两个单位，均位处金鐘夏愨道18号海富中心一座，分别放租及放售，出租单位位处中高层20室，面积约946平方呎，意向呎租约45元；单位已备有写字楼装修，租客可即租即用，为物业增加吸引力；而放售的单位属同层21室，面积约943平方呎，现以意向呎价约3.5万元放售，上址连租约，现时每平方呎租金收入约48元，租期至2023年，适合投资者购入收租。
参考市场上两幢甲级写字楼新近成交，其中力宝中心一座中层10至11室，面积约2,440平方呎，以约14.6万元租出，平均呎租约60元，而海富中心一座新近租务成交，可参考高层单位，面积约2,041平方呎，月租约10.9万元，平均呎租达53元。
该代理指，受社会事件及新冠肺炎疫情影响，与经济环境相联繫的写字楼市场已沉寂好一段时间，而经过近两年调整期，疫苖面世加上通关事宜逐步落实，写字楼市场渐露曙光，外资及内地企业过去一段时间都难抵港物色写字楼，而随着经济市道有所好转，本港核心区甲级商厦价格又见回调，料上述租、卖甲厦单位可吸引租客及投资者青睞。
(经济日报)
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商业活动需时恢復 空置续高企
环球疫情缓和，惟商业活动需时恢復，机构仍以收缩业务为主，需求未见反弹，加上供应渐多，空置率高企料维持一段时间。
第4波疫情近尾声，市民接种疫苗加快，本地疫情受控，商业活动陆续重啟，包括市民重新外出消费，带动零售市场。至于写字楼租务市场，始终关键是环球局势。欧美接种疫苗加快下，疫情大幅改善，陆续放宽防疫措施，商业活动慢慢恢復。
4月甲厦空置9.5% 升0.1百分点
本港甲厦新租务需求，多来自外资跨国机构租楼面，疫情期间环球封关，令甲厦活动大减，商厦连续多季录得负吸纳情况。目前环球疫情改善，惟跨国企业重新扩充海外业务，仍要待各国通关，现时似乎尚有一段距离。
据代理最新数字显示，4月底整体甲厦空置率为9.5%，按月升0.1个百分点，而中环甲厦空置率为7.5%，按月升0.2个百分点，而尖沙咀及东九龙，仍维持双位数。从而可见，甲厦租务活动仍疲弱，最近录得租务，多来自机构搬迁，包括中环同区搬迁，或迁出中环以节省租金，却极少扩充个案，故整体甲厦吸纳情况未有明显改善。
下半年展望上，目前为止环球仍有不少地区疫情仍颇严峻，环球商务活动仍难以短时间回復疫情前，相信新需求难以大幅反弹，令本港甲厦商厦高空置情况仍持续。值得留意，明年将为甲厦高峰期，多达300万平方呎楼面推出，并分布在核心区中环、非核心区港岛东，新兴商业区啟德，供应大幅增加，机构更多选择作搬迁，令租金进一步受压，而空置率料短期也难回调。
(经济日报)
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麦格理再退租国金一期楼面 中金公司每呎120元顶租 平旧约33%
在新冠肺炎疫情下，不少企业改变工作模式，减少租用写字楼楼面，从而节省租金开支。澳洲投资银行麦格理原租用中环超甲级商厦国际金融中心一期 (下称国金一期) 4层共8万方呎楼面，去年初提早退租1.6万方呎楼面后，新近再退租多1万方呎楼面，先后撤出共2.6万方呎楼面，逾一年内缩减32.5%租用面积。最新退租的18楼1万方呎楼面，已由中资的中金公司顶租，呎租120元，较麦格理承租的租金下跌33.3%。
仅餘5.4万呎 较首次入驻缩55%
据了解，麦格理自2008年起租用国金一期18楼至23楼共6层，总租用面积约12万方呎，作为香港区总部。经多年续约及减租楼面后，在2019年续租时只餘下18、20、22及23楼共4层，租用面积共约8万方呎，呎租约180元，涉及月租约1440万元，租期至2022年9月底。
不过，其后本港受社会事件及新冠肺炎疫情的连番打击，经济环境急转直下，不少跨国企业收缩规模以节省开支。麦格理去年4月率先提早逾两年退租20楼3室至15室共13个单位，租用面积共1.6万方呎，令该层只餘下约4000方呎继续租用。据悉，该1.6万方呎提早退租单位，已由共享工作空间承接。
虽然麦格理去年已减租楼面，但缩减规模的步伐持续，最新再进一步减租18楼5室至14室共10个单位，涉及租用面积共1万方呎，只继续租用该层一半楼面。连同去年4月退租的20楼在内，麦格理在过去超过一年时间内，共减少租用2.6万方呎楼面，佔2019年续租总面积约32.5%。现时只餘下5.4万方呎楼面继续租用，较2008年首度租用国金一期的楼面，大幅削减55%规模。
市场人士表示，麦格理早在去年底推出18楼的楼面招顶租，至近期因应市况好转，获得中资中金公司洽租，终以每呎120元顶租相关楼面，月租约120万元，呎租较麦格理两年前续租时的180元低33.3%。资料显示，中金公司在国金一期早已承租两层半楼面，但依然在同一大厦内寻求位置作扩充。
私银宝盛港总部迁太古坊二座
反之，外资以缩减规模、节省支出为主，瑞士私人银行宝盛集团 (Julius Baer Group Ltd) 早前亦决定，把香港总部由国金一期迁到明年落成的鰂鱼涌甲级商厦太古坊二座。该行现时租用国金一期37楼至39楼共3层，租用面积共4.8万方呎；另在同区交易广场二座承租两层，面积共2.5万方呎，日后将一併整合中环两个办公室至非核心区商厦，料可减少租金开支最少逾六成。
(信报)
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嘉民斥3.68亿购九龙湾货运中心
工厦物业有价有市，再录大手成交，九龙湾三湘九龙湾货运中心高层全层，以3.68亿连8个货车位售出，买家为澳洲嘉民物流集团。
据土地註册处资料显示，三湘九龙湾货运中心高层全层，于上月中以3.68亿成交，买家以公司名义TAI YIP INVESTMENTS NO.2 LIMITED登记，公司创办成员为GOODMAN ASIA LIMITED，註册董事为李伟豪及BAGGIE HUGH JOHN SIDDELEY。
据业内人士指出，上述成交连8个上落货车位，全层面积约69700方呎，呎价约5279元；同时，资料显示，嘉民物流集团于今年3月以1.82亿购入该厦低层B室，连4个上落货车位成交，故该集团于3个月内合共斥资5.5亿购入该厦单位。
面积约6.97万呎
该外资集团近期于本港频频购入工厦物业，资料显示，于今年2月以5.7亿向森信纸业购入观塘海裕工业中心半幢业权。该集团于多区均设有物流中心。于2018年更以27.51亿投得屯门小冷水路物流地皮，楼面呎价约3228元。
另一方面，甲厦市场亦录租赁成交，市场消息指出，金鐘力宝中心一座低层01室，面积约1991方呎，以约79640元租出，呎租约40元，属市价水平。
(星岛日报)
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耀才叶茂林2.1亿购怡和街铺 邓成波家族连环沽货 佳明两亿购铁路大厦铺
「铺王」邓成波于上月突离世，该家族陆续沽货套现，最新售出铜锣湾怡和街麦当奴大厦地铺，由耀才证券主席叶茂林以2.1亿承接，另外，旗下尖沙嘴漆咸道南铁路大厦地铺亦以2.068亿售出，买家为佳明集团。邓成波家族于两日内连环沽出6项物业，套现约6.85亿。
佳明集团昨日公布，以2.068亿购入铁路大厦地下B铺，面积约6700方呎，呎价30866元，而连同毗邻的商铺 (现为旗下新盘明翘汇售楼处)，该集团全数拥有铁路大厦地下商铺业权。
叶茂林：疫情回稳睇好后市
佳明集团营业及市务总监顏景凤表示，是次成交价属合理水平，该物业具稳定租金回报，并可配合集团物业发展大方向，市区优质铺位属罕有供应，铁路大厦位处区内商业区，各项配套均不俗。
该集团现时全数持有铁路大厦地下连地库及1楼铺位，楼面约3.05万方呎，另外，该集团总部亦设于同一办公大楼的18、19及22楼，总楼面积约6.29万方呎。
顏景凤：具稳定租金回报
据土地註册处资料显示，原业主以公司名义财邦有限公司持有，註册董事为邓成波及邓耀昇。
两日售六物业套现6.85亿
另一方面，该家族亦售出铜锣湾怡和街46至54号麦当奴大厦地下A及F地铺及地库全层，作价约2.1亿，买家为耀才证券主席叶茂林，以总楼面约7566方呎计，呎价约27756元。资料显示，邓成波家族于2016年以2.038亿购入，持货5年帐面获利仅620万，物业期间升值约3%。
叶茂林昨日向本报表示，该铺位处核心区地段，租金收入达45万，享租金回报约2.57厘，属不俗水平，随疫情逐步回稳，他对后市感乐观，环球经济持续量宽，手上资金亦需寻找出路。
(星岛日报)
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Hong Kong home prices join global surge
Global house prices are rising at their fastest rate since 2006, with home prices in Hong Kong rising 2.1 percent for the year ended March, the latest report by property agency shows.
Its Global House Price Index, which covers average prices across 56 countries and territories, increased 7.3 percent in the year to March.
Hong Kong was placed 46th on the list in terms of 12-months growth among those markets.
In Hong Kong, Wing Tai Properties (0369) will launch 37 units of Oma Oma in Tuen Mun on Sunday, 5-7 percent more expensive than the last batch.
The developer revealed a new price list yesterday. It covers studio flats to three-room units with an average price of HK$14,678 per square foot after discounts. Among them, 31 flats are priced at below HK$10 million.
In other news, Hip Shing Hong named its project at No 5 Victory Avenue in Ho Man Tin as Madera Garden. The developer plans to start sales this month. It will upload the brochure and price list and open a show flat to homebuyers within the month.
David Fong Man Hung, managing director of the developer, estimated housing prices would rise by 5 percent to 7 percent this year. However, he said he did not expect prices to surge as citizens are facing challenges to afford a home.
In the commercial market, more properties of the late property tycoon Tang Shing-bor, also known as Uncle Bor, were sold by the family.
Tang's family sold a shop at 39 Chatham Road South in Tsim Sha Tsui and another at 165 Sai Yee Street in Mong Kok for HK$324 million combined.
This means that the family has sold a total of 10 properties in the past couple of weeks, cashing in more than HK$900 million.
Separately, Chow Sang Sang Jewellery (0116) said the company's sales in recent quarters have recovered, thanks to a low base from a year earlier, and it is maintaining a target of opening 100 stores this year.
The company said it will install Octopus devices in local jewelry stores to prepare for the upcoming digital voucher scheme.
(The Standard)
Hong Kong’s rising home prices, luxury flat sales push property deals to a two-year high at US$11.3 billion in May
Turnover rose 2.9 per cent month on month to HK$87.6 billion (US$11.3 billion) last month, the highest after HK$90.32 billion reached in May 2019
Property agent expects first-half turnover to reach an all-time high of HK$395 billion, surpassing the previous record set in the first half of 1997
Bullish investors pushed the value of property transactions in Hong Kong to a 24-month high last month, helped by rising house prices and luxury flat sales.
The value of transactions rose 2.9 per cent month on month to HK$87.6 billion (US$11.3 billion) in May, according to figures from Land Registry on Wednesday. It was the highest since May 2019, when the turnover stood at HK$90.32 billion.
However, overall transactions, including homes, shops, industrial and office units, eased 2 per cent month on month to 8,965 in May, the government data showed.
“The data indicates more demand for expensive properties, as homes worth more than HK$10 million recorded significant growth last month,” property agent said. The trend will continue this month, the agent added.
Amid growing optimism over the strength of Hong Kong’s economic recovery and the pandemic being brought under control in the city, an increasing number of investors are choosing to park their capital in property. Hong Kong ended six consecutive quarters of economic decline caused by the coronavirus pandemic, posting a 7.8 per cent growth in the first quarter, the strongest in 11 years. Unemployment fell to 6.4 per cent in April from 7.2 per cent in February.
The agent pointed to the success of new project launches, most of which were sold out last month. He said close to 300 out of 380 units at South Land project near Wong Chuk Hang MTR station were sold at an average price of over HK$20 million, while the number of transactions of lived-in homes costing more than HK$10 million climbed to 1,064 deals, the highest in two years.
Hong Kong’s lived-in home prices also extended gains for the fourth straight month in April, taking them to their highest level since July 2019, data from Rating and Valuation Department showed last week. They are within about 1.5 per cent of a historic high recorded in May 2019, before the anti-government protests kicked off.
With more potential investors hastening their buying decisions fearing further increase in home prices, the number of new homes sold jumped 47.8 per cent month on month in May to 1,558, while their value rose to HK$26.9 billion, the most since HK$32.6 billion reached in May 2019, property agency said.
Apart from luxury flats, investors were also channelling capital into car parking spaces, taking advantage of the removal of extra stamp duty on non-residential transactions in November.
The agent said sales of car parking bays jumped 18 per cent month on month in May.
the property agency said that the buoyant property market sentiment could push first-half transactions to an all-time high of HK$395 billion and in the process overtake the previous record of HK$388.8 billion set in the first half of 1997.
(South China Morning Post)
The Executive Centre bought by KKR and Tiga Investments as pandemic spurs consolidation of Hong Kong’s flexible workspace sector
Deal marks the latest consolidation in an industry that has been restructuring amid the global downturn triggered by Covid-19
TEC has more than 150 centres in 32 cities and 14 markets, including China, Japan, South Korea, Southeast Asia, Australia and the Middle East
Hong Kong-based flexible workspace provider The Executive Centre has been acquired by private-equity firm KKR and Tiga Investments for an undisclosed amount, the company announced on Tuesday.
It marks the latest consolidation in an industry that has been restructuring amid the global downturn triggered by Covid-19.
“We are pleased to welcome KKR and Tiga Investments to The Executive Centre as our new investors,” said Paul Salnikow, founder and chief executive officer of TEC. “It’s a powerful partnership, well matched to drive the continued performance and growth of TEC.”
The acquisition indicates the confidence of investors in the flexible office space segment, according to analysts, even as the likes of US-based WeWork have been giving up space in Hong Kong.
WeWork has reduced its footprint by more than half since the coronavirus pandemic triggered widespread work-from-home arrangements last year.
The consortium of KKR and Singapore-based Tiga acquired its stake from funds advised by HPEF Capital Partners and CVC Capital Partners, which owned 70 and 20 per cent of TEC respectively. HPEF was an investor in TEC since 2005, and CVC since 2014.
TEC declined to discuss the acquisition terms but in 2019, amid the social unrest that brought Hong Kong to a standstill, the company paused its decision to go public and sell shares for US$750 million, which would have allowed HPEF and CVC to dispose of their stake in the company.
“KKR and Tiga are acquiring a strongly profitable business at every level,” said Salnikow, who reiterated that the company is still pursuing a long-term growth target of 20 per cent in terms of expansion. TEC currently has more than 150 centres in 32 cities and 14 markets, including China, Japan, South Korea, Southeast Asia, Australia and the Middle East. Its annual turnover is in excess of US$237 million.
“The long-term growth rate of 20 per cent is still something that we want to achieve over the next five years, but will we continue to grow 20 per cent this year, next year, and the year after? Unlikely. The right opportunity [will come from being] more thoughtful about expansion this year and taking advantage of market opportunities more aggressively in 2022 and 2023,” said Salnikow.
TEC is adding more centres this year in Tokyo, Hong Kong and India and has a line-up of expansions in Australia.
The acquisition of TEC was “expected”, given that the segment has been consolidating, according to property agent.
“With the economy rebounding, many businesses are taking a cautiously optimistic approach to expanding,” the agent said. “Flexible working space provides are a perfect platform for these companies as they do not need much upfront capital investment to set up.”
The flexible office space, or co-working, segment can provide a solution for companies adapting to a new normal in which employees spend more time working from home.
“We believe flexible office leasing will remain a long-term strategy for occupiers,” another agent said.
The consolidation in the industry in Hong Kong began in 2019, when the city was riven by political instability, and continued last year when the pandemic hit. This served to “eliminate some weak players”, according to another agent.
“In the long term, co-working space is viable, but operators should provide more value-added services to tenants such as organising business activities and seminars,” the agent said.
(South China Morning Post)
Hong Kong’s street shops in flux as pandemic upends businesses, creates new opportunities
April saw 186 shop transactions, an 18 per cent increase over March, stretching a rally of three months and marking a 56-month high
The worst has passed, as far as shops are concerned, market observer says
Hong Kong’s street shop landscape has transformed dramatically following the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, reflecting the changing fortunes of investors and industries amid the unprecedented dislocation it has caused.
Some investors, including property industry heavyweights, are buying shops at low prices while others are selling them, partly because some businesses are struggling. According to the Land Registry, shop transactions rose for a third month in April, adding 18 per cent over March to 186 , and marking a 56-month high.
“Many of those active before the coronavirus outbreak are [now] selling shops. Very often, those who sell shops are in industries affected [by the pandemic]”, said Edwin Lee, founder and chief executive of Bridgeway Prime Shop Fund Management.
The buying and selling of shops reflects the changing fortunes of industries, with banks, cosmetic chains, bakery chains and investors related to The Center acquisition selling shops since the coronavirus pandemic started, Lee said. For instance, banks were selling shops because of virtual banks – they do not need so many branches now, he said.
Many of those who are buying now are those who had stayed silent in the market for a long time and wanted to “buy low”, Lee said. There are also new investors who are exploring alternative property investments, or shops for their own use.
“The worst time for the shop market has passed,” Lee said, adding that the prospect of travel bubbles, consumption vouchers and the government’s plan to buy shops had led to a feeling of optimism. Transaction volumes will surge by one to 1.5 times this year from about 1,000 deals last year, Lee said. Shop prices in residential districts will appreciate by 20 per cent to 30 per cent, while those in core districts will rise 10 per cent to 15 per cent, he predicted.
E-commerce, particularly during the pandemic, had also triggered a change of fortunes. Every consumption market sees changes, property agent said. “This time, the difference is big,” the agent said. “This does not [diminish] the importance of shops. Shops will be [used] for new industries.”
The agent has spent about HK$168 million (US$21.7 million) on three shops since February. These include a shop in Percival House, across Times Square in Causeway Bay, which cost him HK$66.8 million.
“We think the shop market has bottomed out. So we started to enter the market for investments. It starts with prime [properties]. Shops in core districts are particularly valuable – it was not easy to buy one in the past 10 years,” the agent said. “In the last two years, there has been social unrest and the coronavirus outbreak. So the market was very unusually battered, time after time.”
Founder of an agency group said his charity foundation bought a shop for recurrent income recently. The 1,400 sq ft property at Lee Hing Building in Mong Kok cost about HK$47 million.
“The timing was about right, as rents had fallen quite a lot. [But] the pandemic is about to fade -investors need to take a step early [and] consider the prospects,” the agent said. The agent also attributed the “difficult” business of shops to a wave targeting and scaring away mainland Chinese consumers during the city’s anti-government protests.
But Beijing will, in the long term, encourage people to visit and shop in Hong Kong as “China and the US are struggling” and “Beijing wants to prove that, even under US sanctions, Hong Kong has room for development”, the agent said.
Some investors, however, are looking to shrink their portfolios. The family of “shop king” Tang Shing-bor, who died recently, has set its asking prices for 39 properties worth about HK$4.15 billion that it is putting up for sale, according to a list recently circulated by agents and confirmed by the Stan Group, Tang’s company.
The most valuable property on the list is the 14-storey Woon Yin Building in Wan Chai, which has been priced at HK$390 million. It was listed by property agency in September last year at an indicative price of HK$400 million.
“The group will continue to sell noncore projects in response to market opportunities, as well as actively look for local potential investment projects to optimise its investment portfolio,” Stan Group’s spokeswoman said.
(South China Morning Post)
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