Expat retirees seen boosting Hong Kong luxury home sales
SCMP · 1 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago1 MIN
Summary
Hong Kong’s luxury residential market is seeing renewed interest from expatriates who are choosing the city as a long-term retirement base rather than leaving after their working years. Analysts and agents say the shift is feeding demand for premium homes, especially in traditional upscale districts
Key Points
- Habitat Property founder and CEO Victoria Allan said a huge influx of former Hong Kong expatriates is returning with a long-term retirement plan
- Allan said many expatriates who might previously have left the city are now staying and buying homes for the first time
- About 30 per cent of Habitat’s recent sales came from expatriate clients, with buyers seeking lifestyle benefits and Hong Kong’s tax status
- Recent high-end deals included Swire Pacific chairman Guy Bradley’s HK$50 million Stanley Beach Road purchase in September and Nomura executive Sachin Tulshyan’s HK$75 million Tai Tam house purchase in December
- Allan said an expatriate client recently bought a penthouse at the Verano on Repulse Bay Road as a retirement base in Hong Kong
Why It Matters
If more expatriates choose to remain in Hong Kong into retirement, demand in the city’s top-end housing segment could become less dependent on purely investment-driven buying. The trend also suggests some wealthy foreign residents still see Hong Kong as attractive for both personal lifestyle planning and ongoing business access