上月甲厦交投跌50% 50指标项目仅三宗买卖
肺炎事件令商厦市场观望气氛浓罩。据代理资料显示，上月50大甲厦仅录3宗成交，按月急挫逾50%，创两年以来次低水平。
两年来次低水平
代理数据显示，今年1月50大甲厦仅录3宗买卖，较去年12月份的7宗跌逾半，是近两年以来的次低水平，仅较去年9月份的1宗为多。1月份的成交面积仅约1.7万方呎，按月急挫64%。该行预期，疫症问题短期内仍会继续困扰市场，并影响投资气氛，相信第一季交投仍继续冰封。
若以区域划分，上月九龙区录2宗，按月减少4宗，至于港岛区录1宗，并已是连续第3个月仅1宗买卖。上月录得成交的大厦，分别为湾仔海港中心、观塘寧晋中心及观塘宏基资本大厦，这亦意味着上月高达47座甲厦「零」成交，属去年9月份以后最多。
该代理表示，本地政治事件虽然逐渐缓和，但疫症事件爆发，对市场交投打击沉重，部分睇楼活动也因而暂停。至于整体第一季，虽然新春假期将过，但预计市场仍然会观望疫症事件去向，参照2003年「沙士」时的经验，疫症大约持续数个月，市场成交大幅萎缩，代理相信今次肺炎事件亦影响市场交投步伐，第一季成交量仍会于低位徘徊。
(星岛日报)
上环信德中心比邻港澳码头
上环信德中心为区内地标，因比邻港澳码头，吸引不少来往中港澳三地业务频繁的企业进驻。
信德中心位于上环干诺道中168至200号，设有两座办公室大楼，信德中心西翼及招商局大厦。物业楼高41层，分别于1985年及1986年落成，楼龄约34年。
全层2.3万呎合总部使用
其中信德中心西翼，为一梯12伙的设计，单位面积由1,354至2,559平方呎，业户可选择将单位打通作全层使用，全层面积约2.3万平方呎，适合公司当作总部使用。
西翼大楼共设有16部客用升降机，以楼层分隔，每层有4部升降机可到达，有效疏导人流。而洗手间则为全层共用。
物业可享多种景观，向北的单位可外望维多利亚港海景，景观开扬；另一边的单位外望为中上环一带都市景观。
由于物业邻近港澳码头，往返中港澳三地便捷，故吸引不少有需要来往两地办公的企业，如贸易公司等进驻。物业亦有多国驻港领事馆，如挪威及智利驻港领事馆。
而物业基座为信德中心6层商场，设有不少食肆及商店，日常饮食及购物选择一应俱全。商场连接上环港铁站，旁边亦设有巴士总站，比邻亦有电车，出入相当方便。
中层户去年7月呎造4万
另物业亦提供停车场设施，方便业户驾车出入；信德中心设有行人天桥连接中上环各主要地区，四通八达。
信德中心西翼交投未见活跃，对上一宗要追溯至去年7月，一个中层09室单位，面积1,391平方呎，以5,564万元易手，呎价4万元。
租赁方面则较为活跃，今年1月份共录2宗租赁，平均呎租为48元。最新近一宗成交为中低层06A室，面积1,000平方呎，以5.5万元租出，呎租55元。
(经济日报)
Adidas租观塘海滨汇呎租30
近期商厦租务以九龙区相对活跃，体育品牌Adidas刚承租观塘海滨汇全层合共约7万呎楼面，呎租约30元，品牌原租用港岛东，搬迁可节省租金及整合业务。近日该厦连环录成交，包括宏利保险租全层。
市场消息指，东九龙录大手租务成交，涉及观塘海滨汇10楼全层，及9楼部分楼面，总面积约7.2万平方呎，成交呎租约30元。据悉，新租客为体育品牌Adidas。
该品牌原租用港岛东太古城中心商厦，以及观塘Landmark East，两个办公室合共涉约10万平方呎，按太古城中心呎租约50元计，搬迁后楼面有所缩减，既可节省少许开支，亦整合业务。
宏利近日租11楼5.2万呎
领展（00823） 旗下观塘商厦项目海滨汇去年入伙，大厦卖点为全层面积大，逾5万平方呎，为同区罕有，总楼面达90万平方呎，出租率达8成。事实上，该厦近日亦曾录租务成交，涉及物业11楼，楼面面积约5.2万平方呎，呎租约30元，新租客为宏利保险，该集团总部正比邻海滨汇，早年购入全幢并命名为宏利大厦，租用海滨汇作扩充业务。
整体市况一般，近期大手租务多涉及节省开支，因此租金较便宜的九龙区，租务相对活跃。消息指，尖沙咀港威大厦中层半层楼面，面积约1.3万平方呎，以每平方呎约55元租出。据悉，新租客为英国皮鞋品牌Dr. Martens，该品牌目前租用天后电气道商厦，搬迁料可整合业务。港威大厦最近亦有不少机构洽租，包括友邦保险洽租大厦高层全层，面积约2.6万平方呎，呎租料约60元。
(经济日报)
Coronavirus fears will further slow Hong Kong’s sluggish construction work, say analysts, as property transactions slump to 13-month low
Property transactions in Hong Kong fell to a 13-month low as analysts warned the coronavirus outbreak is likely to further derail the world’s most expensive housing market.
The value of all properties changing hands in January dropped 17 per cent to HK$29 billion, while the number of transactions slipped to 3,776 from 3,908 a month earlier, the Land Registry revealed on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, data from the Transport and Housing Bureau showed a total of 13,600 new flats were built last year, the lowest number since 2015.
That was a drop of 35 per cent from the previous year, as developers held back in a housing market rocked by months of social unrest, the effects of the US-China trade war, and an impending vacancy tax that would penalise them for harbouring unoccupied, finished apartments.
Now the viral outbreak that started in Wuhan, China, and has infected at least 15 people in Hong Kong looks set to further dampen sentiment in the world’s most expensive property market.
New World Development announced it would stop construction work at its sites from Tuesday afternoon for two weeks to minimise the threat of the virus.
It was “a proactive measure to better protect the health of our staff and their families,” New World said in a statement. It added: “We will review the development of the epidemic on a weekly basis and may adjust the reopening day of our construction sites if required.”
Some contractors have had to stop work as they failed to get a government permit while civil servants worked from home last week, according to a consultancy firm.
“They expect the situation will continue as most business will be disrupted until the end of the coronavirus,” the consultant said.
On January 28, the government ordered civil servants to stay away from the office for a week as part of efforts to minimise the spread of the disease. Government offices began to resume work this week.
The release of the construction data itself had been delayed from January 31 to today because of the special working arrangements.
In the week ended February 2, sales of used homes dropped to a 23-week low of just 51 deals across 50 housing estates tracked by a real estate agency firm.
“Prospective buyers are reluctant to go out to view flats as the government advises people to avoid public gatherings during the outbreak of the coronavirus,” the agent said.
The health emergency is also likely to disrupt shipments of vital construction materials, another agent said.
“The latest coronavirus will somewhat slow the construction activities in the first quarter since imports of some materials and appliances, in particular from China, will not be as smooth as expected,” the agent said. “However, local construction activities are expected to pick up in the second quarter and thereafter.”
The consultant said last year’s fall in construction of new homes was down to a combination of the impending vacancy tax, protracted anti-government protests and the US-China trade dispute.
“As developers acknowledged these negative factors would dampen buying demand, there were no incentives for them to build fast. On the other hand, developers would be liable to pay vacancy tax if their completed units remain empty for six months,” he said.
The government proposes levying a tax of 5 per cent of a flat’s value if it is left empty for six months or more after it receives an occupation permit, to stop developers from hoarding completed but unsold properties, and to ease the city’s housing shortage.
The consultant does not believe the low completion rates will push up prices.
“The upward pressure on home prices would be offset by the depressed market sentiment,” he said.
The official price index for used homes dipped 1.7 per cent to 378.5 in December, according to the Rating and Valuation Department.
Panic-selling has seen some flats change hands at large discounts as homeowners fear prices could fall further in the coming months.
In Tung Chung, a 736 square-foot unit at Caribbean Coast was sold for HK$7.18 million, after the vendor slashed the price twice from the original asking price of HK$9.5 million last April.
“The owner reduced the price again last week in view of the coronavirus becoming more serious. The flat finally sold without the buyer even viewing the unit,” another agent said.
(South China Morning Post)
Masks order for close of Lohas Park tenders
The tender submission for Phase 12 of Lohas Park in Tseung Kwan O will end today but there will be a special arrangement for media interviews.
The MTR Corporation (0066) said media personnel should wear masks and take temperatures at the press briefing.
The residential project has a gross floor area of 961,100 square feet and will offer up to 2,000 flats.
Meanwhile, buyers are walking away from home purchase deals as the Wuhan virus crisis continued to weigh on the lackluster property market.
A potential purchaser forfeited deposits of about HK$490,000 after cancelling the purchase of a 318-sq-ft flat at L'aquatique in Tsing Lung Tau, which was priced at HK$4.87 million.
In the primary market, mainland developer Minmetals Land (0230) will apply for pre-sale consent for the Shung Shun Street Project in Yau Tong, which will provide about 690 flats and is expected to hit the market in the third quarter.
Minmetals Land said it will not provide nano flats, and the studio flats will measure at least 230 sq ft.
Property markets in Tai Wai and Diamond Hill are expected to benefit from the opening of the first phase of the Tuen Ma Line, property consultancy said.
In the luxury property market, a 3,780-sq-ft home at Crown of St Barths in Ma On Shan sold for HK$118.8 million, or HK$31,429 per sq ft, by tender.
In the secondary market, a 384-sq-ft flat at Chelsea Court in Tsuen Wan changed hands for HK$5.9 million, or HK$15,365 per sq ft, after HK$600,000 was slashed from the original asking price.
The number of licensed real estate agents in Hong Kong dipped 0.5 percent month-on-month to 39,322 at the end of January, the lowest in 18 months.
Another property agency only recorded 15 secondary transactions at 35 major housing estates over the past week, down by 54.5 percent week-on-week, the lowest in 25 weeks, due to the coronavirus outbreak.
In the Grade-A office market, the 50 major offices recorded only three transactions in January, down by 57 percent month-on-month and almost to a two-year low, due to the Wuhan virus crisis, the agent said.
The agent expects the virus crisis to weigh on the market in the short term and dampen sentiment, says the Estate Agents Authority.
In the capital market, the one-month Hong Kong Interbank Offered Rate, which is linked to the mortgage rate, rose to 2.25286 percent yesterday.
(The Standard)
