Overseas students as key drive of booming rental market: Sing Tao property forum

Tony Wan Wai-ming, president of Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors, noted that the recent property market has improved as interest rates are remaining at 3.25 percent. 

Primary market transaction volume in the first half of 2026 rose 30 percent compared to the 2025, reaching a high in recent years, whereas rent levels have marked new highs as well, driving more investors' to buy properties for rental income, he stated at a property forum held by Sing Tao News Corporation.

The number of students coming to Hong Kong for further education will continue to rise, simultaneously driving rental demand, as Northern Metropolis continues to promote education, with educational land use increasing from the original 100 hectares to 300 hectares.

Kathy Lee, head of research at Colliers, suggested relaxing visa application requirements for students under 18 to attract more students towards the goal of becoming an international education hub, and provide talent for long-term development.

She anticipates that the number of non-local students this year may exceed 100,000, becoming a significant driver of the rental market and contributing to the overall market's stable development.

Chau Kwong-wing, chair professor of real estate and construction at HKU,stated that Hong Kong needs a net increase of 100,000 people annually, with talent and overseas students being the core driving forces, to achieve a population of 10 million,as the Chief Executive proposed by the end of 2024. 

With no upper limits on the number of master's and postgraduate students admitted, Chau added that a large number of students from mainland China and overseas could be attracted, with private universities offering more flexible admissions for postgraduate programs.

UBS head of Asia property research, John Lam Chun-hung, noted that property price trends should be viewed in relation to the rental market as interest rates are highly volatile due to global events. He commented that the current rental market is robust, benefiting from the continued influx of mainland professionals and talents.

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