Luxury still costs the earth in HK
Hong Kong ranked the most expensive for premium goods and
services among 28 cities globally, followed by Shanghai and Tokyo, Swiss
bank Julius Baer found in its Global Wealth and Lifestyle Report 2020.
The report surveyed the price trends of luxury goods and
services in the Julius Baer Lifestyle Index, which tracks 20 items
across the 28 cities.
The index showed that Asia is the most expensive region for high-end consumption, whereas Europe is the least expensive.
Hong Kong ranked above 90 percent for residential property,
beauty services, fine dining, business class flights and lawyer fees.
Richard Tang, head of research in Hong Kong, expects the price
of small studios in the city to face the most pressure this year as
property buyers switch to single-bedroom or two-bedroom homes, given a
higher first-time mortgage limit and lower interest rates, and these
could also drive up prices of flats priced below HK$10 million.
For units priced above HK$10 million, Tang said it depends on
buyers' confidence in the local economy, as these owners generally hold
more than one unit and are able to move to other countries. He forecasts
Hong Kong will see 1 percent GDP growth this year.
Affluent consumers have shifted to a model favoring less waste,
said Rajesh Manwani, head of markets and wealth management.
(The Standard)
Prices cut for Sham Shui Po flats
West Park, developed by Hanison Construction (0896), in Sham
Shui Po updated its first price list for its first batch of 30 units,
selling them for as little as HK$18,696 per sq ft.
The flats have saleable areas from 333 to 493 sq ft, and will be
sold from HK$6.07 million to HK$9.28 million after a 8 percent discount
offered by the developer. The average price will be HK$18,739 per sq
ft.
Matthew Chow Ka-fung, director of project management division
said the units are being sold at a "Lunar New Year special price," where
prices may be marked up in next batches depending on market conditions.
Agent believes the sales performance will be positive, as
two-bedroom new flats for less than HK$7 million are rare in Sham Shui
Po.
In other news, the Building Department approved 21 building
plans on last November, and Swire Properties' (1971) land in 46 to 56
Queen Road East was approved for development as a 23-storey commercial
building with three basements and a total gross floor area of 132,500 sq
ft.
Land at 3 to 13 Nga Tsin Long Road, Kowloon City, owned by
veteran investor Tang Shing-por and his family, was approved for
development as a 26-storey residential and commercial building with two
basements.
(The Standard)
市況靜 甲廈租售錄低價成交
受外圍及本地事件影響，甲廈租售市場均淡靜，而個別業主減價，租務及買賣均錄低價成交。
據代理發表的研究報告指出，去年甲廈及乙廈售價分別下跌6.1%及5.7%。下半年受到市況轉差影響，商廈租售價急跌，去年全年商廈共錄962宗買賣，按年挫53.9%，創1996年有紀錄以來的新低，成交額僅466.9億港元，按年跌59.9%。按區域劃分，港島甲廈價表現明顯跑輸九龍，金鐘甲廈去年挫17.7%，最新平均呎價僅31,944元，是各區表現最差，重回2017年底水平；至於上環甲廈全年亦挫16.7%，是全港第二差的地區。租金方面，金鐘及上環甲廈全年分別累跌14.6%及12.8%，分列全港跌幅首次名，租金重回2017年中水平。
觀塘宏基資本大廈 低市價2成沽
近日甲廈市場買賣及租務，均錄低價成交，如觀塘宏基資本大廈中層全層，面積約12,195平方呎，以約1.29億元成交，呎價約1.06萬元。據悉，原業主於2014年，以1億元購入。早前於市場放售，去年曾叫價2億元，至8月份市況轉差，降價至1.82億元，如今大幅減至1.29億元成交，累積減價36%沽貨，持貨6年轉手，仍獲利2,900萬元離場。據悉，該廈上一宗成交於2018年8月錄得，為低層單位，全層以1.56億元易手，呎價約1.3萬，最新成交價低約兩成。
遠東金融中心 每呎60元租出
租務方面，核心區甲廈近月均錄低價租務成交，如金鐘遠東金融中心中層05室，面積約2,400平方呎，成交呎租約58元，租金較市價低約10%，並重回兩年前水平。據了解，該廈錄呎租低於每呎60元，追溯至2017年9月，當時該廈高層單位，面積597平方呎，平均呎租約52元。
此外，中環美國銀行中心極高層01至02室，面積約3,778平方呎，以每月約22.3萬元租出，平均呎租約59元，單位外望開揚維港海景和山景景觀，並正對電梯大堂，屬優質單位。業主最初平均呎租叫價約110元，現降價46%租出。該廈早前一中層單位，以每平方呎約58元租出。如今租出單位，同樣較數月前低約兩成。
分析指，由於受本地事件及外圍局勢衝擊，主要機構均審慎擴充，甚至個別縮減業務，令甲廈租務市場淡靜，空置率回升而租金下跌，繼而甲廈價亦受影響，相信短期內核心區租務市場仍沒大改善，業主減價空間擴闊，相信租售價仍回調。
(經濟日報)
