Ponto Final Newspaper, 18 August 2020.
Suzanne Watkinson, managing director of Ambiente Properties, said that about 70% of the real estate agency’s business is focused on the second-hand market, where there are many customers interested in buying their first home. The real estate expert believes that buying a house remains a good investment for the future, and highlighted the measures established by the Government to help residents in the acquisition of their first home. 
Despite the times of economic fragility, buying a house remains a good investment for the future, says Suzanne Watkinson. Speaking to the FINAL POINT, the general director of Ambiente Properties said that about 70% of the business of the real estate and consulting agency is related to the second-hand market, being the first option for those who intend to buy the first home.
“The real estate market is still rising. Regarding commercial real estate, office spaces are stable at this moment. With the issue of Covid-19 and the economic impact, retail companies are suffering. Leases have been going down immensely around Largo do Senado, particularly in the tourist areas, which have been badly affected ”, said the real estate expert, analyzing the current situation in Macau.
Suzanne Watkinson also stressed that the Government “has implemented very positive measures to assist residents in the purchase of their first home”, namely in relation to issues related to mortgages and loans. The general director of Ambiente Properties also said that more families have been looking for houses with more fractions, especially with more than two bedrooms. “I believe that it is in this aspect that the Government could help more because everything above 7.5 million patacas, the mortgage rate goes up to 50%. There could be a property scale for people who need to buy a house between eight and 12 million patacas, ”suggested Suzanne Watkinson, considering that it would be beneficial for families to“ improve their housing condition ”.
Asked about the main threats to the real estate sector, Suzanne Watkinson said that economic instability, coupled with job uncertainty, are the biggest constraints. “The pandemic context makes potential buyers reluctant to move forward in the real estate market. Most of the local purchases registered by Ambiente Properties are related to properties with one or two rooms, or even studios ”, he continued.
Regarding Hengqin’s role in the real estate sector, Suzanne Watkinson believes that the focus will be more on “supporting the economic diversification of Macau”, rather than on residential areas. “When we look across the water at Hengqin and see all these impressive towers rising overnight, we see that there is a substantial focus on offices. As most office towers will be held by single owners, if one is able to find a building with strata title it would be an excellent time to invest in the acquisition of offices or shops for commerce in Hengqin, but we believe that it is not yet the ideal time to invest in the residential market ”, stressed Suzanne Watkinson, waiting for improvements regarding “accessibility and border issues.”
Translation from Portuguese to English by Google Translate
