The payment of estate agency commission is one of the most routine yet legally fraught components of buying or selling residential property in Hong Kong. While market folklore often treats the traditional “1% of transaction price” as an immutable statute, the legal framework governing agency remuneration is entirely contractual, grounded in the Estate Agents Ordinance (Cap. 511) and the statutory agreements mandated by the Estate Agents Authority (EAA Prescribed Forms).
Most Hong Kong sales complete quietly, but a meaningful minority collapse between the provisional agreement and completion. Here is what is at stake for buyers and sellers when a deal fails, and how to reduce the risk before you sign.
Buying a tenanted Hong Kong flat can mean income from day one — or a completion-day headache. Here is what purchasers should establish about the tenancy, the deposit and vacant possession before the provisional agreement is signed.