Park Island, Ma Wan, Hong Kong

Despite the high deposit ratios imposed by the HKMA for propety loans in Hong Kong, property prices in Hong Kong appear to be starting a march towards new highs. With borrowing rates so low, rental prices ever increasing, and asset prices in Asia rising, Hong Kong residents seem to be finding property to be an attractive investment, and one which will benefit them as asset prices across the region rise. In a good article about Hong Kong property prices http://www.chinadailyapac.com/article/hkma-worries-over-renewed-property-market-asset-bubble  and an eventual asset bubble, Chinadaily published the following points: Local home prices have already advanced more than 5 percent in the last month. The Centa-City Leading Index (CCL), an index used to gauge the local home market’s price trend, rose for the fourth consecutive weeks for the first time in 52-week that pushed the CCL to a 24-week high. The 99.17 reading represented a cumulative surge of 5.07 pe...

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) has ordered local banks to tighten down-payment ratios for home buyers for the fourth time in the past two years as part of an ongoing attempt to control the rates of surging property prices in Hong Kong. Buyers of homes costing more than HK$10 million will be required to increase up-front payments to 50 percent, it was announced on Friday. For properties valued between HK$7 million and HK$10 million, home buyers will have to pay 40 percent up front with the maximum loan amount capped at HK$5 million. Buyers of properties valued below HK$7 million can still make a down-payment of 30 percent with the loan capped at HK$4.2 million. Home prices in HK continue to rise, both as a result of ultra-low mortgage rates which appear to stay low for an "extended period of time", an due to an influx of mainland buyers, tight land supply and increased demand by foreigners wanting to move to Hong Kong as a base for business activities across Asi...