Get 40% Off
🤯 This Tech Portfolio is up 29% YTD! Join Now to Get April’s Top PicksGet The Picks – Just 99 USD

China's overheated Shenzhen and Wuhan step up curbs on home purchases

Published 15/11/2016, 10:36
Updated 15/11/2016, 10:40
© Reuters. High rise residential flats are under construction in the southern city of Shenzhen

© Reuters. High rise residential flats are under construction in the southern city of Shenzhen

BEIJING (Reuters) - China's Shenzhen and Wuhan stepped up measures to rein in a red-hot housing market with fresh curbs on borrowings and purchasing of multiple homes, extending nationwide efforts by policymakers to cool prices and reduce the risk of a market crash.

The downpayment level for Shenzhen's second-home buyers who borrow from the housing provident fund will be raised to 70 percent from 30 percent, the Shenzhen Housing provident Fund Management centre said in a notice on Tuesday.

For first-time buyers, the downpayment will be increased to 30 percent from 20 percent. Furthermore, loans will not be issued for third-home buyers, who only needed to put down 30 percent as downpayment under previous rules.

The housing provident fund is a kind of social insurance that allows Chinese employees to save money towards purchasing their own homes.

Shenzhen, China's tech hub bordering Hong Kong, has long been one of the high-growth home markets. Average home prices in the city rose 34.1 percent in September from a year earlier.

The Shenzhen local government has twice introduced restrictive measures this year, including raising the downpayment ratio for first-home buyers and second-home buyers seeking bank loans.

Wuhan, the capital of central Hubei province, also strengthened restrictive measures by requiring higher downpayment and banning third-home purchases, the Wuhan Housing Security and Management Bureau announced in a notice late on Monday.

The city's first-home buyers have to pay a 30 percent downpayment as a condition for borrowing from banks, compared with 25 percent under previous rules.

Residents who own two or more homes are not allowed to purchase more, while previously they were only banned from borrowing from banks.

Non-resident first-home buyers must also show proof of paying at least two consecutive years of social insurance or tax in the city.

The new rules in both cities are effective from Nov. 15.

Wuhan is one of China's most overheated cities with average new home prices in September rising 21.3 percent on year, official statistics showed.

More than 20 cities have adopted restrictive measures, including higher mortgage downpayments and an immediate ban on second-home purchases, to prevent speculative buying that could further fuel price bubbles.

However, some analysts noted that some cities were not as tough with their measures.

© Reuters. High rise residential flats are under construction in the southern city of Shenzhen

China's real estate investment growth quickened in October to its highest since April 2014, data showed on Monday, though a slowdown is expected in coming months as the curbs start to bite.

Latest comments

Risk Disclosure: Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.
© 2007-2024 - Fusion Media Limited. All Rights Reserved.