Ibuprofen over property: prospective homebuyers in Beijing defer purchases amid Covid-19 outbreak
- Prospective buyers are putting off property viewings because of a fear of contracting Covid, agents say
- Sales of lived-in homes in Beijing dropped 3 per cent last week, according to Zhuge Zhaofang
A homebuying recovery in Beijing has been replaced by a run on ibuprofen, aspirin and self-testing kits.
As the fast-spreading coronavirus outbreak dampens sentiment, sales are expected to take some time to return to pre-Covid-19 levels in China’s capital, analysts said.
“We have clients looking [for a home], but they do not want to view homes now,” said Mary Liu, a property agent in Beijing, noting that prospective buyers have been putting off viewings because of a fear of contracting Covid-19 amid a surge in coronavirus infections.
Liu and other agents are meeting fewer homeseekers this month as they choose to stay home instead.
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