Park Island, Ma Wan, Hong Kong

I have a special request for the Park Island that sometimes plays in the Piazza. Please do a version of my new favorite song... (and it goes like this). Are you guys playing Park Island on New Years Eve?

A panoramic view from Ma Wan, Hong Kong

Well as the end of the year approaches, lets see how Park Island fared in terms of property prices compared to the rest of Hong Kong.   Park Island Transactions 2011   The lower line on the graph shows the average performance of all Hong Kong properties over the 2011 year. As you can see Hong Kong prices rose around 10% in the first 4 months of 2011, and then stayed pretty much at the level for the rest of the year. Park Island prices (the upper line on the graph) rose continuously for the the first 6 months, up around 20%, and then remained at that level for the rest of the year. Transaction volume (the bottom bar graph) dropped noticeably over the last 6 months of the year both for Park Island and for Hong Kong generally. My predictions Hong Kong property prices in  2012. 1 - The Government will ease off a little on the measures that caused transaction volumes to become so low. Property agents are hurting, and so I expect property transaction volume will be 20-3...

Dear readers of the Park Island Blog. Some of you will have read my recent suggestion to the Hong Kong Transport Department requesting a pedestrian crossing or traffic lights between the Ma Wan village and the Primary School on Park Island to address the risk of speeding buses possibly hitting children crossing the road. That post is here: http://parkislandhongkong.blogspot.com/2011/12/request-to-hong-kong-transport.html . I have now received a response from the Transport Department as follows: 22 December 2011 Dear Sir / Madam, Thank you for writing to the Transport Department on 21 December 2011, the Transport Department has replied as follows – "Thank you for your suggestions on slowing down the traveling speed of buses operating on Pak Lam Road. Regarding the suggested installation of speed humps, please note that such installation could be a hazard to passengers inside a bus. Under the normal circumstance, the geometric design of a road would be of a standard suita...

Elections will soon take place for new Park Island Committee members. For any owners, especially expat owners, I would urge you to stand for election, and then use this blog, if you wish, to seek feedback from other expat Park Island residents and owners.

Dear Hong Kong Transport Department - please take steps to slow the speed of the buses on Park Island on the road that runs between the Park Island village and the Kei Wai Primary School. I suggest you install speed humps, or a pedestrian crossing with traffic lights between the school and the Ma Wan village. I am putting you on advance notice of this risk and request here on my blog Living on Park Island, Ma Wan, Hong Kong http://parkislandhongkong.blogspot.com/ PLEASE TAKE THESE SUGGESTED STEPS. IF NOT, SOONER OR LATER, I PREDICT SOMEONE, PROBABLY A CHILD, WILL DIE OR BE SEVERELY INJURED AS A RESULT OF BEING HIT BY A BUS. Hong Kong Transport Department - feel free to post your response here or email me at parkislandproperty@gmail.com . I will also be sending this message directly to the HK transport department at their email address tdenq@td.gov.hk  provided on their website http://www.td.gov.hk/en/home/index.html .

As its getting cold outside in the Iguana enclosure, they have been moved inside, and have a warming hot plate in their cage. Here are a few photos of the Park Island Iguanas! Aren't they cute?!!! Their enclosure is around the Green Green club. If you are not sure exactly where, ask the staff and they will show you. Park Island Iguana Iguana

In the comments section of my blog posting : http://parkislandhongkong.blogspot.com/2011/12/property-prices-on-park-island-hit-new.html  a reader commented: "Where did you get this graph chart from? I want to view the source please, I've looked at Midland, Centadata, gohome and property.hk but they show different results to what you have on this blog." Rather than try to anwer the question in the comments section of that posting, I will try to address it here. The data and the HK property transaction graph were taken from Centaline property: www.hk.centadata.com Specifically for Park Island, see: http://hk.centadata.com/pih09/pih09/estate.aspx?type=3&code=WDPPWPPEPB&lang=eng&source=data I think Centadata is based on results done though the Centaline agency, and it seems to me they update the results daily. So you will see changes in the price graph on a daily basis, depending upon the most recent transactions. That is also where I got the price data for...

Well, despite all the doom and gloom, it seems that prices have hit yet again a new high. Not good news for those waiting to buy, but obviously comforting for existing owners, (except those hoping for a fall so they can upgrade!). I still think that in these volitile times, you can keep your eyes out for a bargain. There must surely be sellers who have lose money in the stock market, who want to sell off, I would think. And if you look at recent sales records, you can see that some people have recently bought well below current market prices. Meanwhile, an agent I spoke to today told me that many people simply are not selling as they do not want to pay the Government tax that was imposed on people who sell within 2 years of buying. If so, I find it kind of ironic that a measure intended to stop property prices rising, has actually had the opposite effect. The agent I spoke to also told me they are noticing a pick up in people looking around, with a view to buying something before th...

I am usually up around 5.30am, take a quick glance at the US and Europe financial news, and then do a morning hike before getting back to prepare for the Asian markets to open. These photos are on Ma Wan, on the other side of where Park Island is. Go check it out. Hopefully the Government will not concrete the path over "to make it safer" like that have done on the Peak on Hong Kong island. Having said that, I suspect, eventually, that this land will be developed. Would be great if it just stayed the way it is, but this is HK and any land with views like this tends to get developed evnetually! This morning, on the way back, I treated myself to a hot chocolate from Pacific Coffee in the Piazza, which is now all decorated and with Christmas songs playing . Ma Wan, Hong Kong View of Tsing Ma bridge from Ma Wan Ma Wan View of ocean from MaWan Hiking on Ma Wan Photo of Ma Wan hiking trail Ma Wan/Park Island

Here are some pics of a Park Island apartment with stunning 360 degree ocean views, that was recently rennovated and is now being put up for rent by the owner/designer. It was originally 4 bedrooms, with maid's room, but now is converted into 3 bedrooms, with a HUGE living area, and open kitchen. It looks to me like they have done a really nice job. A very modern, open, minimalist-style rennovation. They also have a large terrace blacony that opens up from the living room, and has two bathrooms. The owners are asking around the 50K mark, all inclusive. They note that a similar apartment rented for 65K, and that the apartment above theirs is  rented for 50K. Whilst I have not yet seen inside the new Phase 6 Park Island villas on Ma Wan, I would think that the views from this apartment must be better as its much higher up. If you are interested please contact Mrs Chan, on +852 62218673 or email me on parkislandproperty@gmail.com and I will pass your email on to her . ...