House-hunting in Hong Kong with the app that flags death

Hong Kong

SHIP Street is quintessentially Hong Kong, even serving as the backdrop to several local movies. There is a well-preserved three-story building from the 1920s, now a cigar lounge. Next door is a towering glass-and-steel apartment complex. There is a New York-style pizzeria, a pastry shop and a mom-and-pop hardware store. But when viewed through a smartphone camera, Ship Street can look downright creepy.

Building on the success of Pokémon Go, a local company has created a smartphone app that superimposes property listings on street views. Point your phone at a building and the units for rent or sale pop up, complete with prices. But on occasion, cartoon ghosts appear next to an a…