Housing transactions in the six special municipalities totaled 22,316 units last month, an increase of 24.4 percent from a year earlier, as builders and developers finished construction of presale projects before the Lunar New Year, real-estate brokers said.
The robust performance raised expectations that overall transactions nationwide could surpass 300,000 units for the whole of last year, brokers said.
Taoyuan reported an increase of 50 percent year-on-year to 4,466 units, the highest increase since the government introduced property gain taxes four years ago, Evertrust Rehouse Co (永慶房屋) spokesman Jay Hsieh (謝志傑) said.
Jhongli (中壢), Lujhu (蘆竹) and Taoyuan (桃園) districts reported the most transfers, as builders completed the construction of presale projects, Hsieh said.
Taoyuan become more attractive due to infrastructure improvement projects and relatively affordable housing prices, Taiwan Realty Co (台灣房屋) said.
Cathay Hospitality Management Co (國泰商旅) is to open a new Hotel Cozzi (和逸) in Taoyuan this summer, while Japan’s Yokohama Hakkeijima Sea Paradise is to open an aquarium there, the broker added.
Housing deals rose 25.4 percent to 5,754 in New Taipei City as developers turned over ownership of more than 100 units in Banciao (板橋) and Sindian (新店) to buyers, Taiwan Realty said.
The city has emerged as the best destination for people who cannot afford homes in Taipei, it said.
Transactions in Taichung rose 19.8 percent to 4,425 units, as the city benefits from government plans to build a mass rapid transit system, expand the railway network and improve a local airport, Taiwan Realty said.
Housing deals rose 16.8 percent to 2,087 units in Tainan, while increasing 10.6 percent to 3,054 in Kaohsiung on improved buying interest, data from separate local administrators showed.
Transactions in Taipei climbed 18.3 percent to 2,530 units.
An announced “phase one” trade deal the US and China are to sign on Wednesday next week is favorable to market sentiment this year, Evertrust Rehouse said.
People are less willing to raise offers for homes in Taipei, as they have become untenable, the broker said.
For the whole of last year, transactions totaled 232,031 units in the six municipalities, a 24.4 percent increase from 2018.
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