https://www.scmp.com/rss/44/feed All the latest international property market news, advice on moving house, new homes, lettings and rentals search en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal A proposed cap on the ground rents paid by leasehold homeowners in England and Wales is seen as favouring foreign property investors, including those from Hong Kong and mainland China, but another measure tightening rules in setting rents is dampening demand ahead of its implementation, according to analysts. An estimated 203,000 homes in England and Wales are registered to owners with an overseas address. Hongkongers hold 14 per cent, making them the largest group of foreign investors in the... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3349067/how-changes-home-rental-laws-england-will-impact-hong-kong-mainland-investors?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3349067/how-changes-home-rental-laws-england-will-impact-hong-kong-mainland-investors?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 08:00:07 +0000 Aileen Chuang,Peggy Ye Aileen Chuang,Peggy Ye For Hong Kong’s Topaz Family Office, investing in hotels in Japan holds up as a sound decision even as a Middle East war clouds the macroeconomic environment. The wealth manager has made Japan a central plank of its pivot into hospitality and real estate over the past two years, driven by a sharp post-pandemic tourism rebound. The investment thesis now looks increasingly robust thanks to multiple structural tailwinds and a growing pool of institutional capital flowing into the same trade. “Japan... https://www.scmp.com/business/markets/article/3346535/japan-hotels-keep-luring-hong-kong-families-global-investors-despite-geopolitical-strains?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/markets/article/3346535/japan-hotels-keep-luring-hong-kong-families-global-investors-despite-geopolitical-strains?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Mar 2026 03:00:10 +0000 Peggy Ye Peggy Ye From Sydney to Hong Kong, wealth migration is reshaping the global super-luxury property market as activity picks up after two subdued years – though the dominance of relative newcomer Dubai is now being tested by the war in the Middle East. In Sydney, Peter Li, general manager at Plus Agency, said commission revenues on super-luxury homes had risen about 20 per cent from a year earlier. The firm, which handles more than US$300 million in annual sales, has hired six new staff members since... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3345695/worlds-wealthy-relocate-rewriting-property-map-will-hong-kong-win-out?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3345695/worlds-wealthy-relocate-rewriting-property-map-will-hong-kong-win-out?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Mar 2026 03:00:16 +0000 Cao Li Cao Li Singapore is the most expensive city in the Asia-Pacific region to outfit an office, driven by increased labour costs, a shortage of contractors and strict building standards, according to real estate consultancy Knight Frank. The city had the highest average fit-out cost at US$2,029 per square metre – ahead of Tokyo (US$1,994) and Taipei (US$1,593) – in the firm’s survey of 23 cities across Australasia, East Asia, Southeast Asia and India. It was also the most expensive place to set up an... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3345398/singapore-offices-cost-most-outfit-asia-pacific-survey-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3345398/singapore-offices-cost-most-outfit-asia-pacific-survey-says?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Mar 2026 08:30:32 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal As Hong Kong, mainland China and several other Asian markets usher in the Year of the Horse on Tuesday, the region’s commercial real estate sector is expected to draw increased cross-border capital, with certain segments set to outperform as mega-deals make a comeback, analysts said. Asia-Pacific was set to be a focus among global investors, with data cited by global commercial real estate consultancy Colliers showing that capital raised for the region’s property markets had surged by 130 per... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3343573/asia-pacific-properties-set-steal-spotlight-mega-deals-return-year-horse?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3343573/asia-pacific-properties-set-steal-spotlight-mega-deals-return-year-horse?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Feb 2026 06:00:12 +0000 Zhu Wenqian Zhu Wenqian Chinese companies are driving a fresh wave of investment in overseas properties, with new energy industrial facilities, cross-border e-commerce logistics centres, and smart city projects becoming investment hotspots, Knight Frank has said. Traditional residential development was on the wane, while industrial property, logistics real estate and commercial complexes were emerging as core investment priorities, according to a January report by the London-based property consultancy. It forecast that... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3341527/chinese-firms-are-scoping-out-overseas-property-what-catching-their-eye?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3341527/chinese-firms-are-scoping-out-overseas-property-what-catching-their-eye?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Feb 2026 08:00:10 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Japan’s property market was less likely to deliver significant rewards to investors because of heightened geopolitical tensions with China, more than a tightened monetary policy, according to analysts. “The yield spread is likely to narrow as cap rates are unlikely to widen,” said Chinatsu Hani, head of research at Tokyo-based CBRE. “However, spreads should remain in positive territory.” The Bank of Japan in March last year began unwinding its nearly decade-long negative interest rate policy –... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3339362/have-investors-missed-boat-japans-property-market-amid-tensions-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3339362/have-investors-missed-boat-japans-property-market-amid-tensions-china?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 11 Jan 2026 01:30:13 +0000 Advertising partner Advertising partner [The content of this article has been produced by our advertising partner.] Siam Piwat, Thailand’s leading real estate and retail developer, has long been recognized as a trailblazer redefining what world-class destinations can be. With NEXTOPIA, the company reinforces its role as a transformative force in the retail industry - creating a game-changing prototype that transcends physical design to spark imagination, inspire sustainable thinking, and open new possibilities for future... https://www.scmp.com/presented/property/international/topics/future-sustainable-living/article/3336575/nextopia-siam-piwats-game-changing-prototype-future-retail?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/presented/property/international/topics/future-sustainable-living/article/3336575/nextopia-siam-piwats-game-changing-prototype-future-retail?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Dec 2025 04:22:55 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Hongkong Land is set to launch what it expects to be the largest private real estate fund in Singapore, with more than S$8 billion (US$6.2 billion) in assets under management, including prime commercial projects in the waterfront Marina Bay district. At inception, the Singapore Central Private Real Estate Fund (SCPREF) would include one-third stakes in One Raffles Quay and Marina Bay Financial Centre Towers 1 and 2, the Hong Kong-based commercial landlord and developer said in a statement on... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3336260/hongkong-land-poised-launch-us6-billion-singapore-property-fund?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3336260/hongkong-land-poised-launch-us6-billion-singapore-property-fund?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Dec 2025 11:30:18 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Hong Kong-based Chow Tai Fook Enterprises (CTFE), the private investment holding company of the Cheng family and the parent firm of debt-ridden New World Development (NWD), has no plans to sell its prized Rosewood brand, according to sources familiar with the matter. “Rosewood has delivered exceptional results in recent years and is one of the family’s most cherished luxury hotel brands,” a source said. The group’s properties were operating as usual, with strategic investments in nearly 30... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3336121/rosewood-hotel-brand-hong-kongs-chow-tai-fook-not-sale-sources-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3336121/rosewood-hotel-brand-hong-kongs-chow-tai-fook-not-sale-sources-say?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Dec 2025 01:41:35 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Adrian Cheng Chi-kong, former heir apparent to Hong Kong property giant New World Development (NWD), has partnered with a Dubai royal and businessman to spruce up the retail, leisure and cultural offerings of Wafi City, one of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) city’s top shopping destinations. Cheng and Dubai Sheikh Mana bin Khalifa Al Maktoum, founder and chairman of the Wafi Group, signed an agreement to set up a new entity called Wafi Anime 11 in Dubai on Wednesday, according to a statement on... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3336095/adrian-cheng-signs-retail-partnership-wafi-group-headed-dubai-royal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3336095/adrian-cheng-signs-retail-partnership-wafi-group-headed-dubai-royal?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 11 Dec 2025 11:16:29 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Prime office rents in Hong Kong and Singapore are expected to reach parity within two years, driven by diverging dynamics in demand and supply for office properties in the rival business hubs, according to CBRE. By the fourth quarter of 2027, tenants in premium office spaces in Hong Kong were set to pay just over US$122 per square foot per year, while those in Singapore would face slightly higher costs at about US$123 per square foot annually, said Ada Choi, head of research for Asia-Pacific at... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3333789/hong-kong-and-singapore-prime-office-rents-set-equalise-2027-cbre-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3333789/hong-kong-and-singapore-prime-office-rents-set-equalise-2027-cbre-says?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 24 Nov 2025 01:30:15 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Hong Kong’s Tsim Sha Tsui remained the world’s fourth most expensive retail strip with rents at US$1,515 per square foot per year, as two other core shopping districts in the city – Causeway Bay and Central – also ranked among the Asia-Pacific’s priciest shopping locations, according to Cushman & Wakefield. London’s New Bond Street jumped two spots from last year to emerge as the world’s most expensive retail district, according to the real-estate services consultancy’s 35th “Main Streets Across... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3333415/hong-kongs-tsim-sha-tsui-holds-ground-worlds-fourth-priciest-shopping-district?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3333415/hong-kongs-tsim-sha-tsui-holds-ground-worlds-fourth-priciest-shopping-district?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 19 Nov 2025 09:53:57 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Hong Kong remains one of the world’s least affordable housing rental markets as constrained median household incomes are unable to keep up with limited availability and high demand in the city, according to German asset manager DWS. Three of the five least affordable housing rental markets were in Asia, with Bangkok and Mumbai taking up the top two spots and Hong Kong coming in fourth, according to DWS’ report tracking 80 cities worldwide released on Friday. Mexico City and Johannesburg rounded... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3330218/hong-kong-rents-fourth-least-affordable-globally-bangkok-tops-list-dws-study?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3330218/hong-kong-rents-fourth-least-affordable-globally-bangkok-tops-list-dws-study?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Oct 2025 10:30:08 +0000 Cao Li Cao Li Zhang Xin, a Chinese property billionaire whose co-founded company Soho China was behind many projects that gave Beijing its futuristic skyline, has acquired land in a prestigious residential neighbourhood in New York City for a luxury condominium development. Manhattan-based Closer Properties, led by Zhang, acquired five adjacent parcels on the city’s Upper East Side in a cash transaction totalling US$62.5 million, it said in a statement on Wednesday. Closer, which develops, owns and operates... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3330020/soho-china-tycoon-zhang-xin-buys-land-nycs-tony-upper-east-side-luxury-condos?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3330020/soho-china-tycoon-zhang-xin-buys-land-nycs-tony-upper-east-side-luxury-condos?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Oct 2025 05:15:59 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal As Japan enters a new era with the likely election of Sanae Takaichi as the first female prime minister of Asia’s second-largest economy, is it time for property investors to end their enduring love affair with Japanese real estate? The 64-year-old Takaichi emerged last week as the leader of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party, paving the way for her to seek the premiership, although uncertainties remain following the collapse of a coalition with the party’s allies. Under an anticipated... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3329467/china-hong-kong-property-markets-stabilise-it-time-investors-quit-japan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3329467/china-hong-kong-property-markets-stabilise-it-time-investors-quit-japan?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 Oct 2025 01:30:14 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Fancy living in a Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs-themed neighbourhood? How about an opulent flat influenced by the luxury fashion house Versace? If that is not your thing, what about a luxury abode with a layout approved by tennis legend Rafael Nadal? Branded residential property – projects affiliated with well-known international marques and built in partnership with a developer – continue to be dominated by hotel brands, as homebuyers prefer to obtain the same amenities or services from those... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3327839/disney-versace-and-nadal-rise-branded-residences-and-why-hong-kong-outlier?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3327839/disney-versace-and-nadal-rise-branded-residences-and-why-hong-kong-outlier?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Oct 2025 01:30:14 +0000 Morning Studio editors Morning Studio editors Located at the intersection of Singapore’s central business district and Marina Bay at 1 Prince Edward Road, an impressive integrated vertical city with 1.5 million sq ft of floor area is set to dominate the city skyline. Towering 305 metres above ground, The Skywaters will be Singapore’s first super-tall skyscraper – a title reserved for buildings of more than 300 metres, according to the non-profit Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat. The 63-storey Skywaters, estimated to be completed... https://www.scmp.com/native/property/international/topics/singapores-super-tall-skyscraper/article/3326340/life-top-singapores-tallest-skyscraper-sets-new-standard-elevated-living?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/property/international/topics/singapores-super-tall-skyscraper/article/3326340/life-top-singapores-tallest-skyscraper-sets-new-standard-elevated-living?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Sep 2025 08:01:17 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Now that the US Federal Reserve has embarked on a policy easing cycle, with some other central banks around the world following suit, property investors must treat these changes as temporary and remember that there is no substitute for proper research into specific markets and assets, according to consultants. The Fed cut its target rate by 25 basis points to a range of 4 to 4.25 per cent during the sixth meeting of the Federal Open Market Committee last week. The Fed’s easing was widely... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3327073/fed-rate-easing-cycle-under-way-which-real-estate-markets-offer-value-money?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3327073/fed-rate-easing-cycle-under-way-which-real-estate-markets-offer-value-money?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 28 Sep 2025 01:30:14 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal The resumption of a policy easing cycle following the US Federal Reserve’s quarter-point interest-rate reduction is likely to spur more investments into property globally, according to analysts. For mainland China and Hong Kong, however, the impact could be less significant owing to fundamental and geopolitical strains, they added. “Rarely do central banks do ‘one and done’,” said Pamela Ambler, head of capital markets research for Asia-Pacific at JLL. “This [Fed] cut is likely to kick off a... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3326288/feds-rate-cut-fuel-property-investment-globally-hong-kong-faces-hurdles?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3326288/feds-rate-cut-fuel-property-investment-globally-hong-kong-faces-hurdles?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 22 Sep 2025 00:30:12 +0000 Cao Li Cao Li A Hong Kong judge on Tuesday appointed China Evergrande Group’s liquidators as receivers of the assets of company founder Hui Ka Yan, following his failure to comply with a previous order requiring him to reveal all his worldwide assets valued at more than HK$50,000 (US$6,426). “There is a total failure on the part of Hui to comply with the disclosure order,” wrote Justice Herbert Au-yeung Ho-wing in a judgment from the Court of First Instance. “There is therefore a breach of the court... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3325738/hong-kong-court-names-china-evergrandes-liquidators-receivers-founders-assets?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3325738/hong-kong-court-names-china-evergrandes-liquidators-receivers-founders-assets?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 16 Sep 2025 10:01:32 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal South Korea’s new restrictions on foreign homebuyers are likely to cool housing prices in Seoul and neighbouring cities, according to property agents, following a surge in the number of buyers from mainland China and Hong Kong who bought homes in the middle and high-end segments of the market. Hongkongers and mainland Chinese had acquired 96,955 properties in South Korea as of May, a 78.5 per cent increase from the 54,320 real estate assets that they owned in 2020, according to a report by The... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3325389/south-koreas-ban-foreign-homebuyers-cool-seoul-prices-chinese-investments?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3325389/south-koreas-ban-foreign-homebuyers-cool-seoul-prices-chinese-investments?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 14 Sep 2025 02:00:18 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal A venture capital firm backed by Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund is taking a minority stake in an AI-powered logistics technology start-up backed by Hong Kong’s wealthiest man, as it looks for investment opportunities in the Greater China region to more than triple its assets under management by the end of 2025. Doha-based Rasmal Ventures, backed by the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA), has invested US$2 million (HK$15.6 million) in Hong Kong’s Nexx, an 18-month-old start-up backed by Li... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3325067/qatari-fund-invests-us2-million-ai-start-nexx-backed-hong-kongs-wealthiest-man?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3325067/qatari-fund-invests-us2-million-ai-start-nexx-backed-hong-kongs-wealthiest-man?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 10 Sep 2025 23:30:08 +0000 Nicholas Spiro Nicholas Spiro The facts speak for themselves. In 2019, investment transaction volumes in the office markets of central London and the New York borough of Manhattan reached US$17 billion and nearly US$16 billion respectively, according to MSCI. Last year, they stood at between US$2 billion and US$3 billion. The Covid-19 pandemic, which kept many workers around the world at home, sapped demand for office space. Meanwhile, the sharp rise in interest rates hurt the sector even more, reducing the value of office... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3324697/resilient-asia-shines-global-office-market-sees-signs-recovery?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3324697/resilient-asia-shines-global-office-market-sees-signs-recovery?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Sep 2025 08:30:07 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Japan’s renewed economic vigour is spurring more investment in its property market, especially the multifamily segment, but the environment presents challenges for investors, according to Hong Kong-based Avatar Capital Partners. The world’s fifth-largest economy was attracting more property investment from both domestic and foreign capital, which required the asset-management firm to be savvy in its investment choices to secure assets, said Angel Li, a founding partner. Avatar said in July that... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3323741/japans-property-market-booms-us228-billion-investment-surge?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3323741/japans-property-market-booms-us228-billion-investment-surge?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 31 Aug 2025 02:00:23 +0000 Reuters Reuters The property investment arm of Chinese e-commerce giant JD.com and two other firms plan to launch a Singapore-based real estate investment trust (Reit) with assets potentially valued at more than US$1 billion, said two sources with knowledge of the matter. JD Property, the unlisted infrastructure investment and asset management platform of JD.com, is setting up the Reit with Swiss investment firm Partners Group and EZA Hill Property, which is backed by Asian investment firm Hillhouse, the... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3323417/jdcoms-property-unit-joins-two-firms-us1-billion-singapore-reit-sources-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3323417/jdcoms-property-unit-joins-two-firms-us1-billion-singapore-reit-sources-say?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 28 Aug 2025 02:09:15 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal For Mariana Zobel de Ayala, the chance to help develop the Philippines’ tourism industry by boosting Ayala Land’s investments in retail and hotel properties could not have come at a better time. As the senior vice-president for leasing and hospitality of one of the largest developers in the Philippines, Zobel de Ayala believes tourism will be a major driver of the country’s economic expansion. Ayala Land, which bought the 578-room New World Makati Hotel from distressed Hong Kong developer New... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3322876/why-philippines-zobel-de-ayala-clan-betting-us25-billion-retail-hotels?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3322876/why-philippines-zobel-de-ayala-clan-betting-us25-billion-retail-hotels?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 24 Aug 2025 02:00:08 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Hong Kong’s luxury home rents increased the most globally in the second quarter, according to Knight Frank, benefiting from an influx of high-net-worth individuals through the capital investment scheme. A survey tracking 16 cities worldwide showed upscale residential rents climbed 8.6 per cent in the April to June period from a year earlier, the consultancy said. Tokyo came a close second with an 8.3 per cent increase, followed by New York at 6.9 per cent. Singapore ranked 13th with a 1.5 per... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3322670/hong-kong-luxury-rents-lead-world-86-surge-second-quarter-knight-frank?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3322670/hong-kong-luxury-rents-lead-world-86-surge-second-quarter-knight-frank?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 Aug 2025 23:30:06 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Singapore’s office leasing activity surged 12-fold in the first six months of the year, topping the Asia-Pacific region, while Hong Kong leasing remained subdued amid a stubborn supply glut, according to a report by Colliers. Tenants relocating to newly completed premium spaces drove the spike in demand in Singapore, the report said. The city state, widely deemed Southeast Asia’s top finance hub, also saw rents improve by 1.3 per cent to S$12.10 (US$9.42) per square foot per month as of the... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3322258/singapore-office-demand-soars-12-fold-while-hong-kong-remains-subdued-colliers-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3322258/singapore-office-demand-soars-12-fold-while-hong-kong-remains-subdued-colliers-says?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 Aug 2025 23:30:07 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Saudi Arabia could replicate the success of Dubai in attracting foreign property investors, including those from Hong Kong and mainland China, following the kingdom’s relaxation of homebuying rules, according to experts. A new law approved by the kingdom last month is set to allow non-Saudis to buy real estate in designated zones. The law will take effect in January. “Saudi Arabia can absolutely succeed at making itself a major destination for investment and residency,” said Kashif Ansari,... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3320480/saudi-arabia-next-dubai-hong-kong-and-mainland-chinese-property-investors?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3320480/saudi-arabia-next-dubai-hong-kong-and-mainland-chinese-property-investors?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 04 Aug 2025 01:30:13 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Wimbledon, the London suburb best known for being home to the tennis tournament of the same name, is resisting the decline of home prices in the UK capital, according to agents. With celebrities such as tennis legend Boris Becker and X Factor judge and executive producer Simon Cowell among the list of past and present residents, Wimbledon has outperformed the rest of prime southwest London in terms of pricing, according to Savills. In the second quarter, home prices in Wimbledon’s prime district... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3318797/wimbledon-courts-wealthy-homebuyers-amid-decline-london-home-prices?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3318797/wimbledon-courts-wealthy-homebuyers-amid-decline-london-home-prices?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 Jul 2025 01:30:12 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal One in 388 homeowners in Hong Kong has a net worth of more than US$30 million, making the city No 3 in terms of ultra-wealthy residents among urban centres outside the US, according to a study released on Wednesday by Altrata. Overall, Hong Kong also had the third highest number of ultra-high-net-worth individuals (UHNWIs) owning homes in the city, with 19,439, trailing New York’s 33,222 and Los Angeles with 19,781, according to the US-based group that tracks the world’s affluent. The UHNWs who... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3318420/one-388-hong-kong-homeowners-has-net-worth-more-us30-million-study-finds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3318420/one-388-hong-kong-homeowners-has-net-worth-more-us30-million-study-finds?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 16 Jul 2025 09:00:24 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal New Zealand’s revamped golden-visa programme is likely to lift demand for its luxury homes, as wealthy Hongkongers and mainland Chinese count among the top applicants, according to consultants. Since the relaunch of the Active Investor Plus (AIP) programme in April, the government has received some 200 applications for the fast-track residency initiative, according to Greener Pastures New Zealand. The top three sources of applications were the US with 85, mainland China with 26 and Hong Kong... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3317029/new-zealand-golden-visa-lures-potential-luxury-property-buyers-hong-kong-mainland?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3317029/new-zealand-golden-visa-lures-potential-luxury-property-buyers-hong-kong-mainland?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 06 Jul 2025 01:30:16 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Dubai and Abu Dhabi are jockeying to become the United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) top luxury property market amid increasing demand from Chinese buyers, according to agents. While Dubai was way ahead in terms of popularity, Abu Dhabi was increasingly finding favour with investors owing to its value proposition, according to Juwai IQI, a real estate broker with more than US$4 trillion in property listings globally on its platform. “Dubai and Abu Dhabi are similar markets in terms of product and... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3315807/dubai-and-abu-dhabi-vie-attract-chinese-luxury-property-buyers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3315807/dubai-and-abu-dhabi-vie-attract-chinese-luxury-property-buyers?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Jun 2025 00:30:09 +0000 Sam Phillips,Cheryl Arcibal Sam Phillips,Cheryl Arcibal Global investors, including those based in Hong Kong, are channelling their funds into Japan’s residential property market as returns from assets in mainland China sag in the midst of a four-year slump, according to market consultants. They ploughed in US$11.2 billion of capital into Japanese real estate in the first quarter, or 6 per cent above the five-year average, according to data compiled by Colliers, making it the fourth-largest recipient globally. Investors from the US, Singapore and... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3315250/chinas-property-slump-drives-hong-kong-investors-japan-aided-yen-weakness?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3315250/chinas-property-slump-drives-hong-kong-investors-japan-aided-yen-weakness?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Jun 2025 01:30:16 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal The housing glut in Bangkok is spilling over to Thailand’s southern island of Phuket as property developers capitalised on demand from tourists and retirees after buyers from mainland China and Hong Kong retreated from the market. Some 10,000 new flats will enter the market this year, according to property consultancy Colliers, and new project launches are taking place on a weekly basis on the holiday island, according to property agents. “Developers are counting on the upcoming high season to... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3313437/bangkoks-housing-glut-spreads-phuket-developers-rush-tourist-demand?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3313437/bangkoks-housing-glut-spreads-phuket-developers-rush-tourist-demand?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Jun 2025 04:01:07 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Hong Kong-based Link Asset Management expects more tenants to negotiate lower rents in the near term as it prioritises keeping its properties occupied, according to top executives at the company that manages Link Reit, Asia’s largest real estate investment trust. While Hong Kong continued to suffer a retail slump, assets in Singapore and Australia performed better than expected, the company said on Tuesday as it reported revenue and profit increases for the financial year ended in March. Link is... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3312632/hong-kongs-link-takes-rental-hits-amid-fight-retain-retail-tenants?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3312632/hong-kongs-link-takes-rental-hits-amid-fight-retain-retail-tenants?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Jun 2025 22:30:10 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal The property market in the Middle East, particularly in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) cities of Dubai and Abu Dhabi, is attracting more interest and capital from Hong Kong and mainland China. Hong Kong-based Gaw Capital spent more than US$150 million on a residential building in Abu Dhabi, the capital, two weeks ago. And last week Black Spade Capital, the family office of casino billionaire Lawrence Ho Yau-lung, invested in IFCX, a Hong Kong-based real estate brokerage focused on real estate in... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3311619/capital-hong-kong-mainland-china-sets-sights-dubai-abu-dhabi-property?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3311619/capital-hong-kong-mainland-china-sets-sights-dubai-abu-dhabi-property?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 25 May 2025 05:00:10 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Black Spade Capital, the family office of Macau casino billionaire Lawrence Ho Yau-lung, has invested in IFCX, a Hong Kong-based real estate brokerage group that aims to pool at least US$5 billion of capital from Asian clients for investments in emerging markets. IFCX operates Asian Bankers Club, a direct investor sales company, Knightsbridge Partners, an agent for developers, and Easy Pro, a letting and property-management agency that also provides global residency solutions. “This partnership... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3311102/casino-tycoon-lawrence-hos-family-office-invests-hong-kong-real-estate-broker-ifcx?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3311102/casino-tycoon-lawrence-hos-family-office-invests-hong-kong-real-estate-broker-ifcx?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 21 May 2025 00:30:07 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal The earthquake that shook Myanmar and Thailand in March has weighed on office property demand in Bangkok, with some tenants now favouring low rises or low floors in skyscrapers, according to CBRE. Some companies also delayed relocations to ensure the structural soundness of new offices, the property consultancy said in a report on Wednesday. The Thai capital was shaken by the 7.7 magnitude earthquake, which was centred in to neighbouring Myanmar close to the city of Mandalay, on March 28. A... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3310588/earthquake-jitters-sway-thailands-office-market-send-tenants-scrambling-low-rises?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3310588/earthquake-jitters-sway-thailands-office-market-send-tenants-scrambling-low-rises?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 16 May 2025 06:00:17 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Wealthy mainland Chinese are increasingly shifting their attention and capital away from the US to other real estate markets amid rising geopolitical tensions between Washington and Beijing, according to property agents. In 2024, Chinese buyers’ demand for homes that cost more than US$5 million moved to Thailand, Australia and Canada, respectively, according to data tracked by Juwai IQI. By comparison, the US in 2023 was the top choice among Chinese buyers, according to the property portal,... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3309006/wealthy-chinese-turn-away-us-real-estate-trump-amps-trade-war-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3309006/wealthy-chinese-turn-away-us-real-estate-trump-amps-trade-war-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 04 May 2025 05:29:26 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Hong Kong office tenants pay the second-highest costs in the world for prime space, behind only tenants in London’s West End, according to research by property consultancy Savills. Office space in Hong Kong cost an estimated US$228 per square foot per year including rent and fit-out costs, according to the study, which tracked prime offices in 40 markets around the world in the first quarter. The cost of office space in Hong Kong declined 1.1 per cent compared with the fourth quarter, Savills... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3308624/hong-kong-office-tenants-pay-worlds-second-highest-annual-costs-savills-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3308624/hong-kong-office-tenants-pay-worlds-second-highest-annual-costs-savills-says?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 01 May 2025 02:30:19 +0000 Aileen Chuang Aileen Chuang Gaw Capital, a Hong Kong private-equity firm focused on real estate, is seeking US$2 billion for a new fund that is expected to look for diversified opportunities in the Asia-Pacific region. The firm is in talks with investors to contribute to its latest Gateway Real Estate Fund, which would invest in private equity and private credit deals. Gaw Capital confirmed the fundraising size and investment strategy to the Post, but did not provide further comments. A potential investor was told that the... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3307946/hong-kong-private-equity-firm-gaw-capital-building-us2-billion-regional-property-fund?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3307946/hong-kong-private-equity-firm-gaw-capital-building-us2-billion-regional-property-fund?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 25 Apr 2025 09:38:49 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Political and economic uncertainties are driving more Americans to follow the lead of wealthy people from mainland China and Hong Kong by shopping for properties – and rights of abode – overseas. The UK, Australia and Portugal are among the favoured destinations, and property agents there have noted a significant increase in the number of US-based clients trying to line up residential options. Official data is scant, but immigration consultants and property agents said the trend intensified... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3302452/american-demand-overseas-property-residency-surges-second-trump-term?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3302452/american-demand-overseas-property-residency-surges-second-trump-term?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 16 Mar 2025 01:30:17 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Mainland Chinese demand for Australian real estate is surging and investors are buying more expensive properties, according to agents. If the first five days of the Lunar New Year were any indication, more mainland Chinese investors would complete home purchases this year than they did a year earlier, said Peter Li, the general manager of Plus Agency in Sydney. “Inquiries from mainland Chinese buyers increased by 20 per cent during the holiday period,” he said. “In the past five days, we have... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3297947/heating-down-under-chinese-buyers-are-buying-more-expensive-properties-australia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3297947/heating-down-under-chinese-buyers-are-buying-more-expensive-properties-australia?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 10 Feb 2025 00:30:12 +0000 The Swiss villa owned by late screen icon Audrey Hepburn has hit the market. The 18th century farmhouse in scenic Tolochenaz, around a 30-minute drive from Geneva airport, was owned by Hepburn from 1963 until her death in 1993 – she is buried in the village cemetery. In 2001, Hepburn’s sons sold their mother’s rural retreat to Katharina Beaujolin and her husband, Jean-Marc Beaujolin, the former chairman of import-export business Europ Continents Services. “The house is called ‘La Paisible’ which... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3297894/late-hollywood-star-audrey-hepburns-12-bedroom-swiss-retreat-sale-us21-million?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3297894/late-hollywood-star-audrey-hepburns-12-bedroom-swiss-retreat-sale-us21-million?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 09 Feb 2025 10:15:08 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Investors in Tokyo’s office segment should temper optimism with caution, even though rents rose by the most in eight years in the third quarter last year, as it masks a different reality, according to analysts. Rents for prime office space in Japan’s capital increased by 5.2 per cent in the July to September quarter, the first time growth exceeded 5 per cent in the same period in 2016, according to a CBRE report. Grade A office rents in major cities like Nagoya and Osaka rose 2.6 per cent and 1... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3296839/tokyo-office-rents-rise-sharply-vacancy-disparity-signals-caution-investors?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3296839/tokyo-office-rents-rise-sharply-vacancy-disparity-signals-caution-investors?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 31 Jan 2025 02:30:13 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal,Leopold Chen Cheryl Arcibal,Leopold Chen Beijing resident Evelyn Lin paid US$274,000 for a flat in Bangkok in 2018, hoping to use the property as her home when she spends holidays in the Thai capital. However, the recent spate of kidnappings of mainland Chinese and the trafficking of Hong Kong residents to scam farms in nearby countries are keeping her away from Southeast Asia’s most popular tourist destination. “I spent two months in Thailand last year and I thought Bangkok was quite safe, but recent news coming out from the country... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3296218/thai-properties-risk-chinese-buyers-go-cold-amid-abduction-trafficking-news?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3296218/thai-properties-risk-chinese-buyers-go-cold-amid-abduction-trafficking-news?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 Jan 2025 01:30:16 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Hong Kong-based investors are the largest foreign buyers of homes in the UK, but additional education fees, a new tax scheme and slowing growth in rental rates could conspire to turn people away from the country. As of December 5, Hong Kong investors had registered 25,972 property titles in the UK, up 5.7 per cent from 2023, accounting for 13.7 per cent of all foreign homebuyers, according to data provided by London-based property agency Benham and Reeves. In 2024, about 190,000 properties in... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3295376/will-higher-school-fees-new-taxes-turn-hongkongers-away-uk-properties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3295376/will-higher-school-fees-new-taxes-turn-hongkongers-away-uk-properties?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Jan 2025 01:30:15 +0000 The house made famous by the Breaking Bad TV series is up for sale, and the owners of the otherwise unassuming home in one of Albuquerque’s older neighbourhoods are hoping the property’s role in the long-running series will help them fetch a pretty penny. Centred on mythical methamphetamine cookers Walter White and Jesse Pinkman, the series wrapped up more than a decade ago, but its legacy continues to draw looky-loos to the home and other associated filming spots around town. New Mexico’s... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3293400/want-own-piece-pop-culture-history-breaking-bad-house-sale-us4-million?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3293400/want-own-piece-pop-culture-history-breaking-bad-house-sale-us4-million?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Jan 2025 01:45:18 +0000