Page 31 - Sphere No.16 (Apr 2006)

expect a high standard of living and their lifestyle choices in-
clude at the very least having a gym, heated pools and tennis
courts where they live. They also like to have space, gardens to
stroll through and perhaps do tai chi in.”
Having a club “in-house” is as much a financial consideration
as a lifestyle choice for many, according to Anne-Marie Sage,
National Director, Residential Investor Services, at Jones Lang
LaSalle. “Clubs in Hong Kong can be hard to get into – waiting
lists are long, debentures can be very expensive – and nowadays
not so many debentures are held by companies as, say, 10 years
ago,” she said.
Clients come to her specifically looking for certain club facil-
ities within their residential complex. “Having put in long and
often stressful hours at the office, they want a gym, swimming
pool and spa on their doorstep so they can use them whenever
and however often it suits them,” she explained.
It is not only in Hong Kong where the clubhouse is becom-
ing the deciding factor in the home-buying deal. Shirley Chan,
Assistant Manager at the clubhouse at Guangzhou Cape Coral
in Dashi town, Panyu, stressed that this sort of
residence-plus was particularly desirable in newly
affluent China. “China has seen rapid economic
growth over the past decade and the more prosperous
a country or city becomes, the better quality of life its people
demand,” she said.
Cape Coral is modeled on Australia’s distinctive leisure life-
style and includes two luxury clubhouses offering a vast array
of activities to its privileged residents. “Good clubhouse facili-
ties offer an option exclusively for a certain group of people to
have leisure and social activities which enhance their physical
and psychological wellness,” said Ms Chan. “When choosing
accommodation, Chinese people tend to prefer properties with
good clubhouse facilities if budget allows, and for increasingly
more people there, budget does allow.”
Mainland China latched on to the concept in the last 10 years
and clubhouse facilities there are rapidly becoming more so-
phisticated and elaborate. Said Richard Ivens, Club Manager
at the Harbour Plaza Golf Club Dongguan: “To build extensive
facilities you need space and it is here that residential devel-
opments in Mainland China can score over their Hong Kong
counterparts.” While space is limited in Hong Kong, where
more than seven million people jostle for position in a rela-
tively small area, in the Mainland space is limitless.
SPHERE 29
Above: Luxury you can afford. Facing page: People demand
a high quality of life and their expectations include a gym,
heated pools, tennis courts and other facilities for the family.
CLUB Excellent leisure facilities are high on
the list of priorities for today’s home-buyers
By Teri Fitsell 