A foreclosed house at Shouson Peak in Shouson Hill is scheduled to be auctioned on Wednesday with a reserve price of HK$390 million, or HK$91,981 per square foot, in what is believed to be the most expensive sale for a repossessed property in recent years.

The first house on 9 Shouson Hill Road, with an area of 4,240 sq ft plus a 889-sq-ft roof, 2,733-sq-ft garden and 1,705-sq-ft car parking space, will be among the 13 properties on auction on the day, according to the Memfus Wong Auctioneers.

It was said that the original owner purchased the property for HK$388 million in 2016. A similar size house in the project changed hands for HK$430 million, or HK$101,487 per sq ft in 2021.

Meanwhile, only two transactions were recorded in the 10 major housing estates over the weekend as mortgage loan rates increased following the rise in the prime rate last week and buyers were attracted to new projects.

That was a slump of 71 percent from seven deals recorded last week and also the lowest since May, according to a property agency.

Prospective buyers generally adopted a wait-and-see attitude after major local lenders raised the prime rate by 12.5 basis points to the highest in 15 years at 5.875 percent, a property agent said.

That would push the mortgage rate up by the same amount.

In addition, developers were launching new homes for sale with competitive pricing, resulting in further pressure on the secondary market, the agent added.

In Hung Hom, Henderson Land Development (0012) is said to have received more than 200 checks for the 56 flats in the first batch of Baker Circle Greenwich.

(The Standard)

整體商廈空置率升至15.7% 外資代理行代理：屬歷來新高 租金續受壓

整體商廈空置率亦升至15.7%水平，屬歷來新高，有外資代理行代理認為，需求始終會回來的，不過，目前供過於求，預期空置率攀升，租金繼續受壓。

該代理表示，過去4年來，市場出現戲劇性變化，高峰直插低谷，前所未見，「以往，很容易看到未來1年，甚至3年走勢，這次真令大家意外。」該代理說，事實上，2018、2019年，商廈供不應求，低空置，租金高踞不下，隨後一場政治活動引發動亂，疫市接踵而至，令市況大反轉。「疫市時最差，去年今年痊瘉中，由大病至康復中，信心將慢慢恢復，當經濟前景好轉，才能重拾信心。」

「信心將慢慢恢復」

該代理強調，正如預期中，通關後商廈市場慢熱，中資、外資均未積極擴充，市場缺乏剛性需求，惟未來3年供應源源不絕。以前，中環空置率3%，從未見「雙位數」，整體新供應需3至5年時間吸納，該代理深信，需求終有一天會回來，只不過短期內，空置率繼續攀升，令租金受壓。

「以往旺市時，企業爭相擴充，紛承租多10萬方呎樓面，此情此景，短期內不可能發生！」該代理形容市場淡靜，少人睇樓，租金由2019年至今跌逾30%，樂觀方面來看，令租客受惠，在中環核心區覓位，租金支出大減，「租金低企，業主又好傾又肯讓步，不少租客鎖定長租約。」

三至五年吸納新供應

根據該代理行資料顯示，2023年上半年，市場租賃約2022年全年一半，然而，今年第2季按季跌26%，只有78.6萬方呎。受大型升級搬遷活動，過去連續三季淨吸納，今年第2季跌至負數，上半年負吸納量27.67萬方呎，空置樓面1,350萬方呎，屬歷來新高，上半年整體空置率升0.4個百分點，達到15.7%歷史新高。

今年第二季整體租金按季跌0.5%，半年跌幅2.2%，然而，中環租金去年第二季開始穩定，最新按季升0.1%。

(星島日報)

中資佔整體市場比例為14.5%

近年來，中資公司經常大手承租商廈，市場矚目，不過，有外資代理行代理認為，中資公司佔整體商廈樓面約980萬方呎，比例14.5%，其於中環佔用250萬方呎樓面，比例為19.6%。

在眾多地區當中，該代理看好中環區，作為商廈市場火車頭，跌市時，中環率先下跌，升市時率先上升，具指標性，多新樓，代表有新改變，西九龍也是好地方，新項目落成，帶來嶄新前景，而且，有很多設施配合，高鐵吸引中資公司。

中環作為市場「火車頭」

鰂魚涌主要項目由大業主持有，租金較穩定。上環及灣仔則聚集一定樓齡商廈，業權分散，租金受壓。

該代理說，從微觀來看，寫字樓租賃關乎物業、業主及租客，從宏觀來看，與經濟、地緣政治息息相關，由中美關係、環保ESG以至在家工作，都帶來重大影響。一個政策更可帶來巨變。過往，當內地市場開放予外資保險公司，剎時間，過百家保險公司進駐，令商廈需求大增；不過，環顧現時的香港，則未有政策足以帶動需求，以續租主導，缺乏新租及擴充，令市場吹淡風。

(星島日報)