Hong Kong's smaller investors will soon have a more convenient alternative to buying actual bricks and mortar when investing in British property in the future.
The creation of United States-style Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) in Britain was endorsed by Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown in his budget statement last week.
The government will engage in a year-long consultation period before initiating the scheme.
Under the proposals, smaller investors will be allowed to buy shares in these trusts, which will invest in commercial and residential property leased to tenants. REITs dominate the US investment market and are expected to do so in Britain.
The government wants this new form of institutional investment to help expand the private rented sector and low-end housing sales market, because there is a lack of affordable accommodation for lower income earners.
It also hopes the trusts will open up investment in residential property to those people who cannot afford to buy an actual property on their own.