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SCMP Reporter

MOST OF THE buildings along the twists and turns of Stubbs Road are low-rise residential units with stunning views of Happy Valley and the racecourse.

Stretching from Wan Chai, where Lower Stubbs Road begins, the road snakes through the hills above Happy Valley to a roundabout near the Adventist Hospital where it gives way to Upper Stubbs Road.

Here, one can find some of the most exclusive and luxurious apartments on Hong Kong Island.

However, most of these buildings are more than 20 years old.

Stubbs Road is priced not only for its views, but also its proximity to Wan Chai and Central, the busiest commercial districts in Hong Kong.

Like nearby Wong Nai Chung Gap Road and Shouson Hill, Stubbs Road is quiet, surrounded by a verdant fringe of vegetation.

The area does not have any commercial establishments, except for the Adventist Hospital.

Only two bungalows can be found along the road, with the majority of the residential space consisting of low-rise buildings and skyscrapers.

Most buildings along Upper Stubbs Road offer spacious apartments.

The smallest apartments measure about 1,700 square feet while the larger ones are more than a very spacious 4,000 sq ft, with the average being about 2,500 sq ft.

An average-sized apartment on Upper Stubbs Road would cost no less than HK$20 million.

Sitting on top of a hill from where tourists can view Victoria Harbour and the Lunar New Year fireworks is White Jade, a single block of 12 storeys.

The 26-year-old development is known to have the best views on Stubbs Road, especially impressive being the night views of the racecourse.

Its apartments, measuring between 2,200 sq ft and 3,300 sq ft, comprise of three and four bedroom units.

'As the apartments are older, buyers find it harder to get mortgages. Hence, they will have to fork out a larger downpayment,' said Jonathan Chiu, area manager of Centaline Properties.

Meanwhile, two residential buildings of more than 60 storeys, which will be among the tallest residential developments in the SAR, are under construction by Amoy Properties.

Villa Monte Rosa, which has recorded the most transactions along the road so far this year, is a six-block development with 240 units. The blocks are equipped with better facilities than older buildings along Stubbs Road.

The average sale price for a 2,300 sq ft apartment with three bedrooms in Villa Monte Rosa stands at more than HK$12 million. Other apartments, measuring 2,800 sq ft with four bedrooms, fetch an average of HK$5,000 per sq ft, say property consultants in the area.

Two of the largest developments on Upper Stubbs Road are Evergreen Villa and Woodlands Heights, near the Adventist Hospital.

Apartments at Evergreen Villa, a six-block development of 28 years of age, are more expensive - at an average of HK$5,000 per sq ft - exploiting their better views.

Woodlands Heights, which is more than three decades old, comprises three blocks.

Nicholson Tower, which sits next to Woodlands Heights, was developed by Henderson Property. This 10-year-old project is a rarity in the area because it has good in-house recreational facilities such as a swimming pool and squash and badminton courts.

The two-block development is 29 storeys high and the average sale price is HK$8,500 per sq ft.

Cheaper rental flats can be found in Lower Stubbs Road, but the apartments tend to be smaller with inferior views.

According to Mr Chiu, cheaper apartments can be found in Shiu Fai Terrace, which contains more than 20 apartment blocks. For a 1,100 sq ft apartment with two bedrooms (all rates inclusive), the rental price is HK$23,000 per month. But there is a price to pay for bargain rents - some of these apartments have views of the Wong Nai Chung cemetery located at the bottom of Stubbs Road.

Cheaper still are apartments in Tung Shan Terrace which has 10 low-rise blocks. The turnover is, however, fairly high.

You can find a one-bedroom apartment as small as 476 sq ft at the Green Cliff at a rental rate of HK$13,000 per month, according to William Lau, area manager at Midland Realty.

In some cases the rentals go as low as HK$10,000 if you can bargain, said Mr Lau.

On average, around five sales a month are completed along Stubbs Road and about 10 rentals a month, according to property agents.

Stubbs Road residents typically work nearby in Wan Chai, Causeway Bay or in Central and are made up mostly of small families with one or two children.

There are international primary and secondary schools on Stubbs Road.

Happy Valley, which is just a few minutes down the road, has plenty of supermarkets, open food stalls and restaurants offering a wide array of international cuisines.

For daily groceries, housekeepers usually travel by minibus to Wan Chai, a 10 minute ride, where there are many wet markets and shops.

Next week: Causeway Bay

Graphic: prop17gwz



Despite the age of its properties, Stubbs Road boasts some of the most luxurious and expensive apartments on Hong Kong Island