Between 10 and 20 per cent of mainland homeowners in Mid-Levels have reduced prices as they are in dire need of funds, property agent said

Property prices in Mid-Levels are expected to fall by another 5 per cent by the end of June after dropping by as much as 15 per cent since Lunar New Year

Mainland Chinese owners with luxury homes in Hong Kong’s upmarket Mid-Levels area are offloading their properties at deep discounts to cover their stock market losses, which is mired in a prolonged slump.

About 10 to 20 per cent of mainland homeowners in Mid-Levels have reduced prices as they are in urgent need of funds or shedding their holdings, property agent said.

“Homeowners in urgent need of money may cash in for having burnt their fingers in the stock market,” the agent said, who estimates another 5 to 8 per cent will lower their asking prices until the pandemic and stock market volatility ease.

Hong Kong’s stock market has been affected by a range of factors over the past few months. Last week the benchmark Hang Seng Index fell to a near 10-year low amid concerns about Covid-19 outbreaks in China, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and higher interest rates in the US.

The latest price index compiled by the city’s Rating and Valuation Department for lived-in homes larger than 1,722.23 square feet shows that prices have fallen 9.1 per cent between March 2021 and January this year. Bigger homes generally showed larger price declines compared with the overall trend.

Property owners in Mid-Levels have cut prices by up to 15 per cent since Lunar New Year because of the aggravating factors, the agent said, adding that prices may fall further by another 5 per cent until midyear.

Sun Hongbing, the younger brother of mainland Chinese developer Sunac China Holdings’ chairman, sold three luxury flats at The Morgan and Arezzo in West Mid-Levels at a loss of some HK$126 million (US$16.10 million) this year, according to Ming Pao newspaper.

Sun sold the 2,343 sq ft flat with a 460 sq ft rooftop at The Morgan for HK$138 million, 27 per cent lower than the HK$189 million paid in October 2018. The overall loss added up to HK$109 million, the biggest loss since coronavirus outbreak two years ago, if the 30 per cent stamp duty is taken into account, the report said.

The creditors of another Chinese tycoon from Zhejiang province put two foreclosed duplex flats and two parking spaces at the Marinella in Wong Chuk Hang for sale at HK$283 million, according to the online news portal HK01 on Monday.

The trend of owners lowering their asking prices is on the rise across the city, as sellers seek to improve their chances of offloading their properties successfully amid tightened social distancing measures and a near halt in primary market sales, according to another property agency.

Hong Kong property on sale as expatriates flee ‘ridiculous’ quarantine rules.

Listings at 10 major estates in Hong Kong with higher price cuts have increased 2.18 times from late 2021 to 846 in mid-March, data from the agency showed. Such listings could rise by 20 to 30 per cent by the end of the month.

Meanwhile, the downward trend of property prices is likely to continue as expatriates and Hongkongers, unhappy with the stringent social distancing restrictions and the controversial national security law, leave the city in droves.

A property agency’s market index which is a gauge of lived-in home prices, is likely to drop 2.6 per cent from 180.75 points for the week ended March 13, to a low of 176 points in late March or early April, the agency said.

This would mark a return to the level at the beginning of 2021, erasing last year’s gains, the agency said.

(South China Morning Post)

希慎加路連山道地 擬建3幢甲廈

銅鑼灣近年最大型的加路連山道商業地，區內大地主希慎興業 (00014) 等在去年以約198億元投得後，正式提出興建3幢甲級商廈，總樓面近110萬平方呎，屬於希慎廣場的1.4倍。

該幅用地前身為機電工程署總部等設施，由希慎夥同華懋合作投得，佔地約15.93萬平方呎，對面為希慎旗下利園六期，建成後將會成為利園商業區一部分，希慎早已經向政府申請透過天橋，由港鐵銅鑼灣站接通至該地皮，形成全面的商業王國或版圖。

雙子座式商廈 擴建商業王國

若照發展商之前提交城規會的建議，地皮將會以6.89倍地積比率發展，興建3幢17至24層高商廈，另設5層地庫，當中位於禮頓道的兩幢第1及第2座將會採取較高的雙子座設計，而位於加路連山道的第3座則為17層高。文件顯示，第1及2座的地庫1層至5樓將作為商業用途，5樓部分將用作演藝及文化設施。而擬建項目的2樓將設有城市公園及橫跨地盤內擬議道路的景觀天橋，並延伸至利園六期的擬議行人天橋。

另備社會福利設施

另外，項目提供社會福利設施，項目第3座的地下低層至1樓將設有一間地區康健中心、一間幼兒中心及一間長者日間護理中心。至於地庫1層會設有小巴停車處、地庫2至5層則為公眾及私人停車場。此外，城市公園、景觀天橋、地面的走廊及鄰近需保育的古樹範圍，會為擬建項目供應共6.46萬平方呎的公眾休憩用地。

除了加路連山道項目外，區內最大型的重建計劃將會是告士打道的前怡東酒店，地盤面積約4.6萬平方呎，以15倍地積比率發展，重建1幢34層高商廈，可建樓面約68.98萬平方呎。而位於希慎廣場後面、比鄰羅素街的利園山道5至27號、波斯富街54至76號，及羅素街60號的舊樓群，近年則獲新世界 (00017) 或相關人士收購，並在早前成功收購至逾8成業權，有望落實重建。

該舊樓群佔地約2萬平方呎，目前坐落於「商業」用途地帶上，若果以最高地積比率15倍計算，可建樓面將達30萬平方呎，由於該地盤位於銅鑼灣一綫地段，比鄰全球最貴舖租的羅素街，預計發展商將會以零售及商廈形式混合發展。

(經濟日報)

更多希慎廣場寫字樓出租樓盤資訊請參閱：希慎廣場寫字樓出租

更多利園寫字樓出租樓盤資訊請參閱：利園寫字樓出租

更多銅鑼灣區甲級寫字樓出租樓盤資訊請參閱：銅鑼灣區甲級寫字樓出租

鄧成波家族3.5億沽紅磡工廈 外資迷你倉承接 涉9.2萬呎樓面及車位

「鋪王」鄧成波家族於疫市下連環沽貨，由該家族以暗盤形式放售的紅磡義達工業大廈一籃子物業以3.5億易手，買家為外資迷你倉營運商STORHUB，呎價約3804元，低市價10%，物業於九年間升值四成。

市場消息指出，由「鋪王」鄧成波家族持有的紅磡義達工業大廈一籃子物業，涉及該廈1樓A及B室、2樓B室、C室及D室、4樓至6樓B室，及地下3個落貨位及5個車位，以約3.5億易手，以總樓面9.2萬方呎計，成交呎價約3804元。

呎價3804元低10%

據地產代理指出，上址早前於市場以暗盤形式放售，並不設意向價，成交價低市價約一成，買家為外資迷你倉營運商STORHUB，原業主於2013年起分段購入上述一籃子物業，合共涉約2.5億，以成交價計，物業於9年間升值約1億，升幅40%。

本報昨日就上述消息向陞域集團作出查詢，惟該集團則對消息不作回應。

九年升值四成

據市場知情人士透露，外資迷你倉營運商STORHUB有意大舉進軍本港迷你倉市場，並於近期活躍於工廈買賣，由鄧成波家族持有的長沙灣栢裕工業中心多層樓面，總樓面約68779方呎，於今年1月以約3.5億易手，該買家亦為該迷你倉營運商，故STORHUB於短短3個月內向鄧成波家族連環購入兩項工廈物業，涉資達7億元。

此外，該外資迷你倉於去年中亦以1.597億購入柴灣新業街5號王子工業大廈一籃子物業，涉及面積約44709方呎，呎價約3572元。

事實上，鄧成波於去年5月離世後，該家族頻沽售旗下物業，至今沽出50多項物業，套現金額逾130億，近期較矚目成交為深井汀蘭居全幢酒店，以約14.5億易手，平均每個房間作價333萬，該家族持貨四年，物業貶值13%。

七億連購兩工廈

另一方面，雖然近期市況不濟，但發展商仍然踴躍，地盤項目受追捧，市場消息盛傳，土瓜灣北帝街105至105A號，地盤面積約2032方呎，以約1.1億成交。成為近期較矚目的鋪位成交，資深投資者紀寶持有的21至25號匯川大廈地下A至J號鋪連地庫及1樓，總樓面8420方呎，以約8000萬元售出，呎價9501元。

(星島日報)

外資代理行:甲廈連續五個月正吸納

有外資代理行報告指出，在香港爆發第五波新冠疫情下，2月甲級寫字樓租賃市場連續第5個月錄得正吸納量。

受到嚴格的社交距離措施影響，2月寫字樓租賃市場較淡靜；然而，由於租戶租賃需求持續恢復，整體甲級寫字樓市場仍錄得27.65萬方呎的淨吸納量。

截至2月底，整體商廈市場的空置率跌至9.1%。中環空置率回落至7.4%，九龍東空置率為12.4%，仍然為各主要分區市場中最高。2月整體市場租金保持平穩，中環錄得輕微租金升幅。

該行代理表示，與2020年首次爆發疫情比較，新一波的疫情對寫字樓租賃市場的影響較小，主要原因是企業的決策者早已面對此情況，大部分的長遠租賃計劃依然繼續。

商舖市場方面，該行另一代理指出，受疫情影響，2月商舖租賃交投淡靜。儘管如此，部分零售商對市場前景仍感樂觀，並看準時機在租金處於較合理的水平時租用新商舖。商舖買賣上月仍保持活躍，錄得數宗非核心地區的大額商舖成交。

(信報)

新地兩項目申改設施

新冠肺炎第五波疫情爆發，未有阻擋新地 (00016) 改善手上發展項目布局的計劃，該集團近日連環就兩個地盤的配套設施向城規會提出申請，包括申請「活化」旗下西南九龍長沙灣全新酒店項目對開的廢棄碼頭，而可建約9700伙的西貢十四鄉大型發展項目，則建議就地盤內的康樂設施提出修訂，將部分高爾夫球場改為運動場等體育設施。

新地於2017年斥資50.6億元，中標長沙灣荔盈街近維港滙發展項目的酒店用地，現時正興建中，該集團近日建議，把該地盤對出的廢棄碼頭改裝，包括安裝兩套登岸梯級，料可供兩艘長度35米以下船隻同時停靠，並將成為日後海濱設施一部分，於每天早上10時至晚上8時開放予公眾使用。

另外，新地就旗下十四鄉大型發展項目的配套設施，向城規會建議把位於北部的地盤C作出修訂，把位於東南方的高爾夫球練習場，以及西北方的迷你高爾夫球練習場，改為多元化的戶外體育及康樂用途，加入運動場、球場、游泳池等設施。新地強調，最新修訂只涉及地盤C，至於用作住宅發展的地盤A和地盤B則沒有改動。

(信報)