From property to jade and antique fragrant rosewood chairs, investor and collector Wong Koon-kau has many strings to his investment bow.
As a chartered surveyor with nearly 30 years of professional experience, buying properties for investment presents little challenge to 53-year-old Wong, managing director of Zeppelin Property Development Consultants and chairman of the Hong Kong board of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.
Like many investors, albeit with a professional eye for detail, he started buying offices and homes in Shenzhen two years ago as he spent more time across the border.
'The appreciation of the yuan was an added attraction to investing in mainland property. My properties are leased out and their rental income covers the monthly instalments,' said Wong.
Zeppelin was established in 1993, with offices in Hong Kong, Shenzhen and Beijing, and specialises in providing integrated real estate professional services for high-net-worth clients. Putting his money where his 'mouth' was, Wong set about acting on advice he was giving his clients.
The central government's austerity measures have so far had little impact on the value of his portfolio, he said, since his properties were in prime areas which were more resilient to market downturns. By his calculation, they have appreciated in value by some 60 to 70 per cent since he bought them two years ago.
Meanwhile, his frequent visits to the mainland and growing contacts with a widening circle of clients and associates introduced Wong to the attractions of Chinese cultural history, and the knowledge helped him strike up closer relations with his customers and enabled him to close deals more quickly.
