Hong Kong’s property market has been under pressure from high borrowing costs and a weak economy, with prices declining to the lowest in eight years.

LOWER interest rates have yet to spur a recovery in Hong Kong’s property market as weekend sales dropped to the lowest in two months, days after banks in the city reduced borrowing costs.

Sales fell 53 per cent in the 10 biggest housing estates over the weekend from the previous week to seven deals, the smallest in eight weeks, according to Centaline Property Agency, which tracked the projects to gauge market performance.

Hong Kong’s property market has been under pressure from high borrowing costs and a weak economy, with prices declining to the lowest in eight years. Property developers, sellers and agents had been counting on lower interest rates to unleash demand to boost the market.

The rate cut has not encouraged mainland Chinese buyers and investors to enter the market, Louis Chan, head of Centaline’s residential division, said on Sunday (Sep 22). These buyers are still on a wait-and-see mode, Chan added.

Most of the major banks in Hong Kong, including HSBC, have lowered their best lending rates after the Hong Kong Monetary Authority cut its base rate by half a percentage point, keeping in step with the US Federal Reserve.

The effective mortgage rate now stands at 3.875 per cent after the reduction, from 4.125 per cent previously, according to mortgage broker mReferral Mortgage Brokerage Services.

Sources: The Business Times