Ten major housing estates in Hong Kong saw only six deals over the weekend, down 40 percent over the previous week, though the number of buyers inspecting homes rose to a seven-week high.

A property agency said transactions in the 10 estates also retreated to a new six-week low. Mei Foo Sun Chuen topped with two deals but five estates reported no transactions.

The agency said homebuyers were more cautious with the US Federal Reserve continuing to raise interest rates and local home prices falling.

The property agent expects transactions will remain low until the end of the year.

The 10 estates saw 445 home visit appointments over the past weekend amid hopes over China's reopening, which was 2.3 percent more than the previous week and a seven-week high.

Kingswood Villas in Tin Shui Wai led with 70 appointments, while Laguna City in Lam Tin saw the number of appointments jump by 25 percent to 50 bookings.

However, more price cuts were seen in the secondary market, as the homeowners offered cuts ranging between 15 and 20 percent.

South Horizons saw a two-bedroom unit sell for HK$7.08 million, or HK$13,642 per sq ft, after the owner reduced the asking price by HK$1.42 million and thus bore a loss of HK$670,000, according to the agency.

Elsewhere, a four-bedroom home at Ocean Pride in Tsuen Wan brought a loss of HK$2.67 million to the owner who agreed to slash the asking price by HK$3.8 million to HK$22 million.

(The Standard)

Ballooning Hong Kong supply of new homes in 2023 will have developers slashing prices, buyers saving 10 per cent or more

The potential supply of new homes in 2023 will be as high as 28,000 units, equivalent to twice that of Taikoo Shing, a property agency says

In areas with serious backlogs, buyers will see developers slash prices by 10 per cent or more amid historically high interest rates, agents say

The supply of new homes on the market in Hong Kong next year could more than double compared with this year, driving developers to slash prices by 10 per cent or more in hopes of attracting buyers amid historically high interest rates, according to property agents.

The potential supply of new homes in 2023, according to a property agency, will be as high as 28,000 units – equivalent to at least twice that of Taikoo Shing, a sprawling Hong Kong Island development that has 61 residential buildings.

The swollen 2023 inventory will include 11,000 incomplete units already approved for sale but not yet launched, plus 17,000 units already on sale. For comparison, new launches totalled 12,030 in 2022 and 17,000 in 2021, according to the agency.

“Rising inventory weighs on primary-home prices,” an agent said. “There is more and more leftover stock on the market. As a result, I foresee developers will have to do something very soon. They cannot hang on in a situation like this forever, as financial costs keep on rising.”

Some areas are particularly flooded with inventory. For example, in Kai Tak, at least four developments with a total supply of 5,687 homes were approved for sale in 2022 but have not launched yet, according to data from the agency.

“In areas with a serious backlog of supply, they need to sell at a 10 per cent discount to the market price, and even offer more discounts, to attract buyers and stimulate sales,” another agent said.

These predictions come amid slumping new-home transactions, drooping prices for lived-in homes, and buying power that has been degraded by the highest bank lending rates in 15 years following five successive increases in interest rates, even though the latest hike this week was of a lower magnitude than the previous bumps.

“Factors such as a rise in interest rates and an uncertain global and local economic outlook will bring short-term fluctuations to the local residential market,” Tim Blackburn, chief executive of Swire Properties, told the Post.

Some developers started to reduce prices by 4 to 5 per cent during the fourth quarter of this year, the agent said.

For example, Swire Properties’ Eight Star Street in Wan Chai offered a special 3 per cent discount for buyers who sign a preliminary agreement for one of four remaining unsold flats between November 26 and January 31.

Henderson Land Development is offering an extra 1 per cent “winter discount” at The Quinn Square Mile in Tai Kok Tsui, as well as a cash rebate of up to 3 per cent as a “furniture allowance” for certain flats.

However, a few per cent will not be enough to trigger strong overall sales, the agent said. “By the end of the first quarter of 2023, you will start to see developers reducing the price to an extent that will kick off the market. It might be more than 10 per cent.”

Developers will go all out to launch developments after the holiday season, said Ricky Wong, ­managing director of Wheelock Properties, noting that Wheelock will launch its first new development of 2023 after Lunar New Year.

This year’s 12,030 new units in 27 new projects represents a 30 per cent reduction in new supply compared with 2021’s 17,000 units in about 40 new developments, according to the agency.

No new developments on Hong Kong Island listed selling prices in 2022, an “unprecedented” event, according to the agency. Ten new developments were launched with price lists on the island in 2021.

In 27 new developments that launched citywide during 2022, developers managed to sell only 57 per cent of the new homes (6,817 units) as of December 12, according to the agency. Moreover, five specific urban projects sold only between 1 and 7 per cent of their inventory.

Poly Property and L’Avenue International sold just 10 out of 127 units at Chill Residence in Yau Tong on the first day of sales on December 4. The average selling price of HK$17,939 per square foot made it the cheapest project in Kowloon in the past two years, according to UOB Kay Hian.

“There are more than 20,000 leftover completed homes and incomplete units,” another agent said. “Developers will still focus on selling leftover stock in the short term.”

Another property agency described 2022 as “the worst trough in history” for new-home sales and “worse than the financial tsunami in 2008, reflecting the impact of the double whammy of the pandemic and interest-rate hikes”.

Developers remain optimistic about the property market because of the overall reality of Hong Kong’s real estate situation.

“We believe the residential market in Hong Kong will in the long run remain stable, backed by strong local demand for housing and a limited supply,” said Swire’s Blackburn. “We believe quality residential developments at premium locations will continue to be sought in the market.”

(South China Morning Post)

金鐘力寶中心每呎38元減28%

近期為商廈租賃旺季，部分丟空多時的單位陸續承租，金鐘力寶中心一個近3500呎的單位，於丟空逾3年後，以每呎38元租出，較舊租金跌28%，屬市價水平。

丟空逾3年始租出

由於業主於2017年高位接貨，現時回報僅1.4厘。力寶中心一座中層8至9室，面積3490方呎，市場消息透露，該單位由2019年7月交吉至今，為時約3年半，剛以每呎38元租出，月租13.26萬。

該單位屬優質單位，望美國銀行中心以至政府總部海景，而且對正電梯，不過，由於面積較大，覓租客未如細單位容易，新租金屬市價水平。

據了解，舊租客為銀行，月租18.5萬，每呎53元，租約期至2021年，惟提早於2019年撤出，期間經歷政治活動引發動亂，以及疫情持續，單位丟空多時才租出，新租金跌28%。

優質單位對正電梯

由於業主高峰時接貨，回報偏低，最新回報僅約1.4厘，該名業主於2017年8月以約1.134億購入單位，以當時銀行月租18.5萬計算，回報2厘。再對上業主於2013年2月以6900萬購入，持貨4年，帳面獲利4440萬。

(星島日報)

更多美國銀行中心寫字樓出租樓盤資訊請參閱：美國銀行中心寫字樓出租

更多力寶中心寫字樓出租樓盤資訊請參閱：力寶中心寫字樓出租

更多金鐘區甲級寫字樓出租樓盤資訊請參閱：金鐘區甲級寫字樓出租

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

中環中心呎租32元13載低 業主接手逾一年始獲承接 回報1.3厘

受環球經濟氣氛影響，營商環境未復甦，寫字樓空置率仍高企，拖累租金續跌。資深投資者「磁帶大王」陳秉志在3年半前拆售的中環皇后大道中99號中環中心39樓全層，直至去年推出回贈優惠後方沽清，部分購入單位的散業主，逾一年後才成功租出持有的物業，當中有單位成交呎租低見32元，創中環中心接近13年呎租新低，而租金回報亦只有1.3厘。

屬「磁帶大王」拆售單位

中環中心39樓全層由陳秉志於2019年4月底分間成12個建築面積1841至3140方呎單位出售，首階段僅沽出兩伙，其後透過直接減價以及再向每個單位買家劃一回贈1000萬元「裝修費」後，終於在去年6月售出全部單位。但因寫字樓租賃需求疲弱，大把分單位售出後仍未租出，直到近期因中港通關現曙光，市場需求增加，陸續有單位成功租出。

市場消息指出，中環中心39樓1室，建築面積2726方呎，望上環一帶大廈景觀，以每月8.72萬元租出，呎租約32元。翻查資料，中環中心對上一次錄呎租32元成交，已經要追溯2010年1月，即最新成交呎租創該廈近13年新低。該單位業主去年6月以8921.4萬元購入，當時入市可獲1000萬元「裝修費」現金回贈，故「折實價」為7921.4萬元，回報得以輕微調升至1.3厘。

另一去年4月成交的3室，建築面積1843方呎，以每月7萬元獲承租，呎租約38元。單位購入作價為6229.34萬元，因未有現金回贈，就算成交呎租較1室高18.8%，但租金回報同樣只得約1.3厘。

但同層較優質單位的呎租和回報率都較優勝，面向四季酒店的7室，建築面積2102方呎，可享海景，成交月租8.4萬元，呎租約40元。業主去年6月購入，扣除1000萬元現金回贈後，折實以6634萬元買入，以最新月租計算，租金回報為1.5厘。

長實 (01113) 在2017年底以天價402億元售出中環中心75%權益，包括47層寫字樓、商業樓面及402個車位，涉及總樓面約122.27萬方呎，平均呎價約32877元。

財團入主後，中環中心至今已有12層全層易手，另有2層則分拆成多個單位出售。而由財團持有的單位，因樓層較高，故近期成交呎租由55至70元，明顯較拆售散業主的租金為高。

新供應登場 整體租金看跌

寫字樓空置率高企，加上不少新商廈落成，租賃市場選擇增多，甲級寫字樓租金持續受壓。據一間外資代理行統計數字，整體寫字樓租金由年初至今累跌7%。核心區中環租金年內錄6.3%跌幅。該行相信，明年香港與世界各地通關後，將為寫字樓租賃市場帶來正面支持。惟明年有約189萬方呎新甲級寫字樓樓面落成，包括兩座位於中環核心區的大型新商廈，故整體租金仍會下調2%至4%。

(信報)

更多中環中心寫字樓出租樓盤資訊請參閱：中環中心寫字樓出租

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

萬迪廣場首年租金減50% 兩個月租出逾4萬呎樓面

疫市下甲廈市況陷低潮，新蒲崗萬廸廣場近期推租賃優惠，首年租金變相減50%，平均呎租約14元，短短2個月內，共租出逾4萬呎樓面。

萬廸廣場近期連錄承租，租客包括補習社及慈善機構等，有代理表示，億京推租賃優惠，租期3年，首年租金減50%，第2年減20%，第3年正價租金，以該廈呎租約27至28元為例，首年平均呎租僅14元，旋即於2個月內，租出逾4萬呎樓面。若以三年平均計算，呎租約20餘元。

為期3年約 平均每呎20元

該代理表示，萬廸廣場屬區內地標，隨着新蒲崗變天，多個新項目落成，人流暢旺，鄰近港鐵鑽石山站成為轉車站，區內更受惠，由該廈步行至鑽石山站，需時約5分鐘。

近期在市場憧憬通關在即之際，億京亦為旗下合共5個工廈及商廈，提供88%優惠，變相減價12%促銷餘貨。

該5個項目包括萬廸廣場，號稱「觀塘三寶」的中海日升中心、寧晉中心及萬泰利廣場，入伙多年，億京以88折推售，兼贈送釐印費 (最多相等於樓價的4.25%)。

億京餘貨減價12%促銷

以萬迪廣場為例，8樓一個面積2323方呎的單位，88折優惠後，由2997萬減至2625萬，減372萬，呎價由1.29萬減至1.13萬，買家同時免付釐印費約66萬，折扣後平過同區工廈新盤呎價1.2至1.3萬。

荃灣沙咀道1號商廈亦88折，加入減價行列，不過，觀塘道368號新落成的甲廈，未見減價，只為買家提供釐印費。

(星島日報)

更多中海日升中心寫字樓出售樓盤資訊請參閱：中海日升中心寫字樓出售

更多寧晉中心寫字樓出售樓盤資訊請參閱：寧晉中心寫字樓出售

更多萬泰利廣場寫字樓出售樓盤資訊請參閱：萬泰利廣場寫字樓出售

更多觀塘區甲級寫字樓出售樓盤資訊請參閱：觀塘區甲級寫字樓出售

尖沙嘴巨鋪呎租55元減8% 面積逾萬呎 大型酒樓續租

尖沙嘴緬甸臺一個萬呎巨鋪，早年曾是夜總會，更是電影場景，張國榮梅艷芳在此拍過戲，隨後竟淪為廢墟，九年前獲稻香集團進駐，成功「開荒」，最新在疫市下續租，每月55萬，平均每呎55元，租金微減8%。

上址為緬甸臺3及5號恒星樓地下，實用面積逾1萬呎，為區內罕有的巨型地鋪，2013年前，當該物業丟空荒廢10多年，獲稻香酒樓以56萬租下，分別於3年前及1年前續租，月租61.5萬及60萬，最新以55萬續租，低於2013年水平，平均呎租55元，較三年前舊租金60萬，微減8%。

每月租金55萬

雖說位處核心區尖沙嘴，緬甸臺是一條人流稀疏的街道，恒星樓位處緬甸臺倔頭路，對面為巨型垃圾站及訊號山公園，基於鋪位位置偏僻而且隱蔽，當年被夜總會看中。

該巨鋪早年由東方皇宮夜總會進駐 (後期改名為新東方皇宮夜總會)，夜半時最璀璨，上世紀80年代，電影亦在此取景，《緣份》里的張國榮，為了擺脫梅艷芳的糾纏，攀越夜總會後門的鐵絲網，鏡頭更捕捉了「新東方皇宮夜總會」的招牌。

83年1800萬購入

隨着夜總會式微，新東方皇宮夜總會大於2000年間撤出，之後，該巨鋪一直空置，日久失修，屋頂漏水，內里漆黑一片，市場人士表示，業主早於1983年2月以1800萬購入鋪位，由於早年低價購入，一直不着緊租賃，曾經多番拒絕出租，直至2013年，才首肯租予稻香，由於鋪位殘舊不堪，稻香投入大筆裝修費。

近期，市場上紛錄大型食肆承租，灣仔駱克道351至355號3樓及4樓全層，面積分別為約8658方呎及約3461方呎，合共12119方呎，獲叠喜居承租，月租30萬，平均呎租24元，舊租客富聲酒家，月租32萬，新租金微減6.25%。

業內人士表示，疫市下，大型食肆仍然一雞死一雞鳴，儘管新租金僅錄微跌，不過，由於鋪位擁有齊備的生財工具，令新租客節省裝修及添置工具的時間，故樂於承租。

有外資代理行指出，自從2020年以來，過去3年間，香港仍然吸引60家海外食肆來港發展，事實上，疫情以來，持牌餐廳數目增加速度比2017至2019年疫情前的三年期間略快。

(星島日報)