Hong Kong, the world's fifth most expensive property market, has suffered as wealthy speculators and tenants evaporate. Luxury home prices on Hong Kong island fell by a third, quarter-on-quarter, in October-December, and 19 per cent year-on-year, according to CB Richard Ellis. On the Peak, once home to colonial government mandarins, prices had the sharpest decline since the Asian financial crisis of 1997-98. Transactions have slowed dramatically, with just 258 deals in January compared with 734 a year ago. Lowlier purchasers, too, are feeling the pinch. New mortgage loans drawn down fell 11 per cent month-on-month in December, to one-third the levels of December 2007. Rising unemployment, reluctant lenders and an exodus of foreign investors (plus shoals of expat bankers) imply further declines.
隨著富有投機者及房客的蒸發，香港這個房價高居全球第五的房地產市場已嚐到了苦頭。世邦魏理仕(CB Richard Ellis)的數據顯示，去年第四季度港島豪宅的價格環比下跌三分之一，同比下跌19%。太平山頂曾是殖民政府官員的大本營，如今那裏的價格創下了1997-98年亞洲金融危機以來的最大跌幅。交易量明顯減少，今年1月僅達成258筆交易，而去年同期有734筆。購置普通住宅的人們也感受到了壓力。去年12月新增房貸額環比下降11%，僅有2007年同期水準的三分之一。失業不斷增對、貸款機構惜貸以及大批外國投資者（和大批外籍銀行家）的離去，意味著香港房價還會進一步下跌。