GUY Lam is a great salesman. Listening to him romance real estate in Shenzhen tempts you to do something crazy. Like haul out the chequebook and mortgage the kids.
On the subject of Hong Kong's ghastly rent increases, he's got an idea: why not spite those greedy landlords by pulling out and resettling in Shenzhen.
Wearing a grin, he paints an inviting scenario: after a gruelling week of fighting the good fight in the office, in traffic jams or the rush-hour crush in the MTR, you and friends (or in his case, his wife and son) jump into the car (his is a navy Rolls-Royce) and zoom towards China for a quiet getaway in your little cottage across the border on the lake in Shenzhen.
''Honest, for $200,000, you can really get something pretty decent there right now,'' he said. 'There are lakes in Shenzhen. They even have resorts and hotels. In Guangdong province, land is going for $200 per square foot. Compare than to Hong Kong's $4,000 per sq ft.'' Some day people will commute to work from Shenzhen, he muses. It isn't far-fetched because of the new super-highway.
''All we have to do is change people's minds,'' he said. ''They have a mental block that China is uncivilised. It's changed dramatically in 10 years.'' Mr Lam has all sorts of hopes and plans. As chairman of Hong Kong's newest political party, the 43-member strong Hong Kong Alliance of Chinese and Expatriates (ACE), he views the future with confidence.
He likens Hong Kong to a young woman ''with lots of promise and energy''. Unlike New York, where he once lived, this woman hasn't even hit her prime.
