Hongkongers snap up cheaper new homes in weekend home sale bonanza that saw 223 flats on offer
- Most of the new units on Saturday came from Villa Garda III in Tseung Kwan O, which sold 73 of the 138 put up for sale
- Developers have been cutting prices and offering steep discounts to try to drive sales amid elevated interest rates
![The construction site at Villa Garda I in Lohas Park – developed by Sino Land, K Wah International and China Merchants Land – seen on June 25, 2022. Photo: SCMP / Sun Yeung](https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1020x680/public/d8/images/canvas/2023/08/26/eae0668e-0bfc-457d-b209-a2be796407bd_ef16c665.jpg?itok=nQoYvsT_&v=1693043331)
Hong Kong on Saturday saw 223 new residential units across five projects made available to homebuyers, with the new major launch of 138 flats at a project in Tseung Kwan O offering discounts as high as 15 per cent.
As of 4.30pm, Villa Garda III sold 73 out of 138 units, according to property agents. The units comprise 17 one-bedroom, 113 two-bedroom and eight three-bedroom flats, with areas ranging from 340 sq ft to 719 sq ft.
![People wait at Empire Centre in Tsim Sha Tsui to buy units of the Villa Garda III development in Tseung Kwan O on August 26, 2023. Photo: SCMP/ Xiaomei Chen People wait at Empire Centre in Tsim Sha Tsui to buy units of the Villa Garda III development in Tseung Kwan O on August 26, 2023. Photo: SCMP/ Xiaomei Chen](https://img.i-scmp.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=contain,width=1024,format=auto/sites/default/files/d8/images/canvas/2023/08/26/1694f844-28bd-4bb5-b314-a33b4b036514_798e21ed.jpg)
Under its so-called 200-day talent payment plan, with a maximum discount of 14 per cent and a 4.5 per cent cash rebate on the remaining plan, units were priced at an average of HK$16,308 (US$2,243) per square foot. With the deductions, the flats were priced from HK$5.77 million to HK$12.28 million or HK$15,168 per square foot to HK$17,653 per square foot.
In comparison, a lived-in 343 sq ft unit at the five-year-old Wings at Sea II, also in Lohas Park, was listed for HK$6.4 million or HK$18,659 per square foot, according to Midland Realty’s website on Saturday. The average price in the estate was HK$15,840 per square foot.
“The project is welcomed by buyers. It has good public transport and a shopping mall, allowing people to enjoy a good living environment,” said Sammy Po Siu-ming, CEO of Midland Realty’s residential division for Hong Kong and Macau. “Also, its price has a large discount compared with one year ago.”
Given its proximity to the Lohas Park MTR station, about 20 per cent of the potential buyers of the property were “long-term investors”, said Louis Chan Wing-kit, CEO of the residential division at Centaline Property Agency.
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