The business climate monitor for northern Taiwan’s housing market flashed “yellow-blue” for the fifth time last month, signaling continued weakness as tighter lending conditions dampened demand, the property research publication My Housing Monthly (住展雜誌) said.
The gauge, which tracks supply, transactions and asking prices, stood at 38.2 — a level comparable to the COVID-19 pandemic — reflecting sluggish sentiment in presale and new housing markets. Transaction volumes, prospective buyer visits and projects awaiting sale have declined, while price concessions remained largely stable.
Headwinds have intensified as the market entered the second half of the year, with summer vacations, Ghost Month and US tariffs weighing on buyer sentiment, said Chen Ping-chen (陳炳辰), the publication’s research director and spokesman.
Photo: Hsu Yi-ping, Taipei Times
Developers have grown more cautious, with overall presale project volume dropping by about NT$10 billion (US$332.7 million) to just above NT$60 billion. Only one project in Taipei’s Zhongzheng District (中正) has potential sales exceeding NT$10 billion, a major threshold.
Newly completed units rose by about 30 to more than 200, a modest increase offering limited support amid high prices and strict mortgage conditions, Chen said.
Only flagship projects in prime locations by well-capitalized developers, or newly launched presale projects in their “honeymoon period,” have drawn dozens of weekly visitors and occasional sales. However, for most projects, sluggish weekly showings and zero transactions have become the norm, he said.
The number of projects for sale climbed to 1,375, up more than 40 from June, with New Taipei City and Taoyuan recording the steepest gains. Many projects require years to clear inventory, even as new supply continues to arrive, highlighting a “trapped” market that is unable to sell yet compelled to launch new units, he said.
Asking and transaction prices remain closely aligned, generally within a 10 percent range, but Taipei, where high housing prices create pockets of negotiation, is an exception. Premium projects in Daan District (大安) contrast with more affordable options in Wanhua (萬華), Wenshan (文山), and Neihu (內湖) districts, generating measurable bargaining room.
In other administrative regions, developers have largely maintained prices to avoid potential cascading effects, sustaining pricing despite slower sales.
Amid this backdrop, many developers are postponing project launches until next year, making it unlikely that the upcoming Sept. 28 sales season would generate significant momentum.
Popular battlegrounds — New Taipei City’s Linkou District (林口), Taoyuan’s Guishan (龜山) and Zhongli (中壢) and Hsinchu’s Jhubei (竹北) — could see few project debuts during the season, Chen said.
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