https://www.scmp.com/rss/96/feed Property market news, advice on moving house, lettings and new homes. en https://assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Peggy Ye Peggy Ye Hong Kong has significantly narrowed Dubai’s lead as the world’s top market for “super-prime” residential property in recent months, as rising conflict weighs on activity in the Middle East market, according to Knight Frank. Dubai retained first place for deals involving homes sold for US$10 million or more in the second quarter of the year, with 131 sales worth a combined US$2.17 billion, but the total value of those transactions fell 27 per cent compared with the previous quarter. Hong Kong,... https://www.scmp.com/business/markets/article/3368687/hong-kong-catching-dubai-super-prime-property-sales-amid-iran-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/markets/article/3368687/hong-kong-catching-dubai-super-prime-property-sales-amid-iran-war?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 25 Sep 2026 01:00:22 +0000 Chris Tsang Chris Tsang With office vacancy rates in Kowloon East remaining high, the Planning Department has indicated it has “no objection” to a request by some developers for a commercial project in the area to be rezoned for residential development. A consortium comprising CSI Properties, Asia Standard International and Chongqing-born property tycoon Cheung Chung-kiu has submitted an application to the Town Planning Board to rezone Harbourside HQ – a grade A office building at 8 Lam Chak Street, Kowloon Bay, which... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3368602/high-office-vacancy-rates-spur-bid-rezone-kowloon-east-site-residential-development?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3368602/high-office-vacancy-rates-spur-bid-rezone-kowloon-east-site-residential-development?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Sep 2026 06:00:05 +0000 Peggy Ye Peggy Ye Foreign investors are starting to look again at mainland China’s commercial property market after years of retreat, drawn by sharply lower asset prices, wider yields and cheaper yuan financing, even though cross-border capital remains a small fraction of the overall market, analysts said. The shift did not yet amount to a broad return of foreign money, they added. Instead, some international investors were finding ways to participate through China’s domestic capital markets, using onshore... https://www.scmp.com/property/hong-kong-china/article/3368521/how-chinas-growing-reit-sector-giving-foreign-property-investors-route-back?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/property/hong-kong-china/article/3368521/how-chinas-growing-reit-sector-giving-foreign-property-investors-route-back?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Sep 2026 00:00:10 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Hong Kong has climbed one place in a list of the world’s most transparent real estate markets by property consultancy JLL and subsidiary LaSalle Investment Management, though it still trails regional peers Singapore and Japan in the rankings. The city secured 14th place in the latest edition of the Global Real Estate Transparency Index, a report released every two years. The new report covers 146 city markets in 88 countries and territories worldwide. The ranking was the highest of any market in... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3368542/hong-kong-rises-property-market-transparency-rankings-trails-singapore-and-japan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3368542/hong-kong-rises-property-market-transparency-rankings-trails-singapore-and-japan?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 23 Sep 2026 23:00:07 +0000 Chris Tsang Chris Tsang Digital financial service providers, including online brokerages and digital banks that used to trumpet their “zero-branch, fully online” models, have been opening physical stores across Hong Kong recently. Analysts described it as a strategic trend aimed at enhancing brand image and service quality to capture market share, but added that the impact on the city’s retail property market would be limited. Futu Securities International (Hong Kong) opened a new global headquarters at Pacific Place... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3368474/physical-moves-online-financial-firms-unlikely-pump-property-market-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3368474/physical-moves-online-financial-firms-unlikely-pump-property-market-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 23 Sep 2026 07:00:05 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Foreign investors continue to pile into Hong Kong’s commercial real estate, with a unit of online retail giant Amazon and Singapore-headquartered Shorea Capital among the latest to snap up assets, according to agents. Shorea won the tender for The Pemberton, a mixed office and retail property in Sheung Wan, for an undisclosed amount, Colliers said, underscoring Southeast Asian investors’ continuing robust demand for real estate assets in Hong Kong. Colliers was the lead agent and broker for the... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3368331/amazon-and-shorea-capital-deals-underscore-foreign-interest-commercial-property?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3368331/amazon-and-shorea-capital-deals-underscore-foreign-interest-commercial-property?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 22 Sep 2026 10:00:06 +0000 Chris Tsang Chris Tsang Purpose-built student accommodation is drawing mainland Chinese university students away from Hong Kong’s traditional rental market, as professionally managed residences gain favour despite charging higher rents than many private flats. Some students said dedicated student housing offered greater convenience, stronger security, more predictable costs and a better living environment, helping offset higher rents and, in some cases, longer commutes. Qi Zhonghao, a mainland Chinese student pursuing... https://www.scmp.com/property/article/3368296/despite-higher-costs-hong-kongs-student-residences-attract-mainland-chinese-renters?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/property/article/3368296/despite-higher-costs-hong-kongs-student-residences-attract-mainland-chinese-renters?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 22 Sep 2026 00:00:29 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal New World Development (NWD) received the green light from the Shanghai Stock Exchange to spin off and list a Reit (real estate investment trust) on the bourse, according to the distressed developer controlled by one of Hong Kong’s wealthiest families. The expected offering size for the NWD C-Reit was about 3.82 billion yuan (US$570 million), from which the group’s estimated net proceeds would be 3.24 billion yuan, Hong Kong-based NWD said in a statement on Monday. The underlying assets of the... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3368276/hong-kong-developer-new-world-gets-nod-spin-k11-shanghai-assets?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3368276/hong-kong-developer-new-world-gets-nod-spin-k11-shanghai-assets?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 Sep 2026 12:00:12 +0000 Nicholas Spiro Nicholas Spiro The Hong Kong Monetary Authority, the city’s de facto central bank, probably anticipated the rise in US interest rates last week. However, it is unlikely it foresaw the extent to which the Federal Reserve shifted in a hawkish direction. Even Fed watchers were surprised by the unanimous vote to increase borrowing costs and the unambiguous signal that the central bank plans to raise interest rates further in the coming months. While the HKMA, which moves in lockstep with the Fed to safeguard the... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3368199/why-hawkish-us-fed-wont-derail-hong-kongs-property-recovery?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3368199/why-hawkish-us-fed-wont-derail-hong-kongs-property-recovery?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 Sep 2026 08:30:10 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Late last month, an open tender for Hotel Cozi Harbour View in Kwun Tong was announced, with interested parties given until October 15 to submit bids. The 598-room hotel, located in Hong Kong’s eastern Kowloon Peninsula, a former industrial area, was taken over by Nanyang Commercial Bank for HK$1.87 billion (US$238.4 million) in 2025, with the bank now looking to dispose of the asset to the highest bidder. Just a week after the announcement of the tender, Nina Hospitality, one of the largest... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3368207/once-worlds-most-visited-city-hong-kong-now-converts-hotels-student-dorms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3368207/once-worlds-most-visited-city-hong-kong-now-converts-hotels-student-dorms?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 Sep 2026 07:00:06 +0000 Chris Tsang Chris Tsang Prices for properties near the new Huanggang Port are already soaring months ahead of the border crossing being put into operation, with many buyers attracted by the idea of a “dual-city lifestyle”, according to property agents. The new border facility, which is set to open before the end of the year, is expected to make crossing between Shenzhen and Hong Kong far quicker and more convenient, with plans for 24-hour operations, a “co-location arrangement” and a “joint inspection” clearance model... https://www.scmp.com/business/markets/article/3367987/housing-prices-surge-near-new-huanggang-port-buyers-eye-dual-city-lifestyle?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/markets/article/3367987/housing-prices-surge-near-new-huanggang-port-buyers-eye-dual-city-lifestyle?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 20 Sep 2026 08:00:07 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren Property brokers in China’s major cities are expecting busier days as would-be homebuyers take a cue from a recent policy shift by Beijing aimed at reviving the slumbering real estate market. Some say they are being swamped by inquiries and are trying to seal as many deals as possible amid a recovery in confidence, while others are keeping their fingers crossed for more government stimulus to sustain the growing momentum. “Government support always holds the key to the performance of the home... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3368009/will-fresh-incentives-give-chinas-housing-market-more-short-lived-rebound?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3368009/will-fresh-incentives-give-chinas-housing-market-more-short-lived-rebound?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 20 Sep 2026 03:00:09 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Nearly one-fifth of surveyed companies in the Asia-Pacific region believe wider adoption of artificial intelligence will reduce their real estate needs, a new study by CBRE has found. More than half – 56 per cent – held a neutral view, believing either that AI had no impact on office space demand or that it was too early to determine its effect, according to the property consultancy’s poll of corporate real estate executives in the region. The remaining 25 per cent said AI adoption would require... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3367940/will-ai-adoption-shrink-office-space-asia-pacific-firms-are-fence-survey?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3367940/will-ai-adoption-shrink-office-space-asia-pacific-firms-are-fence-survey?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 18 Sep 2026 10:00:06 +0000 Peggy Ye,Chris Tsang Peggy Ye,Chris Tsang Hong Kong’s property market dodged an immediate hit from the Federal Reserve’s rate hike on Thursday as major local banks kept their prime rates unchanged, but another increase could puncture the market’s relatively fragile recovery, according to industry insiders. The Fed raised its benchmark rate by a quarter point at its latest meeting on Wednesday in the US, but HSBC and other major Hong Kong banks left their prime rates unchanged. The decision should have no immediate impact on the local... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3367855/hong-kong-property-market-gets-reprieve-rates-position-remains-precarious?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3367855/hong-kong-property-market-gets-reprieve-rates-position-remains-precarious?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 17 Sep 2026 10:00:11 +0000 Peggy Ye Peggy Ye A third-generation member of a long-established Hong Kong developer family has bought a HK$98.8 million (US$12.6 million) luxury flat in Mid-Levels, weeks after the family sold a long-held North Point property, highlighting a broader market trend of capital shifting across real estate sectors. John Lai Sung-ziang agreed to buy a high-floor unit at Estoril Court on August 31, Land Registry records showed. The price for the four-bedroom flat, which has a saleable area of 2,888 square feet,... https://www.scmp.com/property/article/3367703/developer-familys-deals-highlight-capital-shift-across-hong-kong-property-sectors?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/property/article/3367703/developer-familys-deals-highlight-capital-shift-across-hong-kong-property-sectors?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 16 Sep 2026 10:00:14 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Southeast Asian investors have emerged as the largest non-local buyers of Hong Kong commercial property, led by Singapore-based capital, according to Savills. As of Tuesday, local and non-local investors – including those from mainland China – were behind an estimated HK$30.36 billion (US$3.87 billion) in transactions involving commercial property deals above HK$50 million in Hong Kong so far this year, data compiled by the property consultancy showed. Southeast Asian investors contributed... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3367610/southeast-asian-buyers-emerge-top-non-local-investors-hong-kong-commercial-property?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3367610/southeast-asian-buyers-emerge-top-non-local-investors-hong-kong-commercial-property?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 16 Sep 2026 00:00:24 +0000 Chris Tsang Chris Tsang Commercial property prices in Hong Kong are likely to continue their downward spiral, as the market risks getting trapped in a “vicious cycle” of tighter bank lending and weakening demand, a property agency has warned. Banks in the city had adopted a more conservative approach towards approving mortgages for commercial properties over the past three years, introducing stricter approval standards and terms, said Eric Tso Tak-ming, chief vice-president at mReferral Mortgage Brokerage Services, at... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3367633/hong-kong-commercial-property-downturn-worsen-amid-tightening-credit-agents?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3367633/hong-kong-commercial-property-downturn-worsen-amid-tightening-credit-agents?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 15 Sep 2026 23:00:15 +0000 Chris Tsang Chris Tsang The outlook for shopping centres in Hong Kong is improving, and the business will thrive if operators use new stores and attractive events to counter locals’ fondness for cross-border shopping trips, according to the CEO of Hang Lung Properties. The company’s malls recorded growth in July, and business would be “even better” in the fourth quarter owing to a full pipeline of new shops preparing to open, said Weber Lo Wai-pak on the sidelines of an event on Monday. “Hong Kong shopping malls need... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3367469/hong-kong-malls-see-gradual-recovery-new-stores-and-events-hang-lung-ceo?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3367469/hong-kong-malls-see-gradual-recovery-new-stores-and-events-hang-lung-ceo?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 14 Sep 2026 11:00:14 +0000 Chris Tsang Chris Tsang They were the “shop kings” of Hong Kong, owning dozens of properties in the same district and even the same street. But over the past few years many of these landlords have gone bankrupt, hit by the collapse in post-pandemic rents and tighter bank lending. Shop prices in the city have fallen more than 40 per cent from their 2018 peak, but they may not have hit rock bottom yet, according to Centaline Commercial. “There does not appear to be any clear sign of a turnaround today, nor any glimmer of... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3367224/rise-and-fall-hong-kongs-shop-kings-how-plunging-rents-debt-crushed-their-empires?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3367224/rise-and-fall-hong-kongs-shop-kings-how-plunging-rents-debt-crushed-their-empires?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 13 Sep 2026 08:00:09 +0000 Peggy Ye Peggy Ye When Maria’s family moved out of their house in Hong Kong’s Southern district, one of the bigger jobs was packing her mother’s belongings, including the orange Hermes boxes that had accumulated in the family gym. Her 86-year-old father was reluctant to rent, while her mother – who had spent her life buying homes – initially insisted that if they were going to rent, she wanted a house rather than a flat. “I have never rented a home in my entire life,” she said. They eventually settled at The... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3367061/next-gen-wealthy-hongkongers-drop-property-higher-returns-deposits-and-hedge-funds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3367061/next-gen-wealthy-hongkongers-drop-property-higher-returns-deposits-and-hedge-funds?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 13 Sep 2026 02:00:07 +0000 Chris Tsang Chris Tsang Hong Kong’s home prices will end the year 15 per cent higher than a year earlier, but still 16 per cent below their high-water mark in 2021, according to local property agency Midland Realty. Underpinning the positive forecast, the city’s banks were not likely to follow an increase in US interest rates by the Federal Reserve if one occurred this year, executives from the agency said at a press conference on Thursday. Dave Ma Tai-yeung, CEO of Midland (Residential), said that as the market... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3367086/hong-kong-home-prices-headed-15-gain-year-midland-forecast-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3367086/hong-kong-home-prices-headed-15-gain-year-midland-forecast-says?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 10 Sep 2026 23:00:09 +0000 Peggy Ye,Cheryl Arcibal Peggy Ye,Cheryl Arcibal Sun Hung Kai Properties (SHKP), Hong Kong’s biggest developer by market capitalisation, reported its underlying profit for the year ending June rose 4.6 per cent to HK$22.85 billion (US$2.91 billion), excluding investment property revaluations. Meanwhile, its reported profit increased to HK$21.43 billion, backed by a HK$1.38 billion net revaluation gain versus a HK$742 million loss last year, according to its filing with the Hong Kong stock exchange on Thursday. “For the year under review, Hong... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3367088/shkp-posts-46-profit-rise-amid-hong-kongs-property-recovery?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3367088/shkp-posts-46-profit-rise-amid-hong-kongs-property-recovery?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 10 Sep 2026 12:26:14 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal US investment firm Susquehanna International Group has agreed to lease more than 4,808 square metres (51,762 square feet) of office space at the Cheung Kong Center II, a prime office skyscraper developed by CK Asset Holdings in Hong Kong’s main business zone of Central, according to market sources. Neither Susquehanna nor CK Asset immediately replied to the South China Morning Post’s requests for comments. The new space would span three floors of the property, according to the... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3366895/susquehanna-latest-pick-larger-office-space-hong-kongs-central-sources-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3366895/susquehanna-latest-pick-larger-office-space-hong-kongs-central-sources-say?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 09 Sep 2026 23:00:09 +0000 Zhu Wenqian,Peggy Ye Zhu Wenqian,Peggy Ye China’s Supreme People’s Court has issued the country’s first systematic judicial guidance governing bankruptcy proceedings for property developers, in an effort to end inconsistencies that have slowed disposals and deterred capital in recent years. The framework called for timely reorganisations of viable developers and prompt liquidations of those lacking sustainable value, according to a statement by the Supreme People’s Court on Monday. It also said asset-management companies and... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3366807/chinese-court-guidance-aims-smooth-developer-bankruptcies-reassure-creditors?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3366807/chinese-court-guidance-aims-smooth-developer-bankruptcies-reassure-creditors?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 09 Sep 2026 03:00:07 +0000 Chris Tsang Chris Tsang The luxury Hong Kong flat once owned by Mandy Lieu – the former mistress of Macau gambling kingpin Alvin Chau Cheok-wa – has finally been sold at a steep loss for just over HK$81 million (US$10.3 million), according to market sources. The flat on the 38th floor of the Argenta development in Hong Kong’s Mid-Levels West changed hands on Monday for HK$81.2 million – a price that is over 10 per cent lower than the amount Lieu reportedly paid to acquire the property 12 years ago. Lieu, a renowned... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3366825/macau-kingpins-former-love-nest-finally-sells-hk81m-cut-price-deal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3366825/macau-kingpins-former-love-nest-finally-sells-hk81m-cut-price-deal?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 08 Sep 2026 23:00:16 +0000 Chris Tsang Chris Tsang Hong Kong singer, actor and model Jeffrey Ngai Tsun-sang recently moved into a luxury residence in Mid-Levels East with a monthly rent of HK$130,000 (US$16,581), highlighting strong demand in the high-end segment, according to market sources. The luxury residence was a duplex, where Ngai, 28, would be neighbours with his close friend singer-songwriter Ben Cheng Tsun-yin, known as Tyson Yoshi, the sources said. Joseph Yan, senior principal district sales director at Centaline Property, said that... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3366673/hong-kong-celebrity-jeffrey-ngai-splashes-out-us16000-rental-home?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3366673/hong-kong-celebrity-jeffrey-ngai-splashes-out-us16000-rental-home?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 08 Sep 2026 01:00:14 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Hong Kong’s bid to become a global education hub is likely to transform the sector as a sustainable source of property demand, with the city tipped to see around 200,000 non-local students by 2035, according to CBRE. The city’s international schools are estimated to require enormous additional real estate to accommodate nearly 30,000 to 40,000 non-local students, as the institutions would need to set up 40 to 50 new school campuses. This could mean up to an extra 1.11 million square metres (12... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3366576/foreign-mainland-students-flock-hong-kong-sparking-property-demand-education-sector?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3366576/foreign-mainland-students-flock-hong-kong-sparking-property-demand-education-sector?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 08 Sep 2026 00:00:12 +0000 Peggy Ye Peggy Ye Hong Kong landlords and property industry figures are accusing banks of deepening the city’s shop slump by pulling back from commercial mortgages, leaving more potential buyers unable to secure financing even though property values have fallen sharply. Shop buyers were increasingly being turned away, even though Hong Kong’s residential market had gained momentum this year and banks were competing for mortgage borrowers, they said. Shih Wing-ching, founder of Centaline Property, said banks tended... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3366652/hong-kong-landlords-accuse-banks-deepening-shop-slump-reluctance-lend?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3366652/hong-kong-landlords-accuse-banks-deepening-shop-slump-reluctance-lend?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 07 Sep 2026 11:00:09 +0000 Nicholas Spiro Nicholas Spiro More than two decades after China’s central bank recommended that developers be forbidden from selling flats before they are completed, the government has called time on the presale financing model that contributed to the excesses of the property boom and shattered homebuyers’ confidence in the market. On August 28, Beijing announced a package of measures designed to rebuild trust in the completion and handover of pre-sold homes, stimulate demand and put the country’s ailing residential market... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3366586/chinas-new-property-presale-rules-risk-prolonging-sector-downturn?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3366586/chinas-new-property-presale-rules-risk-prolonging-sector-downturn?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 07 Sep 2026 08:30:09 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Comments by US Federal Reserve chairman Kevin Warsh at its annual economic policy symposium in Jackson Hole last month have reinforced expectations of an impending interest rate rise in the world’s largest economy, which would have significant impacts on assets and investors around the world. While the Fed kept its target rate in the range of 3.5 to 3.75 per cent at its meeting in July, Warsh’s comments last month about it having work to do in controlling inflation have heightened expectations... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3366386/which-overseas-property-markets-will-be-winners-and-losers-if-fed-raises-us-rates?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3366386/which-overseas-property-markets-will-be-winners-and-losers-if-fed-raises-us-rates?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 06 Sep 2026 08:00:08 +0000 Zhu Wenqian Zhu Wenqian With the saga surrounding Evergrande founder Hui Ka‑yan ending in his life sentence and the ongoing financial struggle of mainland developers, analysts said challenges remained for troubled operators getting away from the vicious cycle of a sluggish property market, even though risk resolution had largely been completed for some cases. Despite the difficulty, better-capitalised state-owned enterprises would prove more resilient and should gain market shares amid uncertain earnings outlooks, they... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3366070/after-evergrande-chinas-new-rules-spark-unease-amid-developers-debt-resolution-progress?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3366070/after-evergrande-chinas-new-rules-spark-unease-amid-developers-debt-resolution-progress?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 06 Sep 2026 01:00:08 +0000 Zhu Wenqian Zhu Wenqian The revelation that Rich Dad, Poor Dad author Robert Kiyosaki has amassed a staggering debt pile has sparked heated discussion in China, where property investors have suffered painful losses in recent years amid a deep market downturn. The 79-year-old Japanese-American author, who inspired generations of investors to take on leverage to scale up their investments, claimed in a series of podcast interviews over the summer that he owed US$1.2 billion. His ex-wife and long-term business partner Kim... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3366384/rich-dad-poor-dad-authors-vast-debts-spark-awe-and-some-bitterness-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3366384/rich-dad-poor-dad-authors-vast-debts-spark-awe-and-some-bitterness-china?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 05 Sep 2026 08:00:07 +0000 Chris Tsang Chris Tsang A foreclosure sale in Hong Kong’s Lan Kwai Fong area and a cancelled shop transaction in North Point reflect the impact of weak consumer spending on Hong Kong’s retail property market, which will remain under pressure through the end of the year, according to analysts. The Lan Kwai Fong property, home of well-known bar Insomnia until it closed in 2024, recently changed hands for 60 per cent less than its value in a 2015 sale. Meanwhile, the deal for the large street shop on King’s Road in North... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3366330/bargain-sale-collapsed-deal-reflect-hong-kongs-struggling-retail-property-market?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3366330/bargain-sale-collapsed-deal-reflect-hong-kongs-struggling-retail-property-market?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 04 Sep 2026 10:00:11 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Hong Kong’s food and beverage (F&B) operators, both new and existing players, signed leases for 155,000 sq ft of new floor space in the second quarter of this year, a record high for the sector and more than double the amount registered in the first quarter, according to property consultancy CBRE. In the first half of the year, they snapped up 230,000 sq ft of new space, CBRE data showed. However, analysts said the city’s selective and narrow-based retailing recovery was forcing brands and... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3366205/hordes-head-shenzhen-hong-kong-bars-restaurants-sign-more-floor-space?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3366205/hordes-head-shenzhen-hong-kong-bars-restaurants-sign-more-floor-space?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 03 Sep 2026 10:00:12 +0000 Chris Tsang Chris Tsang Sun Hung Kai Properties (SHKP) subsidiary Bright Grand Enterprises on Thursday won the tender for MTR Corporation’s Tuen Mun A16 Station Phase Two Property Development. SHKP had already clinched phase one of the development last November. The second phase’s residential portion spans 249,979 square metres and is expected to yield around 5,510 homes, while its commercial component comprises 31,100 square metres and will house a large-scale shopping mall at the podium level. Combined, the two... https://www.scmp.com/property/article/3366126/rare-large-scale-mtr-topside-tender-draws-heavyweight-hong-kong-developers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/property/article/3366126/rare-large-scale-mtr-topside-tender-draws-heavyweight-hong-kong-developers?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 03 Sep 2026 00:00:19 +0000 Peggy Ye Peggy Ye China’s new housing finance rules reduce the risk of buying a new home but analysts are not convinced they will be enough to tempt hesitant buyers still weighed down by falling prices and weak confidence. The changes are designed to reduce the risk in buying pre-sold homes. Mortgage funds for pre-sold homes will be released only after submission of the project completion filing, when the homes are certified as safe and ready to move in, rather than when the main structure is finished. The... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3366121/chinas-new-home-finance-rules-reduce-buyer-risks-may-not-revive-market-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3366121/chinas-new-home-finance-rules-reduce-buyer-risks-may-not-revive-market-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 02 Sep 2026 23:00:13 +0000 Peggy Ye Peggy Ye A residential project previously managed by troubled Hong Kong developer Lofter Group is returning to the market under a new name, as its owners push to quickly sell the flats by courting mainland Chinese and longer-term investors with competitive prices. The 139-unit project at 1 Ki Lung Street in Mong Kok, formerly known as Upper Prince, has been renamed One Edward after its ownership group took over the development from Lofter. The relaunch could serve as a test case for the future of... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3366038/lofter-saga-rumbles-mong-kok-project-renamed-owners-push-quick-sales?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3366038/lofter-saga-rumbles-mong-kok-project-renamed-owners-push-quick-sales?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 01 Sep 2026 23:53:01 +0000 Peggy Ye Peggy Ye Sino Land’s annual profit rose 14 per cent as losses on its investment properties narrowed, although a decline in underlying earnings pointed to continued pressure on its core business. Net profit attributable to shareholders rose to HK$4.59 billion (US$585 million) in the year ended June 30, from HK$4.02 billion a year earlier, the Hong Kong developer said on Tuesday. Losses from the revaluation of investment properties narrowed to HK$192 million from HK$1.08 billion. Strip out those valuation... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3366010/sino-land-profit-rises-14-property-losses-narrow-core-earnings-fall?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3366010/sino-land-profit-rises-14-property-losses-narrow-core-earnings-fall?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 01 Sep 2026 12:00:24 +0000 Chris Tsang Chris Tsang With expectations of a quarter-percentage-point increase in the US Federal Reserve’s target interest rate increasing following comments by Fed chairman Kevin Warsh last week, the Hong Kong property market is bracing for its potential impact. Following Warsh’s comments at the Jackson Hole economic symposium on Friday, the CME FedWatch tool, which tracks Fed funds futures contracts, indicated that expectations of a rate rise in the United States this month had doubled, with markets pricing in a 60... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3365920/rate-rise-expectations-mount-hong-kong-property-market-following-fed-chiefs-comments?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3365920/rate-rise-expectations-mount-hong-kong-property-market-following-fed-chiefs-comments?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 01 Sep 2026 04:00:02 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal From big banks to fashion brands, tenants are taking advantage of potential lower rents for retail space in Hong Kong’s prime areas as they utilise eye-catching locations to boost visibility towards customers, according to agents. HSBC is unveiling its first flagship branch at the Capitol Centre, which was previously occupied by fashion retailers such as Chanel, Victoria’s Secret and Forever 21, as the bank prepares to close two branches in one of the city’s top shopping areas, Causeway Bay. The... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3365813/hot-property-big-banks-fashion-stores-seek-cheaper-eye-catching-hong-kong-retail?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3365813/hot-property-big-banks-fashion-stores-seek-cheaper-eye-catching-hong-kong-retail?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 31 Aug 2026 09:00:10 +0000 Nicholas Spiro Nicholas Spiro The long-standing rivalry between Asia’s two leading financial centres is heating up. As Hong Kong and Singapore compete harder for investment talent, tax incentives for fund managers have emerged as the new battleground. A government bill working its way through Hong Kong’s Legislative Council would result in sweeping changes to tax rules on carried interest. The legislation, which is expected to be approved later this year, would offer preferential tax treatment to a wider range of alternative... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3365795/hong-kong-and-singapore-property-shrug-fund-tax-breaks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3365795/hong-kong-and-singapore-property-shrug-fund-tax-breaks?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 31 Aug 2026 08:30:05 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Financial distress in Hong Kong’s commercial property market has moderated but not been completely eliminated, analysts say, with highly leveraged asset owners still expected to find refinancing their loans a challenge. The city’s office and retail property segments have been mired in a multi-year slump, with new supply outstripping demand in recent years as consumption slowed and interest rates surged, triggering loan defaults. “We do not expect defaults will increase noticeably from this time... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3365681/will-hong-kong-see-fewer-creditor-led-commercial-property-sales-assets-stabilise?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3365681/will-hong-kong-see-fewer-creditor-led-commercial-property-sales-assets-stabilise?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 30 Aug 2026 06:00:11 +0000 Peggy Ye Peggy Ye JD.com’s rapid expansion in Hong Kong could challenge the property model that has long made the city’s busiest streets and shopping centres its most valuable, analysts say. The Chinese e-commerce giant has invested more than HK$10 billion (US$1.3 billion) in Hong Kong property over the past two years, building a network of stores, warehouses and other assets that analysts said could reduce the importance of footfall for some retailers while increasing the value of logistics hubs and other... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3365657/jdcoms-us13b-expansion-could-test-hong-kongs-footfall-driven-retail-property-model?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3365657/jdcoms-us13b-expansion-could-test-hong-kongs-footfall-driven-retail-property-model?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 30 Aug 2026 02:00:16 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Hong Kong’s lived-in home prices fell 0.46 per cent in July, halting a 13-month upswing, according to the latest official data. The index tracking second-hand homes slipped to 321.5 in July from 323 in June, Rating and Valuation Department (RVD) data showed on Thursday. It was the first decline in 16 months, following a drop in April last year. Prices were flat that May, then climbed steadily for 13 months starting in June. “As residential property prices have increased by 7.3 per cent year to... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3365479/hong-kong-home-prices-end-13-month-upswing-mainland-chinese-tax-fears-weigh-demand?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3365479/hong-kong-home-prices-end-13-month-upswing-mainland-chinese-tax-fears-weigh-demand?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 28 Aug 2026 00:00:16 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Hong Kong’s growing number of expatriates is boosting the city’s residential property leasing market with luxury rents likely to rise by about 5 per cent this year and continue their upswing in 2027, according to property consultancy JLL. The private residential rental index by the Rating and Valuation Department had surged by 18.5 per cent as of June to 205.8 from the Covid-19 pandemic trough in January 2023, which was 173.6, marking the first sustained breach of the 200 threshold. “Hong Kong’s... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3365263/more-expats-flock-hong-kong-luxury-home-rents-poised-further-upswing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3365263/more-expats-flock-hong-kong-luxury-home-rents-poised-further-upswing?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 26 Aug 2026 04:00:08 +0000 Peggy Ye Peggy Ye Hong Kong has seen a string of cut-price deals for super-luxury homes in recent months, with financially pressured owners accepting eye-watering losses to exit the market even as demand for trophy homes remains strong. Among the latest examples is the sale of a Bel-Air luxury house for HK$138 million (US$17.6 million), about HK$37 million below the price the former owner paid for the property in 2018. The 3,792 sq ft house in Pok Fu Lam was bought for HK$175 million in 2018 by Shie Thomas,... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3365228/super-rich-losing-millions-some-hong-kong-trophy-homes-sell-painful-discounts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3365228/super-rich-losing-millions-some-hong-kong-trophy-homes-sell-painful-discounts?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 25 Aug 2026 23:00:12 +0000 Peggy Ye Peggy Ye Hong Kong’s housing rally faces a new test as investors who rode the first-half rebound become less active in quick-turn trades, leaving owner-occupiers and longer-term buyers to sustain the recovery. Secondary home prices have continued to rise, with Centaline’s leading index climbing 0.64 per cent to 162.16 on Friday, its highest level in three years. But the short-term trading that accelerated alongside the rebound has pulled back sharply: transactions involving homes held for less than a... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3365005/hong-kong-housing-rally-faces-test-property-flippers-retreat?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3365005/hong-kong-housing-rally-faces-test-property-flippers-retreat?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 24 Aug 2026 23:00:12 +0000 Peggy Ye Peggy Ye Kerry Properties is targeting Hong Kong residential land sales and will consider recycling capital from existing assets, betting on a tighter local housing supply even as China’s property downturn weighs on its mainland business. The developer said it acquired three residential sites in Hong Kong in the first half, equal to about 235,000 sq ft of gross floor area, and that it would remain active in government land tenders. “If you look at the government land auctions and MTR land tenders in the... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3365088/kerry-properties-targets-hong-kong-sites-eyes-luxury-market-mainland-growth-slumps?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3365088/kerry-properties-targets-hong-kong-sites-eyes-luxury-market-mainland-growth-slumps?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 24 Aug 2026 12:20:58 +0000 Yulu Ao Yulu Ao Hang Seng Bank says it continues to invest in its wealth centre network to capture growing demand from high-net-worth clients, even as Hong Kong’s wealth management industry faces uncertainty amid Beijing’s tighter scrutiny of mainland Chinese investors’ cross-border investments. The Hong Kong lender recently opened a new wealth management centre at Hysan Place in Causeway Bay, its second such facility after launching its first at Harbour City in Tsim Sha Tsui earlier this year. The 6,300 sq ft... https://www.scmp.com/business/money/wealth/article/3365071/hang-seng-bank-doubles-down-wealth-hubs-despite-beijings-tighter-investment-scrutiny?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/money/wealth/article/3365071/hang-seng-bank-doubles-down-wealth-hubs-despite-beijings-tighter-investment-scrutiny?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 24 Aug 2026 10:00:29 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal A Hong Kong-listed educational group has completed the largest commercial property leasing deal so far this quarter, as the sector benefits from an influx of immigrant and expatriate families to the city, according to CBRE. The tenant agreed to occupy and transform the entire Tower B at the China Life Centre in Hung Hom, Kowloon into a purpose-built education complex spanning about 36,400 square feet, said Frederick Lai, senior director for capital markets at the property consultancy. “This... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3365053/mainland-school-operator-leases-kowloon-tower-talent-influx-drives-citys-education-boom?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3365053/mainland-school-operator-leases-kowloon-tower-talent-influx-drives-citys-education-boom?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 24 Aug 2026 09:00:15 +0000