Hong Kong still the most costly Asian city for expat executives to lease

Study discovers typical lease for 3-bedroom, mid-range flat is an eye-watering US$10,461 as designers’ concentrate on micro flats harms supply.

Hong Kong stays the most pricey city in Asia for top-level migrants to lease real estate, inning accordance with a study launched.

The city topped a survey by ECA International based upon the month-to-month expense of a three-bedroomed, mid-range flat in a location frequently occupied by executive-level expats for a fifth straight year. The space with other Asian cities broadened.

The typical lease for such apartments for rent in HK is US$10,461 (HK$81,848), beating Tokyo in 2nd position by more than US$2,000, ECA’s 2017 Lodging Study discovered.

The figure, up 4% from a year previously, is primarily driven by high need and an absence of mid-range supply as contractors focus their efforts on so-called micro flats.

“Hong Kong saw the very first increase in lease for such flats last year for 5 years. Secret driving forces consisted of a minor boost in demand, continued absence of mid-range rentals under the current continued supply of small flats and absence of brand-new supply in locations near international schools,” stated Lee Quane, local director of Asia at ECA International.

Quane stated he did not expect a fall in need for mid-range lodging due to the fact that international business are still sending out just as numerous personnel to Hong Kong.

Mid-Levels West rental, Stanley, Clear Water Bay, Sai Kung and Discovery Bay were amongst the Hong Kong districts consisted of in the scope of the study.

The outcomes of the study are utilized by business to figure out levels of assistance to be offered to worldwide executives to fulfill real estate expenses when being transferred overseas.

It discovered Tokyo was 20% less expensive than Hong Kong, compared to 14% in 2016, Shanghai was 50% cheaper, Manila 65% and Malaysia’s Johor Baharu by 93% more budget friendly.

All Chinese cities surveyed saw their mid-range rental expenses increase, especially in the Pearl River Delta where they were driven by rental rewards.

The southern cities of Guangzhou and Shenzhen saw boosts of 12% and 11% respectively.

Shanghai came 3rd in the rankings, with the most pricey lease in mainland China. Its typical regular monthly rate for a mid-range flat has actually climbed up 13% considering that 2012 because of a supply scarcity and population boost. The figure is still about half Hong Kong’s. On the other hand, Southeast Asian cities such as Singapore saw their mid-range rental expenses fall in the middle of an oversupply.

“Singapore enforced migration curbs too, leading to a 15% drop given that 2012 and putting it in 8th location in the ranking, below the 4th in 2016,” Quane stated. Other professionals agree with Quane that mid-range lease in Hong Kong will stay the most costly in Asia.

“The circumstance will not alter till we have another monetary crisis. The need is still strong. We anticipate the cost and leasing of property systems will continue to increase gradually this year,” stated Thomas Lam, head of evaluation and consultancy at Knight Frank.

Hong Kong’s general lease have actually revealed no indications of reducing. The main rental index increased for a 20th successive month to 186.6 in November, the most recent readily available information, inning accordance with the HKSAR Rating and Valuation Department.

Leave a Reply