Contemporary property design and luxury features are highlights of Signature Homes' luxury portfolio, which includes Dynasty Court and Hillsborough Court in Mid-Levels, 127 Repulse Bay Road in Island South, and Pacific View in Tai Tam.

Ms Kang said the company upheld the principle when refurbishing its properties. The renovated kitchens and bathrooms in apartments at Dynasty Court and Pacific View are equipped with a wine cellar, ultra-sound vegetable/fruit cleaner and LCD TV. The lobby at Pacific View is also being renovated.

Green living is another key element, characterised by environmentally friendly management services and initiatives to encourage residents' participation in environmental protection.

Ms Kang said Signature Homes was dedicated to promoting green living and residents could enjoy greenery surrounding the buildings. In addition, most of its luxury properties commanded sea views.

The landscape design had been enhanced for the luxury residential properties and the company's efforts in the provision of scenic features were recognised publicly, she said. Hillsborough Court won a gold award in the soft landscape design category of the 2008 Best Landscape Award, organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, while 127 Repulse Bay Road earned a merit award in the horticultural maintenance category for high-density residential properties.

According to Ms Kang, many of its properties, including 127 Repulse Bay Road, 12 Shouson Hill Road and Dynasty Court, are in a programme for source separation of domestic waste, organised by the Environmental Protection Department.

'The programme on source separation of domestic waste has been well received by the tenants. Separation of domestic waste and recycling is the standard practice in many overseas countries. Since most of our tenants are expatriates, who have lived in different countries, they are committed to giving a hand in saving the Earth and eagerly support the programme,' she said.

'With the active participation of property management and a positive response from residents, we are able to help minimise the amount of waste requiring disposal.'

On the provision of personalised services, Ms Kang said professional customer service executives at SignatuRep, the concierge service of Signature Homes, would reach out to tenants, attend to their needs and assist them in adapting to life in Hong Kong. Through their dedicated services, the company has managed to build a relationship-based business that enables tenants to feel at home.

'We have become the definite choice of expatriates,' she said. 'It is reflected in the fact that many of the tenants will stay in our portfolio during their assignment in Hong Kong, and many of them choose our properties again.'

In the first quarter of this year, Signature Homes maintained an average occupancy rate of above 95 per cent.

'This suggests [that] quality projects are still very popular among expatriates notwithstanding the current market sentiment.'

More than 90 per cent of the company's tenants are expatriates. The financial sector remains the dominant industry, accounting for nearly 60 per cent of the mix.

At the same time, Signature Homes had seen notable growth in the number of tenants from the manufacturing, insurance and professional fields, she said.

Ms Kang is optimistic that multinational companies and financial institutions don't have any plans to withdraw from the Hong Kong market.

'We are positive that there will be continuous upsurge as a result of the growth of China's economy. Hong Kong remains the gateway to the China market,' she said. 'Foreign firms are likely to continue setting up their regional headquarters and representative offices in Hong Kong, maintaining the influx of expatriates.'