Thank you! That's a good idea about PoA.
Yes, it is troubling as the earlier emigrants all age, isn't it?
Actually, there's already a PoA drawn up there which i can theoretically use to deal with financial affairs over there.
However, I found that the various solicitor firms in HK I approached said they won't take the business even if there's a valid PoA. They will only take it on if the seller can visit their office in person.
Now that this thread has mentioned broader issues, I can see why law firms might not want the hassle or risk of dealing with potential KYC or added checks, legal documentation. For them local property transactions are straightforward, routine and dealing with something non routine isn't worth their while.
Thank you again for your help! I appreciate the empathy and advice a lot.