受到北上消费因素影响，本港商铺零售及消费市道復甦未见理想，12月份商铺租赁宗数及金额回落，宗数录292宗，金额约3135万，两者皆为2023年按月第二低位，仅次于2023年1月，空置率个别发展，港岛核心消费区改善幅度较大，以湾仔区表现最佳。

有本港地产代理表示，12月份市场共录约292宗商铺租赁，较11月份的336宗跌13%，涉总租务金额约3135万，较11月份3898万下调约19.5%。较去年同期升幅显著，宗数及金额与2022年同期的258宗及约2534万相比，分别上升约13%及23%，反映今年度商铺租赁交投持续改善。

该代理表示，随着北上消费人潮增多，国内餐饮品牌趁势落户本港，成为2024年商铺租赁「生力军」，他们透过香港平台提升知名度，方便进军海外市场。

国内餐饮品牌成「生力军」

其中，旺角弥敦道601号创兴广场地下A铺，获木屋烧烤以约26.8万承租，其建筑面积约2583方呎，呎租约104元；旺角弥敦道636号银行中心广场地下5号铺，面积约635方呎，以约20万获国内茶饮品牌店蜜雪冰城承租，呎租约314元。

2023年度商铺吸纳情况较2022年为佳，去年12月，湾仔区空置率5.7%，较11月份5.71%下调0.1个百分点，与去年同期的12.87%相比，则大跌约7.17个百分点。

湾仔空置率5.7%最理想

中环区目前空置率8.18%，较2022年同期12.9%相比，减少4.72个百分点。新界区受北上消费影响，元朗及荃湾区铺位空置率上升。荃湾现时空置率4.37%，较去年同期3.56%高出0.81个百分点，元朗区按年升0.55个百分点，至12月的3.55%。

(星岛日报)

Shenzhen trips hit home in HK

Cross-border yuan payments in Shenzhen surpassed the four trillion yuan mark last year for the first time amid a trend that saw Hongkongers heading north to Shenzhen to eat, drink and shop.

Data from the Shenzhen branch of the People's Bank of China showed the city recorded 4.2 trillion yuan (HK$4.61 trillion) worth of cross-border yuan payments, an increase of 28.3 percent, ranking third across the country.

Yuan transactions between the two regions soared by 31.6 percent to 3.5 trillion yuan in 2023 from a year ago.

The number of non-cash payment transactions made by Hongkongers in Shenzhen increased by 222 percent to more than 35 million from 2022, with the value involved jumping 70.5 percent to 8.58 billion yuan.

This came after Walmart's Sam's Club became a popular destination among Hongkongers while Costco Wholesale's first store in Shenzhen attracted massive crowds this month.

The trend is weighing on the property market in Hong Kong. Both the number and value of shop leasing deals dropped last month, making December the second-lowest month in 2023, according to a property agency.

A total of 292 shop leases were recorded, a decrease of 13 percent compared with November. And turnover also dropped 19.5 percent to HK$31.35 million.

December was the second-lowest month last year behind only January.

But the agency said recent leases taken up by several mainland food and beverage brands will likely boost the local shop rental market.

And the vacancy rate is expected to improve with the Lunar New Year.

In the residential market, transactions at 10 major housing estates over the weekend dropped to a six-week low amid the sluggish sentiment brought by a historic downturn in the local stock market.

The agency recorded six deals in the 10 estates, a drop of 33.3 percent.

Another agency also saw deal numbers in 10 estates plunge by 30 percent to seven.

(The Standard)

Mainland Chinese buyers return to Hong Kong’s luxury property market amid signs of a pickup in activity

A penthouse at Mont Verra in Kowloon Tong sold for HK$619 million (US$79.2 million), while a home at 8 Mount Nicholson Road on The Peak fetched HK$600 million

A total of 247 luxury units, comprising 55 houses and 192 flats, are likely to hit the market this year, according to an international property agency

Hong Kong’s luxury property segment is showing signs of a revival, with mainland Chinese buyers returning to the market after an absence of a few years because of the pandemic.

Market observers expect developers to ramp up the supply of luxury property amid increasing demand and likelihood of a potential decline in interest rates later this year.

Two brand new properties totalling HK$1.2 billion (US$153.5 million) were bought by different mainland Chinese buyers last week, according to a property agent.

A 8,583 sq ft duplex penthouse at Kerry Properties’ Mont Verra, in Beacon Hill, Kowloon Tong, was sold by tender for HK$619 million, or HK$72,119 per square foot.

Another luxury villa developed by Wharf Holdings and Nan Fung Group, a 4,579 sq ft unit at 8 Mount Nicholson Road, The Peak, was also sold by tender for HK$600 million, or HK$131,033 per square foot. An identical property in the development fetched the same price in 2017, making it Asia’s most expensive residence.

“Mainland Chinese purchasers intend to buy [new] luxury homes as developers have provided a lot of discounts and rebates,” the agent said.

Hong Kong’s luxury property prices fell by around 8 per cent in 2023, and 15 per cent from the peak in July 2018, according to the agency. A total of 173 deals involving units priced at US$10 million or more were recorded last year, a 31 per cent year-on-year increase, according to another international property agency. Volumes rose 13 per cent year on year to HK$25.5 billion.

The agent said that since the government relaxed the stamp duty last October, there has been a marked increase in the proportion of buyers from the mainland, adding that the trend will gather pace this year.

Transactions rose 39 per cent month on month in December to 311, according to the latest data from the Inland Revenue Department.

The agent said these transactions are likely to have mainly involved mainland Chinese buyers and some of the deals were for luxury homes.

In his policy address last October, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu announced several measures to relax the decade-old property curbs to revive the city’s sluggish market. These included halving the buyers’ stamp duty to 7.5 per cent for non-permanent residents and residents buying a second or additional home.

Eligible overseas talent are also not required to pay stamp duty on property purchases unless they fail to become permanent residents.

The rising transaction volumes could provide the tonic the market needs, according to the agent, noting that developers were still able to offload their assets at relatively good prices. The agent added luxury property prices will remain stable this year.

In view of the renewed buying interest, developers are likely to resume the sales of luxury homes in a bid to seize the pent-up demand.

Lower interest rates expected in the second half of the year will act as another catalyst. Analysts expect a cut of 75 basis points by the end of the year.

A total of 247 luxury units, comprising 55 houses and 192 flats, are likely to hit the market this year, according to the first agency.

These include one project on The Peak, the city’s most prestigious address. Wheelock Properties may offer five houses in phase 1 of No 1 Plantation Road.

In Island South, there are three projects: One Stanley with 11 blocks of 50 flats and 32 houses, 108 Repulse Bay Road with eight houses and 11A Shouson Hill Road West with three houses.

In Pok Fu Lam, there is one project comprising seven houses.

In Jardine’s Lookout, there is a project with a total of 114 units.

In Kowloon, Wharf Holdings is expected to launch phase 1 of 188 Lung Cheung Road, which will provide 28 luxury flats.

However, the actual supply may be lower as developers may suspend or postpone the launch of the project depending on the market conditions, the agency said.

Meanwhile, another agent said there will be more distressed sales of luxury property this year.

In December, a luxury flat in Mid-Levels, seized from the former lover of incarcerated Macau “junket king” Alvin Chau Cheok-wa, was put up for sale. The listed price is significantly lower than the asset’s peak valuation as creditors seek to extract their dues.

In September, receivers for a HK$680 million Mid-Levels flat, seized from Chinese tycoon Chen Hongtian for unpaid loans, sold the property at a discount of 39 per cent to the prevailing market price.

Two Hong Kong luxury properties valued at more than HK$1.5 billion owned by a company linked to distressed mainland developer China Evergrande’s founder Hui Ka-yan were also seized by a creditor in September.