The sunshine at The reopening of China and leisure of Covid guidelinesHong Kong’s property market will probably be on the highway to restoration in 2023, in response to property consultancy Colliers Hong Kong.
The retail market specifically will get the “greatest profit,” Hannah Jeong, head of appraisal and advisory providers at Colliers, advised CNBC.Squawk Field Asia” Thursday.
Nonetheless, there are nonetheless potential headwinds this 12 months that might undermine Hong Kong’s restoration, Colliers stated in his final report. These embrace the persistence of geopolitical tensions and a potential world recession.
“We’re a extra cautiously optimistic view for 2023,” Jeong added.
“There will probably be totally different uncertainties as a consequence of exterior components however the opening of the borders is definitely that of the booster[s] for a lot of different sectors of the true property market.”
Retail would be the “first runner”
In keeping with Colliers, the retail sector – specifically the excessive avenue retailer phase – would be the “first runner” of the post-Covid restoration in 2023 together with rents and costs.
“We’re a rise of round 8% year-on-year, by way of business rental efficiency,” Jeong added.
She stated, nevertheless, that is nonetheless about 25% to 30% decrease than pre-Covid ranges.
Collier added in his report that regardless of China reopening, native consumption will stay “an vital driver” for Hong Kong’s retail market over the following 12 months.
“The modified buy mannequin of the Continentals over the previous three years can paint a brand new image of latest retail market sentiment,” he added.
Within the workplace sector, rents for Class A workplaces will rebound by 3% this 12 months, Colliers stated – because of “pent-up demand from Chinese language and overseas companies”.
Even so, Jeong stated the Hong Kong workplace market nonetheless had a excessive emptiness price, at 14.7%.
“Nevertheless it’s not the top of the world as a result of…in comparison with different comparable cities, 8% to 10% is a typically cheap quantity,” she added.
Residential market demand will gradual
Hong Kong property costs have fallen to their lowest degree in 5 years in October as rate of interest hikes pushed up borrowing prices.
This has led to a “slowdown in funding demand,” Jeong stated, however the demand from homebuyers nonetheless exists.
“Residence patrons… [have been] by profiting from this era when the market is softening, they’ll seize the most cost effective residences,” she added.
“However in 2023, I believe the rate of interest… will proceed to rise. We’re stabilization no less than within the second half of this 12 months.”
Simply final month, Hong Kong raised rates of interest by 50 foundation factors to 4.75%in response to the US Federal Reserve.
Excessive borrowing prices will dampen residential market demand and so a “destructive downward adjustment of 5% to 10%” needs to be anticipated this 12 months, Jeong stated.