The economic landscape in China has been nothing short of exciting lately, with quick-changing peaks and troughs. Following the recent stock market crash, investors are snapping up rapidly snapping up real estate, especially in Shenzhen and Shanghai. Investors are cashing out on their failing stocks and buying up real estate instead.
Photo credit: Shui On Land
The less-costly but equally major city of Shenzhen is leading the way for potentially similar activity in Shanghai, with property prices more than doubling in the last year. Properties are already considered expensive in the commercial and more cosmopolitan Shanghai, but even there, values are expected to rise 20 per cent. A new residential project in North-central Shanghai has recently launched to median prices of $1,600 psf, with a 1,800 sq ft unit going for about $3.3 million. From the first-day sell-out response, saying that the buyers are biting is an understatement. Hong Kong developer Shui On Land is behind this project and will be launching the next phase in May this year, possibly at higher prices.
These actions however may be risky. A property bubble is growing and could burst if policies and economies are not managed efficiently. Some smaller counties are already struggling with increasing unsold inventory, with some townships reporting ‘ghost towns’ or developments which are severely undersold.
