In Hong Kong’s 2024 Policy Address, Chief Executive John Lee announced several measures, including the relaxation of mortgage loan conditions for residential properties. Regardless of the property’s value, whether it is for personal use, company ownership, or if the buyer is a first-time homeowner, the maximum loan-to-value ratio will be adjusted to 70%. Additionally, the debt-to-income ratio will be capped at 50%.
The Policy Address also introduced an updated New Capital Investment Entrant Scheme, which allows investors to invest in residential properties valued at HK$50 million or more. Up to HK$10 million of the investment in real estate can be counted towards the total qualifying investment.
Justin Chiu Kwok-hung, Executive Director of CK Asset, praised the new measures, stating that the relaxation of mortgage conditions and the investment immigration scheme highlight the government’s strong backing of the property market. He believes these initiatives will boost Hong Kong’s economic vitality and encourage investors to re-enter the real estate market. He also said that the HK$10 million cap for property investments under the investment immigration scheme is a sensible arrangement.
CK Asset (1113) also announced that starting next Monday, prices for 121 units across three of its projects—El Futuro in Sha Tin, #LYOS in Hung Shui Kiu, and Grand Jete in Tuen Mun—will increase by 3%. Chiu commented that this 3% price hike for remaining units is relatively small, and buyers can spread payments over 25 years, minimising the financial impact.
Chiu added that the price increase is based on an improving market atmosphere. While he couldn’t predict whether the market would decline further, he emphasised that developers would simply halt sales if prices dropped significantly. The fact that two leading developers are raising prices reflects their optimism about the market outlook.
Looking ahead, Chiu said CK Asset will leverage the government's policies to explore new strategies to stimulate the property market. He expects property prices to rise steadily, predicting a 5% increase by the end of this year.