Helen, the owner of the 2-bedroom flat in Tseung Kwan O Centre, bought it for $6.83 million in early January this year, a bargain of about $1 million from its peak.

As she wanted to retain as much of the original decoration of the flat as possible, she had a building surveyor inspect it to see if it was feasible.

The surveyor, Mr Chan Chi Hong, said there were three main problems with the flat.

Firstly, there were signs of blackening on the flooring in the living room and part of the bedroom.

Secondly, the bathroom sink had water leakage problems.

Thirdly, some of the appliances, such as the washing machine and air conditioner, were damaged.

Of the three problems, water leakage and damaged appliances must be dealt with first. It would be even more troublesome to replace the furniture only after moving out later.

Phase 2 of Tseung Kwan O Centre was occupied in 2003 and is about 20 years old. It was developed in collaboration with a number of developers including SHKP and Henderson Land. It has a clubhouse with indoor and outdoor swimming pools and a children's playground.

In addition, the estate is adjacent to the Tseung Kwan O Station and there is a large shopping mall at the base of the estate, so it is well equipped with transportation and shopping facilities. However, the age of the building is quite old, and the bay window design and "black toilets" may not be suitable for everyone.