Hong Kong's primary property market does not appear to be affected by the sluggish stock market, with Hang Lung Properties (0101) selling at least 78 flats at The Aperture in Ngau Tau Kok.

The first price list for the flats, which range from 320 to 771 square feet, offered a 4 percent discount, ranging between HK$20,076 and HK$23,847 per sq ft.

This round of sales received 1,500 checks, with nearly half of the buyers interested in two-bedroom flats and 40 percent in single-bedroom units.

The flats are expected to rent for HK$40 per square foot, with a rental rate of return of 3 percent, according to property agent.

The agent said that the majority of homebuyers are first-time homeowners, with 60 percent residing in Kowloon and the other 40 percent residing in the New Territories.

Meanwhile, a homeowner in Tai Koo Shing slashed their asking price by HK$3 million in order to attract buyers from the red-hot primary property market.

The 714-sq-ft three-bedroom flat, which was initially on the market for HK$17 million, eventually sold for HK$14 million, or HK$19,608 per sq ft.

Over the weekend, 14 secondary transactions were recorded at 10 blue-chip housing estates, the same as the previous month, after recording double-digit deals for the previous eight weeks.

According to a property agency, estates in the New Territories performed better, which saw six deals in City One Shatin, Caribbean Coast in Tung Chung and Kingswood Villas in Tin Shui Wai, rose by 50 percent over the same period.

Over the weekend, an 853-sq-ft three-bedroom unit in City One Shatin sold for HK$11.6 million, or HK$13,093 per sq ft. After holding the unit for eight years, the vendor earned a HK$3.2 million on paper.

According to another property agent, developers used the opportunity to sell flats over the holiday season, with some adopting price-cut strategies. On Saturday, more than 100 units were sold on the primary market.

Recent stock market instability has resulted in more money flowing into property, the agent said, while predicting the housing market will remain buoyant in the near future.

(The Standard)

Hongkongers spent a record US$4.5 billion to buy lived-in subsidised homes amid soaring private flat prices

The transaction value of lived-in flats under the Home Ownership Scheme exceeded 2020’s US$3.34 billion as private home prices soar in Hong Kong

The easing of the mortgage lending policy for flats below HK$10 million for first-time buyers has also contributed to the rise

Hong Kong sales of lived-in subsidised homes rose to a record HK$34.9 billion (US$4.5 billion) for the first 11 months, as buyers rush for cheaper alternatives amid a surge in private home prices that have pushed them beyond general affordability.

The transaction value of lived-in flats under the Home Ownership Scheme (HOS) has exceeded 2020’s HK$26.05 billion, according to property agency. The total number of deals in this period, at 6,530, was the highest since 1996, which saw 6,520 transactions.

The most expensive HOS flat transaction this year came last month, when a lived-in 577 sq ft flat at Fu Keung Court in Wong Tai Sin sold for HK$8.99 million, the agency said.

“Sales of HOS will continue to surge this month, as Hong Kong’s economy is improving and will boost buying confidence,” property agent said.

The agent said the that total transaction value could increase to HK$37 billion and the total number of deals to 6,900 this year.

The frenzy came as the overall prices of lived-in homes reached an all-time high in August, with another property agency predicting a jump of up to 5 per cent for 2022.

The agent also attributed rising prices to an easing of the mortgage lending policy for flats below HK$10 million for first-time buyers.

Under the current policy, homebuyers can apply for up to 90 per cent for flats worth HK$8 million or below and 80 per cent for flats that cost HK$10 million or less.

The Hong Kong government’s subsidised HOS flats can be sold to buyers eligible for the scheme without paying a premium. The maximum income and total asset requirements of HOS are set for individuals at HK$33,000 and HK$85,000, respectively, and HK$66,000 and HK$1.7 million for households of two or more people.

If sold in the secondary market to buyers not eligible for the scheme, the sellers must pay a premium set by the government. Most sellers can realise a net gain even after paying the premium because of high discounts originally offered by the government. HOS flats are offered at a discount of at least 30 per cent to low-income groups.

“Given the long waiting time for the government’s new HOS flats and the soaring private home prices, people would turn to the secondary market for a cheaper alternative,” the agent said.

The vendor who sold the flat at Fu Keung Court paid a land premium to the government before selling it in the open market, according to records from another property agency.

A similarly sized flat without a land premium is now being offered for HK$6.6 million according to a property agency.

In the private market, similarly sized flats at Lion Rise development in Wong Tai Sin cost about HK$10 million, according to the agency.

In May, a 645 sq ft flat in the same housing estate sold for HK$10.88 million, setting a record for the city’s HOS flat transactions, another agency said.

In November, 493 lived-in HOS flats changed hands for a total of HK$2.57 billion, up 5.1 per cent and 2.6 per cent from October respectively, the agency said.

Tin Chung Court was the most active trading HOS housing estate in Tin Shui Wai, with 14 transactions worth a total of HK$6.3 billion.

The agent said that the transactions below HK$4 million jumped 13.8 per cent from October to reach 66 deals last month, while those costing between HK$4 million and HK$5 million rose 9 per cent to 144 deals.

Flats sold for HK$5 million to HK$6 million advanced 2.6 per cent to 159 deals, and those above HK$6 million remained flat at 124 transactions, the agent said.

Last week, New World Development announced the launch of subsidised homes at discounts ranging from 40 to 50 per cent. They are meant to help low-income groups get on the property ladder.

As part of New World Subsidised Housing, the developer will offer 300 one-, two- and three-bedroom flats on a site in the New Territories West with a gross floor area of 130,000 sq ft to permanent Hong Kong residents and first-time homebuyers between the ages of 25 and 45.

(South China Morning Post)

銅鑼灣「樓上鋪」呎租30元

銅鑼灣駱克道、位處崇光百貨後面，其中一個舊樓「樓上鋪」，由美容店以每月3萬進駐，平均每呎30元，較舊租跌25%。

上址為駱克道543號1樓，約1000方呎，由美容店以每月3萬承租，物業於2002年以300萬購入，回報可觀。業主科達地產主席湯君明說，舊租金每月4萬，新租金減逾25%，回報不俗。

湯君明於區內白沙道、蘭芳道等持有不少舊樓，他表示，地鋪租金上落大，樓上鋪反而平穩。「我重量不重質，不買地鋪，吼位收集樓上單位。」

美容行業進駐

湯氏續說，區內舊樓受潮流時尚行業追捧，他們寧要核心區「樓上鋪」，也不要民生區地鋪 (北角及西環區)，反映其商業價值所在。而他持有霎東街 (9A號1樓) 及波斯富街89號2樓的同類型舊樓，去年分別由財團以2480萬及2680萬收購，2000年各以195萬及152萬購入。

湯氏說，撇開收購溢價，上述單位市值各約1600萬，市值較購入價升約7倍，若當年買新樓 (西九及將軍澳)，最多升值1.5至3倍。

「買舊樓好過新樓，不要貪裝修靚及高成數按揭，羊毛出在羊身上，不要做一隻懵羊！」舊樓已買少見少，他提議，市區洋樓亦是好選擇，花十多、二十萬裝修，地點好，才有升值潛力。「買舊衫褲鞋襪穿，肯定有病，但我勸人買舊樓住，管理費平！地皮肯定是熟地，才有價值。」

(星島日報)

鴨脷洲大街3舊樓 兩財團掀爭購戰

78至84號項目 面向港鐵站高層享海景

港鐵南港島綫效應，刺激財團積極在鴨脷洲大街一帶收購舊樓重建，個別優質項目更掀起收購爭奪戰。例如鴨脷洲大街78至84號3幢舊樓便吸引兩個財團同時收購。

土地註冊處資料顯示，鴨脷洲大街84號興富樓地下A至L號舖，及閣樓部分舖位，面積約2,500平方呎，獲一家海外公司以2.2億元收購，呎價約8.8萬。據悉，該財團同時向住宅提出收購，惟暫未收購達強拍門檻。

興富樓地舖 呎價約8.8萬

消息指近日另一個財加入爭奪，並成功購入兩個單位，其中興富樓高層A室，實用面積343平方呎，收購價754.6萬元，成交呎價達2.2萬元，與同區其他收購中的項目相若。而上址原業主早於2007年以約79萬元購入單位，持貨14年，帳面獲利675.6萬元，升值8.5倍。

領福集團主席高兆霆證實，該公司加入鴨脷洲大街舊樓爭奪戰。他指出，該公司早前已經部署收購鴨脷洲大街78至84號3幢舊樓，其中鴨脷洲大街80至80A號，已經成功購入31%業權，於收購戰中可算佔主導地位。其中，2個住宅單位每個收購價1,238.6萬元，呎價約2.2萬元。

項目共45住宅及27舖位

資料顯示，上述鴨脷洲大街78至84號3幢舊樓，一共有45個住宅單位及27個舖位，樓齡約43年及54年，地盤面積共6,400平方呎，若以地積比9倍計，可重建樓面約5.8萬平方呎。而地盤優點是面向港鐵站出入口，高層單位可望開揚海景，極具重建價值。

另一方面，根據土地註冊處資料顯示，鴨脷洲大街17至23號、平瀾街5B至9號及新市街37至39號多幢舊樓，上月先後錄得59宗買賣登記，成交樓價介乎558萬 (住宅) 至3,000萬元 (舖位)，涉資約5.5億元，市場估計背後收購財團為宏安地產 (01243)，目前已經收購近9成業權。據了解，該批舊樓地盤面積接近7,000平方呎，若以地積比9倍計，可重建樓面約6.3萬平方呎。

(經濟日報)

中信泰富渣甸山建地標豪宅 關潔瑩：明年樓價升5%

早前以32億元奪得渣甸山大坑道地皮的中信泰富，將利用地段優勢，打造地標式豪宅。中信泰富物業代理董事關潔瑩表示，明年經濟向好，樓價預計升幅約5%。

關潔瑩表示，香港剛性需求強，低息環境持續，全球量化寬鬆，即使未能通關，本地交投依然活躍，成交宗數達6.4萬宗，已達2014年水平，樓價指數升幅相比過去一年上升了4.3%。按照種種數據去推測，不明朗因素亦逐漸散去，明年市況有望向好，料來年會有約5%升幅。

豪宅市場看高一綫

而豪宅市況方面，關潔瑩認為，香港經濟基礎穩固，今年失業率由年初的7.2%下調至第3季的4.3%，今年GDP政府估算約6.4%，如疫情受控，再加上通關在即，內地富商或會湧到香港入市，所以豪宅方面她會再看高一綫，預計會有約5至10%升幅。

中信泰富於2019年主力推售的馬鞍山峻源，至今已全數沽清148伙，共套現超過37億元，集團來年亦精心為渣甸山項目部署。關潔瑩表示，集團於2019年以32億元奪投得創下當年標書數目新高的渣甸山地皮，整個集團很興奮，並計劃將其打造成地標式建築。

綜合早前報道指，渣甸山項目最快於2023年以樓花形式推出，現時正在進行地基工程。關潔瑩續指，該項目最高可建22層，項目擁有背山面海的優點，不但可望維港景色，節日時亦可享絢爛煙花景，而且坐落於供應稀缺的渣甸山地段，此為港島中心點，交通便利，故集團對項目發展十分有信心。

就解決本港房屋問題，早前有官員提出，提高港人平均居住面積，以改善住屋環境。關潔瑩就認為，如果只訂下最細單位面積下限，而不增加土地供應，也是未能解決港人的住屋需求，因為土地面積不變之下，又要加大單位面積，就會減少了伙數供應。所以關潔瑩就此提出了3個意見，第一，增加土地供應、第二，加快土地審批程序、第三，放寬按揭成數門檻，這相比單單訂下最細單位面積下限更實用。

始終住屋問題源於需求大供應少，而且很多打工仔都未能立刻拿出一大筆金錢去繳付首期，以滿足置業需求，納米樓才會衍生出來。如政府可增加土地供應以紓緩房屋供應問題，在自由市場之下，港人就會有更多選擇，買到心儀單位，納米樓就未必存在，沒需求發展商就不會起。

(經濟日報)