Zhengzhou city in China directs state-owned companies to purchase secondhand houses

China's property market continues to face challenges, with smaller cities like Zhengzhou feeling the pinch. In a unique move, the city is encouraging residents to trade in their existing homes for new ones in an attempt to boost the local property sector.
Under this program, Zhengzhou's state-owned Zhengzhou Urban Development Group Co. will buy up to 500 second-hand homes from residents between April 20th and June 30th. However, there's a catch: residents can only participate if they use the funds from the sale to purchase a brand-new property within the city center, with a total value that's equal to or higher than their current home.
This initiative comes against the backdrop of a nationwide slowdown in China's property market. Since 2021, stricter regulations on developer borrowing have caused a liquidity crisis, impacting smaller cities like Zhengzhou particularly hard. Here, new home prices have fallen for twelve consecutive months, raising concerns about project completion and buyer confidence.
While local governments have tried various methods to stimulate the market, including relaxing purchase restrictions, lowering mortgage rates, and offering subsidies, the impact has been limited. Many potential buyers remain hesitant, worried about the ability of developers burdened with debt to deliver projects on schedule.
Analysts believe the property market will continue to drag on China's economic growth in 2024. Zhengzhou's home trade-in program, targeting up to 500 properties, is a novel attempt to address the issue. Whether it succeeds in reviving the market or remains a limited experiment will be closely watched by industry experts and policymakers across China.

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Zhengzhou city in China directs state-owned companies to purchase secondhand houses

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