南華早報@A fight on their hands(10-09-2013)

They protest in financial district to push home point that cooling measures will harm economy

About a dozen property agents, including the heads of the four biggest firms, stage a protest in Central yesterday, holding a minute’s silence to “mourn” the financial losses brought by government measures to cool the market. They want a reversal of the policies they say are hurting their business and withdrew all classified ads from yesterday’s local newspapers to drive home the point, threatening to continue the action for “a week or a month if necessary”. A double stamp duty for all property buyers – except permanent residents who are first-time homebuyers – came into effect in February. The agents say that duty, the 15 per cent stamp duty for foreign and corporate flat buyers, and a special stamp duty on resales of flats within three years, are hurting the economy and failing to keep a lid on prices.