Even the torrential rain did not deter homebuyers determined to get a piece of the action in Kowloon's latest property launch, which saw all 231 flats available for sale snapped up in three hours yesterday.
Braving the heavy downpour, buyers started queueing in the early hours in the shopping mall of the MTR Olympic station, where the sale of the Hermitage flats took place.
The Sino Land-led project in Tai Kok Tsui is the first large-scale development to come to market under new government guidelines aimed at greater transparency during flat sales.
One buyer who paid about HK$17 million for his purchase said his agent suggested that he came at 3am. 'I took his advice and I got what I wanted,' he said.
The new rules on flat sales are aimed at limiting the potential for price manipulation and tackling dubious sales practices.
Sino Land released a total of 231 out of the planned 964 Hermitage flats that are scheduled to be completed by the end of March next year.