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Industries & Specialties

Living

A full-lifecycle platform for maximum value
woman inside apartment
 

The living sector is evolving fast, shaped by a rapid evolution in demographic trends, lifestyle demands and investor appetite.

Hong Kong's Living sector is at a genuine inflection point. Government policy has shifted decisively to unlock build-to-rent (BTR), purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA), and co-living supply. This has created a structured opportunity for institutional investors, developers, and operators who move with conviction. We advise clients across the full asset lifecycle, from acquisition strategy and underwriting through to leasing, asset management, and exit. We combine proprietary market knowledge with on-the-ground expertise to help clients capitalize on this structural shift before it becomes consensus.

What Sets Us Apart

Full Lifecycle Expertise

We advise across the entire lifespan of Living assets in Hong Kong, from site selection and feasibility through to lease-up, management, and divestment. This end-to-end perspective ensures strategy and execution remain aligned, protecting returns across the asset's life.

Living Sector Specialists

Our team offers deep expertise in BTR , PBSA, and co-living. In a market where each sub-sector has unique regulations, this specialised knowledge is a prerequisite for success.

Data-Led, Human-Centered

We combine proprietary research and market intelligence with a focus on resident experience. Understanding both macro trends like population ageing and resident needs is key to driving durable asset performance.

Invested in Performance

Every recommendation we make is grounded in economics. Whether advising on underwriting, operational structuring, or exit timing in Hong Kong's market, we apply analytical discipline to support strong, durable returns for our clients.

Sustainability in Practice

We help clients embed sustainability into design, development, and operations. This meets institutional investor expectations for local Living assets and protects long-term value.

Services

Our Living Services

Valuation & Advisory


Every credible deal needs institutional-grade valuation. We offer financial reporting valuations, acquisition support, and feasibility studies for BTR, PBSA, and co-living assets, using proprietary data specific to Hong Kong market dynamics.

Learn more about our valuations services

Capital Markets


We connect owners, developers, and operators with institutional capital. Our team structures transactions and advises on timing in a market with growing investor appetite for residential assets.

Learn more about our capital markets services

Strategic Advisory & Consulting


We guide developers, investors, and operators through every stage of the asset lifecycle. We provide the strategic counsel needed to navigate a complex regulatory environment.

Learn more about our strategic consulting services

Project & Development Services


We help clients achieve their Living real estate goals by integrating expertise across project management, building consultancy, cost consultancy, building engineering, and sustainability. Our specialists provide end-to-end support, from design to construction, ensuring value-driven, risk-managed solutions.

Learn more about our project & development services

Research & Market Intelligence


In a rapidly evolving market, accurate data is your competitive advantage. Our dedicated research team provides proprietary analysis, forecasting, and market intelligence specific to the Living sector, empowering our clients to make informed decisions.

Specialisation

Industry Expertise

Purpose-Built Student Accommodation (PBSA)


The pipeline is growing due to rising student enrolment and government conversion schemes. We advise on site feasibility, planning, valuation, and capital structuring, helping clients enter a market where policy momentum is strong and supply is tight.

Build-to-Rent (BTR)


BTR is now becoming a reality. Projects like the Northern Metropolis and regulatory reforms are creating a new market. We help developers and investors navigate this emerging sector where the rules and returns are still being defined.

Co-Living


Co-living addresses a key gap, high housing costs and demand for flexible, managed living. We advise operators and investors on feasibility, asset positioning, and capital strategy, using our deep knowledge of the local planning and licensing environment.

Team

Tom Ko
Tom Ko

Executive Director, Head of Capital Markets, Hong Kong, Greater China
Hong Kong, Greater China

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Alvin Lau
Alvin Lau

Director
Hong Kong, Greater China

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Contact us

Research

Hong Kong Office Retail Residential Investment Market Report 1H 2026
Research • Economy

Hong Kong Office, Retail, Residential And Capital Markets 1H 2026 Review And 2H 2026 Outlook

Hong Kong residential market activity remained robust in Q2 as transaction numbers surpassed 22,000 cases. Grade A office market net absorption remained positive. Total retail sales continued to recover steadily. End-users and well-capitalized investors were active amid attractive office asset pricing.
Rosanna Tang • 07/07/2026
Hong Kong Office Retail Residential Market Report Q1 2024
Research • Economy

Hong Kong Office, Retail And Residential Markets Q1 2024

Hong Kong office sector overall net absorption in Q1 remained positive. Visitor spending continued to support a steady recovery in the retail market. Following the Government's announcement that it would lift demand-side management measures for residential properties, the market responded positively, with primary and secondary residential transactions strengthening notably and home prices picking up from March onwards. 
 
Rosanna Tang • 10/04/2024
Hong Kong Budget 2024 2025 House Views
Research • Economy

Hong Kong Budget 2024 / 2025 House Views

The Financial Secretary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region announced the 2024/25 fiscal budget on February 28, 2024, outlining a series of measures to benefit the economy, businesses, and citizens. 
 
Rosanna Tang • 04/03/2024
Hong Kong Experiential Retail Report 2023
Research • Economy

Unleashing Retail Innovation: Discovering The New Edges For Hong Kong

Since Hong Kong’s border reopening and the gradual return of mainland China and international travelers, the city's retail landscape has undergone a transformation. The preferences of inbound tourists have shifted from a focus on shopping towards an emphasis on experiential retail and social media-driven activities. The spending habits of Hong Kong locals have also been changing, with a recent reverse trend of Hongkongers heading north to neighboring GBA cities for leisure and shopping.
 
Rosanna Tang • 21/11/2023
Asia Pacific Sustainability Walkable Cities Report 2023
Research • Sustainability / ESG

Hiking Sustainability Via Walkable Cities

The urban area and its associated design, planning, development and operation, plays a big role in bringing transformational change to address the way we live as well as our changing climate. To bring about beneficial living and urban environmental sustainability change that results in sustainable urban environs, this report looks at the following topics: A Change For The Good, The 15-Minute City, Urban Public Space, Transit-Orientated Development, Ecological Solutions, and Net-Zero Buildings.
Shaun Brodie • 08/11/2023
China Think In Report 2023
Research • Sustainability / ESG

Quarter-Hour Quarters — 15-Minute City Living in China

The changing world has prompted a questioning of our traditional ways of living over the last few years, with many employees globally now working remotely and spending a greater period of their time living within a few kilometers of their homes. To bring about sustainable and beneficial urban development, one concept cities in China can look to further adopt and implement is the "15-minute city" concept.
 
 
Shaun Brodie • 07/11/2023
John Lam
Insights • Investment / Capital Markets

John Lam: Opportunities and Challenges in Life Sciences Investment in China

Interest in China’s life sciences sector has been rising over the past two years, with most first-time investors preferring to start with first-tier markets such as Beijing and Shanghai, which benefit from more transparent local government plans and support mechanisms, as well as greater access to talent pools.
09/12/2022
Greater China Capital Markets webinar Q1 2022 Spotlight on Hong Kong
Insights • Investment / Capital Markets

Capital Markets | Spotlight on Hong Kong

In this session, we discussed the key market trends and shared insights on hot topics including China’s current business environment and economic outlook, a deep dive into Hong Kong CRE investment market and more.
06/05/2022
Data Centres in Mainland China: Four Points to Process in 2022
Research • Investment / Capital Markets

Data Centres | Mainland China

With national plans that set targets demanding data centre efficiency and government strategies to create data centre mega clusters, Mainland China’s data centre market is evolving rapidly.
Shaun Brodie • 20/04/2022
Greater China Capital Markets webinar: Spotlight on Shanghai 2022
Insights • Investment / Capital Markets

Capital Markets | Spotlight on Shanghai

In this session, we discussed the key market trends and shared insights on hot topics including China’s current business environment and economic outlook, the latest investment and occupier trends in China and more.
Francis Li • 16/02/2022
Data center
Research • Sustainability / ESG

Webinar Series | The Sustainability Imperative for Data Centres

With the extremely high consumption of power by data centres and the significant carbon footprint the sector generates, there is a need to strengthen sector-wide standards and commitments for the sustainable data centre operations.
Todd Olson • 29/09/2021
China Carbon Neutrality Report 2021
Research • Sustainability / ESG

Carbon Neutrality — Shifting To Neutral To Drive Real Estate Sustainability In China

Climate change today is the result of human-activity-induced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and changes in global weather patterns.
 
Shaun Brodie • 17/06/2021
View all

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Advisory spans the full asset lifecycle, from early-stage feasibility and planning strategy through to acquisition, leasing, asset management, and eventual sale. We work with institutional investors, developers, and operators. Given the specific planning framework and the pace of recent policy reform in Hong Kong, our advisory integrates regulatory intelligence with financial analysis.

Policy direction has shifted meaningfully over the past three years. Initiatives including the Northern Metropolis development, expanded student enrolment caps, and commercial-to-hostel conversion schemes have created a more structured environment for institutional investment.

The region offers a combination of structural undersupply, a highly mobile international population, and a government actively working to unlock new housing typologies. BTR, PBSA, and co-living all address genuine demand gaps. For institutional investors, this translates into credible long-term demand drivers, improving policy visibility, and increasing liquidity as the market matures in Hong Kong.

Valuing assets requires more than applying standard residential methodologies. BTR, PBSA, and co-living assets are operationally intensive, and their value is tied to income performance and operator quality. We bring institutional-grade valuation frameworks and deep familiarity with the regulatory environment to produce valuations that hold up to auditor scrutiny in Hong Kong.

PBSA currently presents the clearest near-term opportunity, given the combination of explicit government policy support, defined demand from university expansion, and a constrained existing supply base. BTR is building momentum as the Northern Metropolis project advances and institutional interest grows.

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