Land Registry releases statistics for April
The Land Registry today (May 5) released its statistics for April 2026.
Land registration
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* The number of sale and purchase agreements for all building units received for registration in April was 8 692 (+12.3 per cent compared with March 2026 and +20.2 per cent compared with April 2025)
* The 12-month moving average for April was 7 463 (1.7 per cent above the 12-month moving average for March 2026 and 30.5 per cent above that for April 2025)
* The total consideration for sale and purchase agreements of building units in April was $72.9 billion (+17.0 per cent compared with March 2026 and +45.5 per cent compared with April 2025)
* Among the sale and purchase agreements, 7 368 were for residential units (+16.7 per cent compared with March 2026 and +29.4 per cent compared with April 2025)
* The total consideration for sale and purchase agreements in respect of residential units was $63.7 billion (+15.4 per cent compared with March 2026 and +50.9 per cent compared with April 2025)
Statistics on sales of residential units do not include sale and purchase agreements relating to sales of units under the Home Ownership Scheme, the Private Sector Participation Scheme, the Tenants Purchase Scheme, etc, unless the premium of the unit concerned has been paid after the sale restriction period.
Figures on sale and purchase agreements received for the past 12 months, the year-on-year rate of change and breakdown figures on residential sales have also been released.
As deeds may not be lodged with the Land Registry until up to 30 days after the transaction, these statistics generally relate to land transactions in the previous month.
Land search
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* The number of searches of land registers made by the public in April was 419 404 (-7.2 per cent compared with March 2026 but +13.8 per cent compared with April 2025)
The statistics cover searches made at the counter, through the self-service terminals and via the Integrated Registration Information System Online Services.
Photo source: reference image
An exceptionally warm April
The exceptionally warm weather in the first quarter of 2026 continued into April 2026, mainly attributed to the warmer-than-normal sea surface temperatures and a stronger-than-usual southerly flow in the lower atmosphere over the northern part of the South China Sea. The monthly mean minimum temperature of 23.8 degrees, mean temperature of 25.5 degrees, and mean maximum temperature of 27.9 degrees were respectively 2.7 degrees, 2.5 degrees, and 2.3 degrees above their corresponding normals. All three values were the second highest on record for April. The monthly rainfall was 160.4 millimetres, about 5 per cent above the normal of 153.0 millimetres. The accumulated rainfall recorded for the first four months of the year was 359.6 millimetres, about 20 per cent above the normal of 300.4 millimetres for the same period.
Under the influence of the northeast monsoon and a band of clouds covering the coast of Guangdong, local weather was mainly cloudy with a slightly cooler morning on the first day of the month. There were also one or two showers at night. Affected by an easterly airstream and a subsequent southerly airstream, the weather of Hong Kong remained cloudy with a few showers on the next two days. With a trough of low pressure lingering over the coastal areas of Guangdong, there were occasional showers and a few squally thunderstorms on April 4 and 5. Showers were heavy at times. More than 40 millimetres of rainfall were generally recorded over the eastern part of Hong Kong, and rainfall even exceeded 80 millimetres over Tai Po District on these two days. The Observatory registered a daily rainfall of 45.1 millimetres on April 5, the second highest on record for the Ching Ming Festival since 1884.
As a southerly airstream set in, the weather of Hong Kong became hot with sunny intervals during the day on April 6 and 7. Under the influence of a strong easterly airstream and associated cloud bands over the coast of Guangdong on April 8, local weather turned windier and cloudy with a few rain patches. Visibility was relatively low in some areas. With the easterly airstream being replaced by a southerly airstream the following day, local weather was misty with one or two light rain patches in the morning. The visibility in the harbour once fell below 3000 metres in the morning. It was hot with sunny intervals during the day. The southerly airstream continued to affect the coast of Guangdong from April 10 to 16. Local weather remained mainly cloudy from April 10 to 12 and it was hot during the day. An anticyclone aloft brought sunny periods and hot weather during the day to Hong Kong from April 13 to 16. With abundant sunshine, the temperature at the Observatory rose to a maximum of 30.2 degrees in the afternoon on April 16, the highest of the month.
An area of intense thundery showers associated with a trough of low pressure affected the vicinity of the Pearl River Estuary on the afternoon of April 17. Locally, heavy showers with severe squally thunderstorms were recorded that afternoon, with over 30 millimetres of rainfall on Hong Kong Island and Lantau Island. Hail was reported on Lamma Island. Winds were weak on the next three days. The weather of Hong Kong was mainly fine, hot and dry during the day on April 18 and 19, then turned mainly cloudy with a few showers on April 20. Under light wind conditions, visibility was rather low in some areas on April 18 and the mornings of April 19 and 20. Showers and thunderstorms associated with upper-air disturbances affected the coast of Guangdong on April 21. Locally, the weather was mainly cloudy with a few showers in the morning. Showers were heavier with squally thunderstorms over the eastern part of Hong Kong Island and Sai Kung District. With the departure of upper-air disturbances, the weather improved on the afternoon of April 21 with sunny intervals. Local weather remained hot with sunny periods during the day on April 22 under the influence of a southerly airstream.
A cold front moved across the coast of Guangdong around noon on April 23. The associated northeast monsoon brought cooler weather later that day with temperatures generally 3 to 5 degrees lower than those of the day before. With the continual influence of the northeast monsoon on the next day, the temperature at the Observatory dropped to a minimum of 19.7 degrees on the afternoon of April 24, the lowest of the month. Upper-air disturbances also brought showers and squally thunderstorms to the territory on April 23 and 24. Around 20 millimetres of rainfall were recorded in the New Territories in the evening on April 23, and rainfall exceeded 30 millimetres over many places on April 24. As the northeast monsoon and a cloud band lingered, local weather was mainly cloudy on April 25 with one or two light rain patches in the morning. A drier easterly airstream affected the coast of Guangdong on the next two days, bringing generally fine and dry weather during the day on April 26 and 27. Upper-air disturbances affected Guangdong on the next two days. Local weather was mainly cloudy with sunny intervals during the day on April 28. There were a few showers and isolated thunderstorms in the afternoon. A cold front moved across the coastal areas of Guangdong on the afternoon of April 29. Locally, it was mainly cloudy with occasional showers and a few squally thunderstorms that day. Showers were heavy at times. Around 30 millimetres of rainfall were recorded over many places, and rainfall even exceeded 50 millimetres over Hong Kong Island. Temperatures started to drop in the late afternoon due to the associated northeast monsoon. As the upper-air disturbances departed and under the influence of the northeast monsoon, local weather was dry during the day with sunny intervals on the last day of the month. It was cooler in the morning. The relative humidity over most parts of the territory during the day fell to around 50 per cent.
One tropical cyclone occurred over the South China Sea and the western North Pacific in April 2026.
Details of issuance and cancellation of various warnings/signals in the month are summarised in Table 1. Monthly meteorological figures and departures from normal for April are tabulated in Table 2.
Source: AI-found images
