Chapter 139 - A Grand Villa on Severn Road
To Lin Haoran's surprise, there were quite a few available villas in Mid-Levels and on The Peak — more than a dozen listings. Considering that these two villa districts were scarce resources in all of Hong Kong, with very limited total numbers, it was surprising to see such a variety laid out before him. If he didn't already have plans for his funds elsewhere, Lin Haoran would have been tempted to buy all of them.
Most of the listings were for Mid-Levels villas, with eleven available properties. The Peak had only three villas listed. Perhaps noticing Lin Haoran's slight hesitation, the sales agent smiled and explained, "Since the mid-1970s, many foreigners have chosen to leave Hong Kong and return to the UK. Therefore, villas in Mid-Levels and on The Peak have gradually been put up for sale. Some properties were overpriced and stayed on the market for one or two years without buyers. Although the real estate market is good now, the focus is mainly on regular apartments and commercial buildings. There are fewer buyers interested in high-end villas like those in Mid-Levels and on The Peak."
Lin Haoran nodded, instantly understanding the situation. The Mid-Levels villas ranged from a little over 2 million to more than 3 million Hong Kong dollars, depending on size and location. The three Peak villas were even pricier: two were over 4 million, and one was listed at a staggering 5 million Hong Kong dollars.
Indeed, not easy to sell. Unlike commercial buildings that could be rented out and recoup investment through rent, villas faced a different situation. While villas could also be rented, clients wealthy enough to afford villa rents often preferred to buy their own. Compared to villas in Deep Water Bay or Repulse Bay — which were more reasonably priced at around 2 million Hong Kong dollars — The Peak villas were at least twice as expensive.
Moreover, Deep Water Bay already had many prominent Chinese businessmen living there. For some, living there was no worse than residing on The Peak. However, Lin Haoran had already ruled out Deep Water Bay and Repulse Bay before coming here. His reason was simple: security. Despite Deep Water Bay's general safety, he knew that kidnappings had happened even near homes there.
Such incidents were virtually impossible in The Peak villa district. Here, the top British financial, political, and business elites lived — including the Governor himself. Security was incredibly tight, with guarded entrances and strict access control. If you weren't a resident or an invited guest, you couldn't even get close.
Thus, Lin Haoran had always intended to buy on The Peak. Besides, with his parents already living in Deep Water Bay, he could visit them whenever he wished. There was no need to purchase another property nearby.
After browsing through the Mid-Levels villa listings, Lin Haoran shifted his focus to The Peak. In Hong Kong, The Peak was the ultimate symbol of luxury living. Back in 1904, the British Hong Kong government had even prohibited Chinese people from living there — a ban that wasn't lifted until 1947. Those who lived here were the wealthiest and most powerful.
Mid-Levels had the advantage of proximity to Central and Wan Chai, but its downsides were clear too: proximity to the noisy urban center, and less expansive views. The Peak offered more privacy, better security, and stunning panoramic views — all for just a few more minutes' drive to Central.
Seeing the Peak listings, Lin Haoran decided to prioritize visiting them. There were only three available properties; if none suited him, he could always fall back on Mid-Levels. "Can I view these three properties now?" Lin Haoran asked, pointing to the Peak villas.
"Of course. All three owners are British expatriates who have returned to the UK. They've entrusted us to sell their properties and given us the keys. We can go anytime," the sales agent said eagerly. "However, we do require a proof of funds check first. Please understand — it's to avoid wasting anyone's time."
Lin Haoran smiled; he understood perfectly. In his previous life, he had heard that luxury properties often required proof of funds before viewings, to filter out time-wasters. And in fact, despite being the Chairman of two listed companies, Lin Haoran was not widely recognized on the street. His public exposure remained low, so it wasn't surprising the agent didn't recognize him, probably mistaking him for a wealthy second-generation heir.
"Alright, proof of funds then. Wait a moment," Lin Haoran said. "Weiguo, go to the car and fetch the HSBC card from the back compartment," he instructed.
"Yes, Young Master," Li Weiguo answered and hurried out. Moments later, he returned carrying a platinum-colored bank card. "Boss, here's the card."
Taking the card, Lin Haoran smiled and asked, "Will this do?" It was an HSBC Platinum Card — a symbol of clients with deposits over 100 million Hong Kong dollars. Not many people in Hong Kong held one.
"Of course, Mr. Lin. Perfectly sufficient," the sales agent said excitedly. He quickly ran off to report to the manager and retrieve the villa keys. Soon after, a middle-aged Western man wearing glasses entered the room.
"Mr. Lin, this is our branch manager, Mr. Smith. He and I will accompany you to view the properties," the agent said. Clearly, for a client of Lin Haoran's caliber, they provided VIP service. "Good afternoon, Mr. Lin. We have the keys. We can leave whenever you are ready," said Smith, speaking Cantonese with near-native fluency — astonishing for a Westerner. In fact, many Westerners born in Hong Kong spoke Cantonese fluently.
Lin Haoran wasn't surprised by the respectful attitude; this was how service industries worked. "Good, let's go now," he nodded.
The three villas were not far from each other, although not on the same street. One was on Pollock's Path, one on Barker Road, and one on Severn Road. They first visited the Barker Road property. Lin Haoran had been to Barker Road once before, visiting Guo Henian's residence with his father Lin Wanan. However, the property they were viewing today was quite far from Guo Henian's villa.
After touring the Barker Road villa, they continued to Pollock's Path and finally to Severn Road. The entire viewing took over an hour. Finally, they sat down in the living room of the Severn Road villa. Lin Haoran had already made up his mind.
Among the three, the Pollock's Path villa was the most expensive — listed at 5 million Hong Kong dollars. Yet Lin Haoran found it the worst in terms of size and view. It had been on the market for over a year because the owner refused to lower the price. Lin Haoran immediately eliminated it from consideration.
Of the other two, the Barker Road villa was cheaper at 4 million but smaller and with a less impressive view. The Severn Road villa was priced at 4.5 million, offering over 6,500 square feet of land, three private parking spaces, and a private swimming pool. Its elevated position provided sweeping views of Central Hong Kong, Victoria Harbour, and even across to Kowloon.
Moreover, the villa was relatively new — about ten years old. Its layout was average, but Lin Haoran planned to renovate it anyway, using Wan'an Group's construction teams. He wasn't worried.
The manager had already explained that the villa's previous owner was a former chairman of a British firm who had sold off his Hong Kong assets and returned to the UK. "Mr. Smith, after viewing these three properties, I have made my decision," Lin Haoran said with a smile. "I prefer this Severn Road villa. If the seller is willing to accept 4 million Hong Kong dollars, I'll buy it immediately — no mortgage, full payment in cash."
Although he didn't mind spending an extra half-million, saving it would be even better. This property, thirty years from now, would be worth over 100 or 200 million. Right now, in 1979, paying 4 million was already expensive enough.
"Mr. Lin, allow me to contact the owner. I'll get back to you within half a day," Smith said respectfully. "Alright. I'll leave it to you," Lin Haoran replied with a grin.
That evening, Lin Haoran received a call from Smith — the seller had agreed to the 4 million offer.
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