有代理發表的香港地產市場報告指出，由於租戶開始逐步恢復地產決策，今年第一季甲級寫字樓租賃市場略見改善。
今年3月底，整體甲廈空置率為9.4%，較2月底的9.3%略為上升；中環甲級寫字樓租金已較2019年6月初的市場高峰期回落29.7%，至較吸引的水平，該分區市場錄得正淨吸納量達4.04萬方呎。中環區空置率由7.5%輕微下跌至3月底的7.3%。
代理表示，去年不少租戶均暫緩作出地產決策，今年則開始陸續願意作出地產決策，預期未來數季寫字樓租賃需求將會改善，提升辦公室質素及追求質素將繼續是租賃需求的來源。
代理預期，今年寫字樓市場仍面對租金下調壓力，但下半年的租金跌幅將會放緩。3月整體甲級寫字樓租金按月下跌0.5%，尖沙咀租金跌幅為各區最高，中環租金則大致保持平穩。
(信報)
首季商用物業成交額按年增2.6倍
代理表示，今年首季商用物業買賣成交總額合共129億元，較去年同期大增2.6倍。隨着新冠疫苗面世，相信市場最差情況已經過去，投資者及基金已重返市場。
代理指出，首季大額成交以工業物業為主，因為標準金額補地價政策出台，而且租金回報亦較高，投資基金、本地發展商、本地投資者等都積極入市。
代理稱，首季每宗達5000萬元或以上的街舖物業成交總額為35.1億元，大部分成交位處非核心區，因疫情下民生消費不跌反升，非核心區的商場亦獲投資者青睞，預料今年往後時間商舖交投會增加，包括5000萬元以上的舖位。而可重建作住宅的地盤亦成焦點，因在現時經濟情況下，住宅的剛性需求仍然很大。代理估計，中小型住宅樓價料橫行，因供應不多；豪宅則會續創新高。
至於寫字樓壓力較大，因需求減弱，空置率續增，租金依然會向下調整，復甦速度較慢，但主要視乎經濟情況。
(信報)
羅氏地產上環干諾中心現每呎30元招租
有發展商推出商廈招租。由「針織大王」羅定邦旗下羅氏地產，新近推出上環干諾道西48號招租，呎租30元，以最細辦公室單位412方呎計，月租由1.23萬元起。
羅氏集團副主席及行政總裁羅正杰表示，干諾中心是集團在香港進行活化重建項目的重要里程碑，有別於其他倒模式商業大廈，人性化的設計是其一大特色，大樓的外牆及內部裝潢均融合創意和文化元素。資料顯示，羅氏地產2014年以5.5億元購入上環惠南大廈全幢，以總樓面40,247方呎計，平均呎價約13,666元。
(明報)
更多干諾中心寫字樓出租樓盤資訊請參閱：干諾中心寫字樓出租
更多上環區甲級寫字樓出租樓盤資訊請參閱：上環區甲級寫字樓出租
佳寶14.35億沽葵涌工廈
佳寶集團近期頻頻沽貨，最新沽出作為該集團總部的葵涌佳寶集團中心全幢，作價約14.35億，呎價約4919元，屬市價水平，買家以安祖高頓基金呼聲最高。
本報於今年2月25日率先披露，葵涌佳寶集團中心全幢將易手。據土地註冊處資料，上址於上月31日以14.35億沽出，買家以KB GROUP (BVI) LIMITED登記，為海外註冊公司，原業主於2010年6月以3.48億買入，以公司名義萬誠實業有限公司持有，註冊董事為林曉毅及林凱欣，持貨約11年帳面獲利10.87億，期間升值逾3倍。消息指，上述買家以安袓高頓基金呼聲最高。
安祖高頓基金呼聲高
據業內人士指出，該廈總樓面約29.17萬方呎，以易手價計，每呎約4919元，屬市價水平，項目早前於市場上以意向價18億放售，故是次成交價較意向價低約20%。
事實上，佳寶近期頻頻沽貨，早前市場盛傳該集團放售一籃子物業，上述佳寶集團中心為最貴重物業。資料顯示，該集團自去年起先後沽出4個鋪位，包括大圍、天水圍及九龍城等，若連同沽售工廈，料套現約20億。
(星島日報)
英皇5.08億沽觀塘工廈
工廈物業有價有市，市場再錄大手成交。英皇集團以5.08億沽出觀塘鴻圖道全幢工廈，每呎造價約5676元，持貨11年，帳面獲利約2.53億，買家以黑石基金呼聲高。
11年升值一倍
英皇集團沽售觀塘工廈，根據公布指出，物業為鴻圖道位處82號全幢工廈，作價5.08億，交易以買賣公司形式進行，項目樓高10層，以總樓面約8.95萬方呎計，平均呎價約5676元，買家為STRG Holdings II Limited，為海外註冊公司。
據土地註冊處資料顯示，上述工廈原業主為WINNING TREASURE LIMITED，於2010年以2.55億購入物業，註冊董事為張炳強、范敏嫦及黃志輝，均為英皇集團管理層，隨着物業售出，英皇持貨約11年，帳面獲利約2.53億，期間升值約1倍。市場消息則一度盛傳，新買家為黑石基金。
傳黑石基金購入
資料顯示，該項目早前獲批建1幢27層高的工廈，另連2層地庫，可建樓面約14.3萬方呎，以易手價計算，樓面呎價約3552元。
區內不乏全幢工廈，作嶄新構思發展，鴻圖道86號大偉工業大廈，地盤面積約5000方呎，早於去年12月，就建過渡性房屋項目，獲「支援非政府機構推行過渡性房屋項目的資助計劃」評審委員會，批出上限6150萬撥款，目標明年中動工，最快2022年首季入伙，計劃將惠及116個家庭，共約370人。
(星島日報)
羅氏地產2.17億沽葵涌海暉
工廈有價有市，再錄大手成交。由「針織大王」羅定邦旗下羅氏地產於月內第二度沽貨，最新以2.17億沽出葵涌海暉中心一籃子物業，呎價約4018元，屬市價水平，買家為資深投資者，料享約3厘回報。
代理表示，上述為葵涌梨木道73號海暉中心共40個單位連車位，總樓面約53995方呎，作價約2.17億，呎價約4018元，屬市價水平。上址由「針織大王」羅定邦旗下羅氏集團持貨約20年，項目以現狀形式，當中36伙以連租約形式售出，市值呎租約11元，按此計算，租金回報約3厘，買家為資深投資者。
何氏續指出，海暉中心樓高22層，共有132伙，是次易手單位分布於大廈多層樓面，以單位面積計，已佔整體約30%業權。
涉30%業權
據代理行資料顯示，該廈近期頻錄成交，其中，該工廈高層4室，面積1278方呎，於今年2月以413萬售，呎價約3232元；另一成交於去年10月錄得，為中層05至06室，面積2646方呎，以800萬沽，呎價約3023元。
事實上羅氏集團副主席及行政總裁羅正杰等人上月沽售荃灣工廈，為白田壩街23號長豐工業大廈9樓2室及3室，上月以7700萬易手，買家以公司名義圳燊發展有限公司登記，以面積20660方呎計，平均呎價約3727元。原業主於1999年以1200萬購入，持貨約22年帳面獲利約6500萬，期間物業升值5.4倍。故羅氏地產於月內兩度沽貨，套現約2.94億。
干諾中心意向呎租30元
此外，羅氏地產旗下上環商廈招租，位處干諾道西48號的干諾中心，建築面積面積由412至1845方呎，意向呎租30元，以最細單位計算，月租約1.23萬起。
有代理昨發表香港地產市場報告，3月整體甲廈租金按月跌0.5%，尖沙嘴跌幅最高，中環則平穩，該區租金較2019年6月初高峰期回落29.7%，本月正淨吸納量4.04萬方呎，區內空置率由7.5%微跌至3月底的7.3%，整體甲廈空置率為9.4%，較2月底的9.3%上升。
(星島日報)
更多干諾中心寫字樓出租樓盤資訊請參閱：干諾中心寫字樓出租
更多上環區甲級寫字樓出租樓盤資訊請參閱：上環區甲級寫字樓出租
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
More Hongkongers are scouting for homes
The percentage of Hongkongers intending to buy a home in the next 12 months has hit a three-year high, according to a survey by property agency.
The survey was conducted in March involving 249 respondents. About 50.6 percent of respondents plan to buy a home in the next 12 months, up by 11.2 percentage points from a quarter before, a three-year high.
About 34.9 percent of respondents want to buy property for replacement, 32.9 percent for getting on the property ladder, and 32.1 percent for investment, according to the agency.
But on the somber side, Hong Kong's vacant private residential units could surge to an 18-year high this year assuming 1 percent of the total number of households living in such units leave the city, analyst said in a note in early April.
"Potential recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom may boost applications for BNO visas which already reached 27,000 as of mid-March," analyst said. "New private home completions and a possible exodus of Hong Kong citizens driven by the city's political uncertainties could drive a surge in vacancies."
The vacancy rate may shoot up to 5.4 percent by the end of 2021 from 4.3 percent at end-2020, assuming 1 percent of households living in such units leave the city, analyst said.
Hong Kong's residential vacancy rate could surge to a new high of 8.2 percent if 4 percent of households leave the city, analyst said.
In the secondary market, a 701-sq-ft flat at Tai Koo Shing in Quarry Bay fetched HK$13.59 million, or HK$19,387 per sq ft. The seller, who sold the property for emigration, will make a capital gain of HK$7.79 million after holding the property for 11 years, according to Midland Realty.
In another deal, a 644-sq-ft unit at Metro City in Tseung Kwan O changed hand for HK$11.63 million, or HK$18,059 per sq ft. The vendor will earn a capital gain of HK$8.39 million after holding the property for around 21 years.
Elsewhere, former lawmaker Andrew Cheng Kar-foo sold a car parking space at South Horizons in Ap Lei Chau for HK$1.88 million, gaining HK$1.01 million after holding the parking lot for roughly 24 years, according to local media reports.
(The Standard)
Number of vacant homes in Hong Kong may surge to 18-year-high as families head to UK under BN(O) visa scheme, Bloomberg forecasts
The predicted exodus would take the number of empty homes to 66,683, more than five times the number of units in the gigantic Taikoo Shing housing estate
Rents may slide by 10 per cent in 2021 as the shrinking population threatens to stifle leasing, according to Bloomberg’s research report
The number of homes standing empty in Hong Kong may climb to an 18-year high in 2021 as thousands of families flee to the UK, according to a Bloomberg estimate.
The proportion of vacant units could surge to 5.4 per cent according to a Bloomberg Intelligence forecast based on a scenario in which 1 per cent of households vacate their private dwellings and head overseas.
The bulk of the estimated 11,737 departing households will be heading to Britain to take advantage of a government scheme to facilitate citizenship for holders of the British National (Overseas) passport, according to Bloomberg’s scenario.
The forecast exodus would take the number of empty homes in Hong Kong to 66,683, up from 52,370 last year. For an idea of scale, that is more than five times the number of units in the gigantic Taikoo Shing housing estate in the east of Hong Kong Island.
Rents may slide by another 10 per cent in 2021 as the shrinking population threatens to stifle residential leasing, following a 6 per cent drop last year, according to Bloomberg’s research report.
“Landlords may struggle to find tenants for their vacant rental units amid Hong Kong’s sputtering economy, possibly hurting their bargaining power in rental negotiations,” said the report, led by the real estate analysts with Bloomberg Intelligence.
About 300,000 Hong Kong residents are ultimately expected to emigrate to the UK under the BN(O) visa scheme, according to the British government, eventually pushing the vacancy rate as high as 8.2 per cent, or roughly 101,000 units.
Among them is Charlotte So, who recently quit her job in Hong Kong and will fly next Monday with her husband and 11 year-old son to start a new life in Kingston, an hour’s ride from central London.
“The possibility of coming back to Hong Kong is small, so we just sold our home even though it was some HK$500,000 below our asking prices,” said So, a former digital marketing professional.
“The macroenvironment, legal system, election and education systems have kept changing and we feel Hong Kong is a bit like a stranger to us, and it seems in the next couple of years, more of such changes will come. The UK is more child-raising friendly and also more relaxing for us in our 40s.”
So planned to use the profits from selling their two-bedroom flat in Sham Shui Po to buy a flat to live in in Kingston and another one or two units in other cities for leasing.
Last week, a 334 sq ft, one-bedroom unit in Park Summit in West Kowloon was leased out for HK$13,000 a month, having stood vacant for almost three months when the asking price was HK$16,000. In March, a 259 sq ft unit in Eltanin·Square Mile, part of the same neighbourhood, found its tenants only after the landlord agreed to cut HK$1,700, or 11 per cent from the asking rent.
“The supply of available rented homes increased as actually many of those leaving now are not comfortable with the political situation in the city. But they are not losing confidence in the economic development of Hong Kong, so we see many leave their homes for leasing when they depart,” agent said.
The Secretary for Transport and Housing, Frank Chan Fan, said last week the government has been collecting more data about vacant flats “to grasp the actual situation” and steer policy to address the issue.
“We will not rule out reintroducing the vacancy tax,” Chan said.
In the long term, market observers are still betting on the resilience of housing market and its ability to shrug off the possible wave of emigrations.
“Liquidity and business confidence are bigger drivers of the property market than emigration. Unless there is a massive exodus coupled with a drop in business confidence in Hong Kong, the emigration effect is unlikely to trigger a material impact on housing prices,” analyst said.
Lived-in home prices have grown 2.7 per cent year-to-date to the highest level since July 2020, according to property agency’s data.
(South China Morning Post)
