傳中環中心低價放售業主：未刻意推出

近期大手物業成焦點，由多名投資者持有的中環中心75%業權，其動向一直為市場所關心，昨日市場消息指出，「小巴大王」馬亞木近日放售其中三層低層樓面，以意向呎價約2.9萬放售，市價跌穿3萬，「小巴大王」兒子馬僑生則回應，沒有刻意放售物業。

市場消息指，由馬亞木持有的中環中心3層低層全層樓面，包括20樓、26樓及29樓，近日推出放售，每層面積約2.5萬方呎，意向呎價約2.9萬元，每層意向高達逾7.2億。不過，「小巴大王」馬亞木兒子馬僑生接受本報查詢時回應，集團並沒有刻意放售物業，惟間中接獲代理問價，這是正常的市場運作，集團對此不予置評。

傳每呎2.9萬放售

據市場資料顯示，馬亞木是中環中心最大業主，持有13層樓面，於購入該廈後，暫未像其他投資者包括蔡志忠、「物業張」張順宜及「磁帶大王」陳秉志沽貨。不過，馬氏於購入中環中心後，曾一度將交吉的26樓交予代理放盤，惟最後收回有關樓面。

(星島日報)

更多中環中心出售樓盤資訊請參閱：中環中心出售

觀塘SMLTower逾13億將售

繼早前佐敦同昌商業大廈易手後，市場上再有大手買賣，觀塘活化工廈SML Tower全幢，業主亦選定買家，雙方進入盡職審查階段，物業將以逾13億易手，平均呎價8748元。

上述為觀塘觀塘海濱道165號SML Tower，屬於活化工廈，市場消息透露，該全幢近期成為市場目標，業主有意放售，在代理的穿針引綫下，物業獲多家財團積極出價，最終業主選出一名買家，雙方進入盡職審查階段，物業將以逾13億易手，以物業總樓面14.96萬方呎計算，平均呎價8748元。

物業屬活化工廈

物業前身為工業大廈，兩年前由SML集團斥資8億元購入，其後申請活化，工程總投資額約2億元，以1年多時間活化為商廈。若以13億易手，帳面獲利約3億，物業升值逾30%。

該廈大部分樓層由SML集團自用，其中8層樓面則於2013年招租，平均呎租約23元，目前該廈呎租普遍26至30元水平，租客包括科技公司及藝術館。

SML Tower臨海而建，樓高19層，每層樓面約8600至12500方呎不等，每層均擁有郵輪碼頭海景，距離港鐵觀塘站約需10至15分鐘步程。物業毗鄰即為九龍麵粉廠。SML Towe前身為中藝大廈，早於SML集團之前，原業主為華潤創業。

進入盡職審查階段

代理表示，長沙灣青山道485號九龍廣場中層03室，面積約1630方呎，以約1138萬易手，成交呎價約6981元。原業主將售後租回該單位，月租料約3萬餘，按此計算，新買家可享逾3厘租金回報。周氏續表示，新買家為同區用家，本身持有其他物業，有見近期工商鋪物業價格回落，原打算購入單位自用，得知原業主有意售後租回，且買家本身在區內亦正租用單位作辦公室，遂決定暫時作收租投資之用。

資料顯示，原業主於2010年以約490萬買入項目，原以呎價約7300元放售，輕微減價約4%後獲承接，持貨10年帳面獲利約648萬，單位升值約1.3倍。

代理續稱，受惠活化政策，長沙灣近年亦從工業區轉型成商貿地帶，不少發展商及大企業於區內設有據點，足見商業前景備受看好。而且政府亦大力推動長沙灣發展，近年先後推出3幅商業及商貿地，涉及總樓面約190.8萬方呎。

(星島日報)

H&M棄旺角旗艦店 月租900萬

4大核心區10店出走 業界料租金添壓

疫情下時裝生意受打擊，國際品牌紛放棄旗艦店。H&M時裝旗下旺角家樂坊5萬呎旗艦店，今年第四季約滿，據悉將棄租，月租達900萬元。今年4大核心區已有10間旗艦店約滿棄租個案，業界料一時間難消化，租金下跌壓力大。

市場人士透露，時裝品牌H&M位於旺角家樂坊旗艦店的租約即將屆滿，而品牌早在1年前因應市況，已傳出求頂租消息，今年疫情爆發，品牌全球縮減分店，據悉品牌約滿將遷出。

翻查資料，H&M於2014年，租用旺角家樂坊地庫至1樓，合共5.4萬呎樓面，月租高達900萬元，而相關樓面原由多個租客承租，適逢當時零售高峰期，品牌搶租旗艦店，業主決定把3層樓面商舖整合租予H&M，租金高逾1倍。

H&M在港 有14分店

環球疫情持續，零售業受重挫，國際品牌生意慘淡，多個品牌已表示將關店，上月瑞典時裝品牌H&M Group宣布，於本年內將關閉全球170間實體店。目前H&M在港則有14間分店，其中旺角及銅鑼灣屬旗艦店，月租分別高達900萬及1,000萬元。

事實上，上月品牌位於奧海城2期約滿遷出，及後由日本時裝GU頂上。H&M於零售高峰期時，曾於旺角朗豪坊商場、奧海城及家樂坊設分店，意味即將於旺角區乏分行網絡。

本港疫情未受控，今年時裝品牌急劇收縮，單計1月至今，本港4大核心區銅鑼灣、中環、旺角及尖沙咀，已有10間國際時裝品牌年內棄租旗艦店，個別品牌更是未約滿結業，如內衣品牌Victoria's Secret，早前因疫情英國分部申請破產，全球收縮店舖。

業界：只能減租吸客

位於銅鑼灣京華中心多層旗艦店，涉及5萬呎，6月尾突結業，月租涉約700萬元，開業不足2年。此外，中環更出現4個零售品牌將放棄旗艦店，包括GAP、TOPSHOP時裝同樣今年約滿，第四季遷出。

有代理認為，環球疫情令零售業經營困難，而在港時裝店租金高企，月租達數百萬甚至千萬，而生意自去年社會事件後已受打擊，疫情下零旅客，品牌惟有作出收縮。代理認為，仍有個別行業如新科技相關、餐飲行業有意租舖，而市場上一時間太多旗艦店樓面放租，業主只能減租吸客，短時期內料難以消化，核心地段空置率上升租金下跌壓力甚大。

(經濟日報)

新型工廈蝕讓 2年貶值逾2成

受到疫情影響，工商類物業市道欠理想，近期不少荃灣新建工廈出現蝕讓，荃灣德士古道212號W212單位，持貨2年，蝕讓72.6萬元離場。

W212一手購入 轉手蝕逾72萬

W212由新地 (00016) 發展，2018年初開售，當時正值市況熾熱，銷情理想，個別單位呎價造至約1.5萬元，為同區指標。不過，近期工商廈市道欠理想，故此開始出現二手蝕讓個案。其中，17樓2室，面積約605平方呎，以約506萬元成交，呎價約8,364元，原業主於2018年以約578.6萬元一手購入，持貨2年轉手帳面蝕72.6萬元。

另外，荃灣橫龍街LOFT OASIS 4樓A8室，原業主於2014年以約111.8萬元購入，早前以89萬元轉售，持貨6年帳面蝕讓22.8萬元，期內貶值約2成。

不過並非所有工廈成交均須蝕讓，曾發生轟動全城石棺藏屍案的荃灣工廈DAN6，命案相鄰單位在今年初以約245萬元沽出，原業主持貨約3年，帳面獲利145萬元。

(經濟日報)

柴灣角340萬呎新樓面 中央紗廠佔半

受惠於政府推動工廈活化2.0，屬於傳統工業區的荃灣柴灣角，區內工廈加快重建及轉型，區內逾11個工廈重建，合共提供逾340萬平方呎樓面供應，當中麥格理嘉民亞洲的中央紗廠重建，則佔一半樓面。

麥格理嘉民亞洲持有4項目

荃灣區內工業發展分布在柴灣角及大窩口兩個工業區，當中位於荃灣西面的柴灣角工業區，傳統上以紗廠、紡織廠等輕工業為主，包括南豐紗廠、中央紗廠等大型紗廠均位於荃灣區。

荃灣柴灣角工業區佔地達117.4萬平方呎，政府近年將整區改劃成「其他指定用途(商貿)」，再加上政府推出工廈活化政策2.0後，提供額外2成地積比率，刺激區內工廈業主展開重建。

粗略統計，荃灣柴灣角工業區內至少有11個工廈重建計劃，預計未來能提供約340萬平方呎的工商業樓面供應，當中一半或約173.4萬平方呎的樓面來自麥格理嘉民亞洲的中央紗廠重建。

中央紗廠有超過50年的歷史，創辦人吳文政從上海移居香港，首先成立中央布廠，再於1957年擴展業務，成立中央紗廠，2010年中央紗廠結束在港紡紗的工序，把機器搬遷至內地廠房。

沙咀道16至24號 發展高端數據中心

麥格理嘉民亞洲基金在2012年以約9.45億元購入，該財團及後亦併購比鄰的沙咀道工廈，以便展開大規模重建，當中中央紗廠1廠部分約5萬平方呎地盤，申請重建作新式工廈，總樓面約57萬平方呎。

另外，中央紗廠2廠部分，發展商近日亦申請重建成為20層高的新式工廈，地積比率約11.4倍，總樓面面積約11萬平方呎。至於比鄰沙咀道16至24號，麥格理嘉民亞洲就在去年補地價約12.6億元，重建成為高端數據中心發展，可建樓面約37萬平方呎。

而其餘第3至5號廠房的原址合共約7萬平方呎的地盤，市場估計，發展商之後亦會提出重建申請，若果同樣以地積比率約11.4倍發展，將可提供接近約68.4萬平方呎樓面。另外，億京在2017年底亦以約21.6億元購入荃灣青山公路503至515號的永南貨倉大廈，該工廈佔地約5.08萬平方呎，發展商可補地價後，以地積比率12倍重建成商廈，可建樓面約60.96萬平方呎。

(經濟日報)

Property deals fall despite 'good timing'

A survey conducted in June found that about 10 percent of Hongkongers think it is a good time to buy a home, which is a nine-year high, but property sales dropped about 8 percent in July amid the third round of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The number of sales and purchase agreements for all building units totaled 7,576 in July, falling 8.2 percent month-on-month but rising 18.7 percent from a year ago, data from the Land Registry showed.

The total consideration of property transactions totalled HK$69.3 billion last month, a 1.4 percent drop from June but a increase of 28.4 percent compared with the same period in 2019.

Transactions for residential units grew 27.6 percent year-on-year to 6,133 in July, with a total consideration of HK$59.5 billion, rising 35 percent year-on-year.

Although sales fell last month, the proportion of respondents who believed property prices will rise in the next 12 months doubled in the second quarter of this year, Citi Hong Kong announced in their Second Quarter 2020 Residential Property Ownership Survey, which was conducted in June. The number of those who believe property prices will decline in the next 12 months dropped 24 percentage points compared to the previous quarter.

More than a fifth of those surveyed said they are interested in purchasing a unit.

In the secondary market, a 912-square-feet unit of Fleur Pavilia changed hands for about HK$7 million, or 25 percent lower than the price at which it was purchased from New World Development (0017) two years ago.

The price per sq ft was HK$23,684, the lowest in Fleur Pavilia, and the mainland owner bought it for HK$28.61 million. The unit was foreclosed by ICBC Asia in January and sold for HK$21.6 million.

Separately, HKR International (480) confiscated around HK$1.67 million of the total deposit for two flat at Poggibonsi Discovery Bay.

A 297 square foot unit at Regency Bay in Tuen Mun, developed by Sun Hung Kai Properties (0016) sold for HK$6.99 million, or HK$23,557 per sq ft.

The mortgage-linked one-month Hong Kong Interbank Offered Rate lightly rose to 0.25214 percent after dropping for two days.

(The Standard)

Hong Kong’s pre-owned home sales dry up, forcing many owners to settle for losses as capital shifts to new abodes

• Five flats changed hands across 10 major housing estates in the city on Saturday, the lowest weekend transaction rate in six months, according to data by property agency
• A separate data set by another property agency reported 93 sales across 50 estates last week, for the lowest rate since February

The prices of pre-owned homes in Hong Kong have came off their 10-month peak in June, as buyers shifted their attention to newly launched projects amid social-distancing measures during the city’s coronavirus relapse, forcing some desperate sellers to unload their lived-in propertyat losses.

Five flats changed hands across 10 major housing estates in the city on Saturday and Sunday, the lowest weekend transaction rate in six months, according to data by property agency, which operates one of Hong Kong’s biggest network of real estate agents. A separate data set by another property agency reported 93 sales across 50 estates last week, for the lowest rate since February.

“The property price index in July will still be under pressure,” agent said. “Although the epidemic improved slightly in late June when the government relaxed the social gathering restrictions, the positive factors were completely offset by the third wave of the epidemic that broke out in early July.”

The shift in focus among property buyers and investors in Hong Kong, the most expensive urban centre for 10 consecutive years, may offer some relief to the developers amid an increasing glut of who still have between 3,000 and 4,0000 apartments in the pipeline to launch this year in a market that is mired in its worst recession on record.

Last weekend, Henderson Land Development sold all 185 flats at its Seacoast Royale project in Tuen Mun during its weekend launch, with as many as 46 buyers bidding for every available apartment. In Kowloon, a flat measuring 931 square feet at The Waterfront sold for HK$19.5 million (US$2.52 million), or 5 per cent below market price, after the owner slashed HK$4.3 million off his asking price because of what he considered bad market sentiment.

“As the pandemic worsened rapidly in mid-July, quite a few homeowners have softened their tone and offered more discounts,” the agent who handled the sale of The Waterfront unit said.

More cases of losses are on the rise, with up to 4,000 new apartments remaining in the pipeline for launch over the next four months of the year, on top of the current inventory of 13,000 unsold abodes around the city, according to published data. Developers are launching their flats with discounts, rebates and easy financing plans that require buyers to put down as little as 10 per cent of a flat’s catalogue price.

That is pushing owners of lived-in homes to slash prices. Notably, Wong Chik-wing, deputy managing director at Sun Hung Kai Properties, the biggest developer by value, paid HK$62.5 million for the former home of actor and singer Nicholas Tse at Redhill Peninsula, according to Land Registry records. The original owner incurred a loss of over HK$11 million including taxes and commissions.

A flat measuring 508 sq ft at Harbour Pinnacle in Tsim Sha Tsui sold last week for HK$12.3 million, making a loss of HK$3.3 million after taxes and fees were added. Another flat measuring 737 sq ft flat at Parc Oasis in Kowloon Tong sold for HK$15.2 million, for a loss of HK$3.07 million inclusive of taxes and fees because the owner was in a rush to emigrate from Hong Kong.

“As more owners offer more discounts, there will be ... pressure on property prices,” agent said.

The spate of new attractive property launches, combined with cheap mortgages at decade-low rates, has generated renewed interest among homebuyers. Citi Hong Kong’s second-quarter home ownership survey found that respondents were split on where they see property prices. The proportion of respondents who considered that property prices will rise in the next 12 months has doubled, compared with the previous quarter, while those expecting prices to fall have decreased significantly, Citi said.

The real estate market’s split – a bull run in newly completed property, against falling prices among second-hand homes – is only going to be more pronounced in the second half of 2020, analysts said.

The current property market is very “distorted”, agent said.

“Residential property prices are still high, but rents have continued to adjust downward due to the economic downturn,” the agent said, adding that the pent-up demand released when Hong Kong’s Covid-19 outbreaks began to ease in May may not last through the fourth quarter. “The rents and prices of commercial and street shops continue to fall.”

High unemployment rate and underemployment, salary cuts, unpaid leave and diminishing bonuses will dampen the purchasing power in the property market, especially when the effectiveness of the government's relief measures remains uncertain, he said.

The recent resurgence of Covid-19 in Hong Kong, where the city has reported 12 consecutive days of triple-digit new infections, has pushed back any prospect of a quick economic recovery. A further deterioration in US-China relations has added another layer of uncertainty to Hong Kong’s economic outlook, agent said.

“For investors, this means that opportunities are beginning to emerge but at a much slower pace than many had expected, and volumes have slumped as a result,” agent said. “With governments spending billions to support businesses and livelihoods, a lot will also depend on their resolve over the second half of the year.”