A total of 5.96 percent of households bought residences during last year, the highest percentage in the last seven years, according to a survey released on Saturday by Sinyi Real Eastate Inc (
The ratio was up 0.14 percentage points over the previous year and marked the fourth consecutive positive-growth rate since 2002 -- the first time the home-buying rate experienced an upward trend following a 10-year recession in the real estate industry, according to the nation's largest housing agent.
By region, the number of homes purchased in last year was the highest in Taichung, where approximately one in 10 families purchased a home that year, the survey said.
Hsinchu County posted the second-highest rate, followed by Taoyuan County and Taipei County, the survey said.
Penghu County had the lowest home-buying ratio in last year, with only 1.57 percent of households purchasing homes that year, according to the survey.
Analysts at the real estate company said Taiwan's economic recovery and mortgage loans provided at low rates by the government have helped boost people's desire to buy a home, which they said was reflected in the increase in turnover in the housing market.
According Ministry of the Interior statistics, real-estate transaction cases amounted to 434,871 in last year, up 3.99 percent compared to the previous year.
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