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Property policies

Property policies
Due to ample liquidity, property in Asian markets such as Singapore and Hong Kong has been driven relentlessly higher for years. As a result, governments have introduced property-cooling measures.  On the other hand, Chinese government started easing restrictions such as lowering the down payment for second homebuyers to improve the real estate sector. Western countries also impose different policies against foreign property buying.
Hong Kong developer Hang Lung is pinning its hopes on an uptick in mainland consumption. Photo: AFP
China property

Hang Lung flags ‘tough slog’ for property, looks to mainland malls for growth

Hong Kong developer says property segment recovery will be slow, but sees mainland retail and consumption offering the clearest upside.

Hong Kong property

Hong Kong home prices snap 3-year downturn as rents surge to a new high

Hong Kong property

All signs point to rebound in Hong Kong’s housing market: Morgan Stanley analyst

Hong Kong property

Complaints against Hong Kong property agents rise faster than home sales

Market recovery exposes pressure points as complaints surge 56 per cent, with online advertising violations dominating cases.

The Estate Agents Authority opened 253 complaint cases in 2025, up from 162 in 2024. Photo: Jonathan Wong
Hong Kong property

Hong Kong tests student housing land sales amid slumping office demand

Government invites interest in three sites for student hostels, signalling a shift from office sites to education-focused development.

China property

Mainland China’s home prices extend slide, deepening property downturn

New home prices fall again in December, with declines across most cities, as second-hand values plunge year on year.

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China consumption

Why mortgage subsidies could be key to getting China’s consumers spending

Beijing is striving to boost household spending amid an economic slowdown. But first it needs to stabilise the housing market, scholars say.

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Cranes tower above an unfinished apartment building in Beijing. Photo: Getty Images
China economy

Opinion | China’s new property pivot is coming. Expect full stabilisation ahead

As property curbs to boost spending hit practical limits, a push to stabilise assets is now being seen as a prerequisite for consumer confidence.

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China property

Expect no ‘systemic shock’ from Vanke’s ‘technical default’: HSBC

Even an ‘aggressive’ haircut would pose limited downside risks to key developers, bank says.

Asia housing and property

The View | 3 factors Asia’s real estate investors must watch in 2026

Asia might have sidestepped the worst of Trump’s tariffs, but investors should focus on price growth, Japan’s resilience and the sustainability of the data centre boom.

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Residential and commercial buildings in Tokyo on August 18, 2025. Home prices rose 56 per cent year on year in the Japanese capital in 2025. Photo: dpa
International Property

Heightened tensions with China rattle Japan’s property market: analysts

Bilateral friction is expected to impact assets tied to tourism, including hotels and high-street retail shops, CBRE’s Chinatsu Hani says.

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Office and residential buildings seen from an observation deck at the Shinjuku business district in Tokyo, Japan. Photo: EPA-EFE
Hong Kong economy

Opinion | Northern Metropolis can combine best of central planning and free market

Guided by the national five-year plans, the Hong Kong government is changing policies and offering attractive terms for the project.

China property

China Vanke offshore creditors face near wipeout in Barclays worst-case scenario

British bank warns recoveries could fall below 1 per cent as restructuring priorities and access to assets remain uncertain.

Hong Kong property

Hong Kong’s Sino Land and Great Eagle secure Kowloon site for US$206 million

Acquisition of 41,226 sq ft plot – which could yield 570 homes – reflects confidence in the property market’s recovery as sales rebound.

Sino Land says the site will benefit from an extensive transport network and strong connectivity to major commercial hubs. Photo: Jelly Tse
Hong Kong property

Hong Kong developers rush new flats as sentiment lifts, pressuring recovery

Wheelock and Kerry plan to roll out more than 4,500 units in 2026, even as analysts warn that inventory overhang may cap price gains.

Kerry Properties plans to launch more than 3,300 flats this year, including those at Lohas Park phase 13 in Tseung Kwan O. Photo: Handout
China property

China’s developers diminish further amid unending property downturn

Only 10 developers manage to break US$14 billion in 2025 sales, down from 43 in 2020.

China property

Property industry an enemy within for Beijing’s economic targets

Ripple effect from further downturn would threaten economic growth and put more developers, workers and even banks at risk, analysts warn.

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China's economic recovery

No ‘piecemeal’ steps: Chinese journal urges more support for property sector

Top Communist Party journal calls on officials to roll out a stronger policy package in one go, rather than following ‘piecemeal-style’ approach.

People pass by half-finished buildings in Beijing. China’s property market has been mired in a downturn since 2021. Photo: EPA-EFE
China property

China housing market gets VAT relief on resales but demand outlook stays subdued

Policy lowering VAT to 3 per cent reduces seller costs but demand recovery is key to stabilising the housing sector, property agents say.

China property

Beijing trims property resale tax in fresh push to stabilise housing market

Under new rules, sellers will pay just 3 per cent VAT if they offload a property within two years of purchase, down from 5 per cent.

Hong Kong courts

Hong Kong homeowner fined HK$180,000 for ‘wilful’ structural flat wall removal

Ku Chun-ho bears responsibility for checking whether removal of wall in his Lohas Park home requires approval, magistrate says.

A screen grab of Ku Chun-ho’s 681 sq ft home. Photo: Handout
Asia housing and property

The View | How AI helped Asia’s real estate sector pass the tariff stress test

While multiple factors are at play, this year’s tech exuberance helped the region’s property markets stay afloat.

Tourists take photos at the Lotte World Tower’s observation deck in Seoul on September 5. Photo : Xinhua
China property

China Jinmao sells 5-star Ritz-Carlton hotel in Sanya for US$322 million

Asset restructuring aims to boost liquidity as mainland China developers face a prolonged property downturn.

China consumption

China vows city-specific fixes to clear housing glut, stabilise property sector

Housing minister pledges to empower local governments to buy unsold inventory and shift towards selling only finished homes with a ‘what you see is what you get’ model.

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China property

China Vanke wins bondholders’ reprieve, averts default for now

Holders of the 2 billion yuan note approve extension of grace period to January 28, but deny proposal to defer principal payment for a year.

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Vanke is the last major Chinese real estate firm to so far have avoided reneging on its debts amid the multi-year real estate crisis. Photo: AFP
Japan

Losing ground: Japan sounds alarm over foreign-owned land

From next year, anyone buying property will have to confirm their nationality – a move some analysts say is overkill.

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The Tokyo Skytree is seen from buildings in a residential area of the Japanese capital. Photo: AFP
China property

Opinion | China’s property market isn’t so much collapsing as being reconfigured

Viewing China’s real estate crisis solely through the lens of market indicators misses the deeper, structural shifts at play.

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Japan

Will Japan’s young embrace 50-year loans amid rising housing prices?

Opting for 50-year loans lowers monthly costs, but the long-term risks are mounting.

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