尖沙嘴余仁生中心放售全層意向呎價1.7萬

股市連番波動，觀望氣氛進一步蔓延，部分業主放售旗下商廈物業，尖沙嘴余仁生中心全層單位，面積約1978方呎，以意向價3300萬放售，平均呎價約1.7萬，買家料享回報約3厘水平。

代理表示，上述放售物業為尖沙嘴漆咸道南11至15號余仁生中心低層全層，面積約1978方呎，意向售價約3300萬，折合呎價約1.7萬。該代理續指出，雖然市場近期受多項利淡素夾擊，惟部分商廈業主持貨力強，議幅未見擴闊，該放售單位方正實用，享開揚景致，料回報約3厘，屬不俗水平。

料回報三厘

該代理續指出，該商廈位處區內核心地段，鄰近港鐵尖東站，周邊亦有多條巴士綫往來各區。大廈附近商廈林立，可成協同效應，隨着高鐵西九龍站及西九文化區等大型建設相繼落成，料區內物業將備受追捧，預料是次放盤將短期內獲投資者吸納。

據代理資料顯示，該商廈對上一宗成交追溯至2016年10月，該商高層全層，面積約996方呎，以1728萬成交，平均呎價約17349元。

 (星島日報)

加路連山道商地 挑戰百億地王

下年度賣地表新增多幅商業用地，其中銅鑼灣加路連山道商業地可建樓面高達107.6萬平方呎，屬區內難得大型商業地供應，有測量師認為作寫字樓及商場綜合發展較佳，估值162億至269億元，挑戰成「百億地王」。

規劃署早於10多年提出將銅鑼灣前機電工程署舊總部、郵政體育會、電訊盈科康樂會及前民安隊大樓等組成的大型用地改劃，擬分為南、北兩幅地皮發展。其中北面地盤便是今次的加路連山道地皮，佔地15.9萬平方呎，預計可提供約107.6萬平方呎商業樓面。

可建兩幢商廈 提供107萬呎

據分區大綱圖顯示，該地建築物高限將獲放寬至主水平基準以上135米，與附近商廈高度相同，計劃可興建兩幢28至35層高商廈，其中一幢可遠望維多利亞公園一帶景致。

該地規定要將部分樓面留作興建一所地區康復中心及幼兒中心，以及不少於125個停車位的公眾停車場，以及小巴等公共交通上落客設施，並須提供最少近6.5萬平方呎公眾休憩用地。同時要預留地下接駁口，以連接未來的地下行人通道，通往銅鑼灣港鐵站等。綜合市場估值162億至269億元，每呎樓面地價約1.5萬至2.5萬元。

南面地盤 建新法院綜合大樓

至於南面地盤，政府將會興建兩幢新法院綜合大樓，重置灣仔區域法院，也會容納家事法庭及土地審裁處等，樓面約75.3萬平方呎，整個發展預計2026年完成。由於地皮仍處改劃階段，估計最快下半年度或明年才推出。

有測量師認為，港島區大型商地供應少，今次地皮近民居，也較近利園山道，預計適合作綜合性發展，視乎地契要求，作寫字樓及商場組合發展較適合。區內也有多個大地主，相信吸引財團爭奪。

銅鑼灣近年區內全幢商廈買賣不多，例如鄰近的開平道Cubus在2017年中以約20億元易手，呎價約2.9萬元。而糖街27至31號兩廈同年亦以16.8億元獲華潤集團買入，呎價約2.7萬元，計劃重建。

屬銅鑼灣大地主之一的希慎 (00014)，在地皮周邊有多個商業項目，包括希慎廣場及禮頓中心等，當中利園3期平均呎租達60至75元。

 (經濟日報)

Investments in Hong Kong’s offices, shops and homes slowed to a standstill as Covid-19 outbreak adds to market’s woes

Investments in Hong Kong’s real estate are almost at a standstill, as the global coronavirus outbreak exacerbated the slumping sentiment from half a year of anti-government protests and the ongoing US-China trade war.

February’s transactions declined 13 per cent from last year to 3,572 deals, the lowest monthly tally in four years, comprising both newly launched property and lived-in homes, according to estimates by a real estate agency firm. On the high end of the property market involving offices, shops or homes exceeding HK$100 million (US$12.87 million) in value, only 17 deals changed hands last month, the lowest since 2009 while the average deal size shrank 44.1 per cent to a decade low of HK$235.3 million.

“There is a lack of incentives for transactions,” an agent. “Landlords want to wait until the coronavirus situation eases before selling their property and have stronger holding power due to low interest rates.”

The data underscores the market’s gloomy outlook, as the bull run in the world’s most expensive real estate market stumbled after many months of anti-government protests sapped appetite. Now, as the coronavirus outbreak shows no signs of letting up, few buyers dare to venture into sales rooms or commit to big-ticket purchases.

The last weekend offered the latest sign of gloom: China Evergrande sold 49 of the 141 flats on offer at its Emerald Bay project in Tuen Mun, even after the developer increased its average discount to 14 per cent. The sales slump was the city’s first major launch in two months, further weighing down on home prices, which have fallen 7.6 per cent this month from a record last May.

“We are just starting to enter a down cycle, unlike the severe acute respiratory syndrome [outbreak in 2003] when we were coming to the end of the down cycle since 1997,” another agent said, adding that the agent expects prices in the mass-market and mid-market segments to drop by 10 to 15 per cent this year. That could generate interest in buyers, the agent said.

Hong Kong’s home prices slipped 6.5 per cent in February from its August 2018 peak before the city was engulfed by anti-government protests, according to a property price index compiled by a real estate agency. In comparison, home prices plunged by as much as 70 per cent during the 2003 Sars outbreak from their 1997 peak.

An agent said that Hong Kong’s current shortage of land and homes, combined with the backdrop of declining interest rate and easier mortgage rules, could provide a strong support for home prices.

Declining home prices may find a floor if the current Covid-19 outbreak stabilises by June or July, according to a forecast by an international agency firm, adding that first-half transactions may drop 10 per cent to 22,720 from the second half of 2019.

In the luxury segment, local and mainland Chinese high net worth individuals have “virtually stopped all dealings” and opted to diversify in overseas markets, the agent said in February. These potential buyers are likely to turn cautious on investment as business prospects and economic conditions weaken in Hong Kong, which would pull luxury prices down by another 5 to 10 per cent for the year.

“Investors want to hunt for bargains before buying, because factors such as the trade war, last year’s social unrest and the current coronavirus situation have pushed home prices down,” the agent said.

(South China Morning Post)

More Ocean Marini flats go on the market

Wheelock and Company (0020) released 60 flats in the third price list for Ocean Marini at Lohas Park yesterday, offered at an average of HK$15,698 per square foot after discounts. The developer had received 1,500 checks as of Monday for the 202 flats released in the first two price lists, 6.4 times oversubscribed.

The project will provide a total of 503 units, with most of them being two-bedroom and three-bedroom flats.

Meanwhile, CK Asset (1113) will raise the prices of 30 flats at Seaside Sonata in Sham Shui Po by 2 percent, and the first five buyers who purchased designated residential properties will be entitled to receive one gold ingot in the value of HK$98,000 for each residential property purchased.

In the commercial property market, a street shop with a gross floor area of 800 square feet on Yiu Wa Street in Causeway Bay changed hands for HK$34 million, or HK$42,500 per sq ft, after HK$86 million was slashed from the initial asking price.

In the secondary market, a 522-sq-ft flat at Sky Tower in To Kwa Wan fetched HK$8.7 million, or HK$16,667 per sq ft, after HK$2.1 million was cut from the original asking price.

A 705-sq-ft flat at Lohas Park Phase 1 The Capitol sold for HK$8.9 million or HK$12,624 per sq ft, after HK$800,000 was reduced from the first asking price.

In Pak Sha Wan, a 645-sq-ft flat at Heng Fa Chuen changed hands for HK$9.9 million, or HK$15,349 per sq ft, after HK$2.38 million was rubbed off from the initial asking price.

In other news, overall stamp duty raised from home purchases in February dropped 4 percent month-on-month to HK$785.8 million, hitting a six-year low, according to data from the Inland Revenue Department.

The amount of buyer's stamp duty collected surged 18 percent month-on-month to HK$235 million and the amount of double stamp duty applied to residential property transactions plummeted by 10 percent month-on-month to HK$334.4 million.

In the rental market, the average rent of private residential properties dropped 2 percent month-on-month to HK$34.7 per sq ft in February due to the spread of the coronavirus.

(The Standard)