ACCESS
Access to The Sea Ranch is only by boat. The development has its own private ferry service that departs every hour from Cheung Chau and takes 15 minutes. This is free of charge for residents and their guests.
The "ordinary" and "fast-ferries" to Cheung Chau from Central run every half-an-hour, with the hourly "fast-ferry"service taking 30 minutes to reach Cheung Chau. The private boat from Cheung Chau is timed to meet the arrival of the "fast-ferry."
Ferry Timetable - Monday to Saturday
Ferry Timetable - Sundays and Public Holidays
SHOPS
The nearest shops are on Cheung Chau Island, 15 minutes by boat from the resort. There are no shops at the Sea Ranch. Cheung Chau has supermarkets such as Wellcome and Park 'n' Shop, chemists such as Watsons, and convenience stores. There is even a McDonald's ! For more sophisticated food shopping the staff at the City Super supermarket at IFC in Central will carry your groceries to the Cheung Chau ferry at Pier Number 5 after you complete your purchase.
UTILITIES
The resort has electricity provided by China Light and Power (CLP).
Fixed line telephone service is provided by PCCW and there is mobile phone coverage in most of the resort.
There is no fixed line broadband internet but Mobile Broadband works well.
Water is free of charge and comes from our own source in the hills behind the resort.
Gas is of the bottled variety, with refills delivered by a company in Cheung Chau.
MANAGEMENT COMPANY
The resort is managed by a professional management company who are responsible for collecting management fees from owners and paying for the day-to-day expenses such as gardening, estate security and minor repair jobs. The management company reports to the Incorporated Owners' Committee. From June 2009 Urban Property Management, a subsidiary of New World Development, has taken over management of the resort.
MANAGEMENT FEES
Since the resort needs to pay for its own ferry service to and from Cheung Chau, and also gardeners, security staff and the upkeep of certain common facilities such as sewage, the monthly management fees are higher than a comparable size apartment in Central. The management fees for the 1,450' units is $3,200 per month.
RATES & GOVERNMENT RENT
Government rates are payable on all residential property in Hong Kong and are assessed as 5% of the annual rateable value. Government rent is also payable on all land in Hong Kong. Both these taxes are payable quarterly.
Current quarterly payments are around $300.
