In Hong Kong, the property management industry has burgeoned since the post-war period, when larger-sized buildings were built to cope with the sharp increase in population. At that time, issues like security and environmental hygiene were handled by the caretakers of buildings in a primitive form of property management.

Public housing development started in the 1950s when the Government built a large quantity of resettlement blocks to accommodate the refugees. As many basic facilities had to be shared by the occupants of these public housing estates, there appeared the need for housing management. Hence, the UK concept of professional housing management was introduced in Hong Kong to ensure the well-being of the public housing tenants. Since the 1960s, many old buildings have been transformed into high-rise structures. And legislative amendment has enabled the sale of property in the form of individual flats. As such, the government required the property developers to take responsibility for the management of the housing estates they built. The developers began to provide professional management services for private premises. In June 1970, the Multi-storey Building (Owners Incorporation) Ordinance was enacted. It was substantially amended and renamed the Building Management Ordinance in 1993. The Ordinance provides an effective legal framework for the setting up and operation of owner's corporations. It also enhances the control of property management. Both the government and professional bodies placed great emphasis on professional property management, and concepts used in managing public housing were borrowed to develop professional property management services, in which the landlords and tenants are the target service recipients. Housing management gradually became property management and the industry has witnessed robust development.

Nowadays, there are different types of buildings with diversified facilities. These premises, including residential buildings, offices, industrial buildings, factories, shopping malls and even hotel apartments, municipal services facilities, schools, etc. all require professional property management services. Property management now involves a wide range of services, such as security, environmental protection, building maintenance, household management, etc. Many of these services involve professional knowledge, e.g. environmental management, building structure, electrical and mechanical maintenance, household management, shopping malls and cultural activities, advance management, facilities management, applied law, finance and asset management, human resources management, occupational safety and health, etc.

Nowadays, management of private housing estates, large shopping malls as well as high-tech commercial buildings is a complex, multi-faceted and specialized task. Well-established property management companies with good reputation have high demands for their staff to provide professional services. Also, since property owners entrust both their properties and money to the management companies, the staff of these companies should maintain a high professional standard and integrity.

Besides providing basic services such as cleaning, security, maintenance, general services for households, etc., the employees of the industry should also keep abreast of the market trends and provide diversified value-added services, such as environmental protection and landscaping, improvement and upgrading of the buildings, management of shopping malls and industrial and commercial buildings, letting of premises, community and municipal activities and services, etc. They should also possess sound knowledge in areas such as applied law, financial and asset management as well as human resources development.