Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that a total of 5,345 building units were purchased and sold at MOP8.98 billion in the third quarter of 2009 according to Stamp Duty records, up substantially by 44.0% and 96.3% respectively from the second quarter. Among them, 1,880 were new units, at MOP5.16 billion, still within the property tax exemption period, up notably by 70.4% and 107.0% respectively quarter-to-quarter. The majority (3,681 units) of these transactions were residential units amounting to MOP7.66 billion, soaring by 61.7% and 103.5% respectively quarter-to-quarter, of which 3,000 units were situated in the Macao Peninsula and 672 in Taipa. In terms of the price of transaction, 1,300 units were sold for MOP1,000,000 or less and 1,083 units for over MOP1,000,000 to MOP2,000,000. Analyzed by year of completion of the building, 1,370 residential units were completed in 2000 and after, with 1,439 units in 1990-1999 and 872 units in 1989 and before. As regards the floor area of the unit, 1,846 units (50.1% of total) had an area of 50 to 99.9 square metres. In the third quarter of 2009, the average transaction price of residential units rose by 27.6% quarter-to-quarter to MOP24,154 per square metre of usable area, with the average price of those in the Macao Peninsula increasing by 35.8% to MOP24,158 per square metre, of which the area of NAPE e Aterros da Baía da Praia Grande went up by 29.6% to MOP51,296 per square metre; meanwhile, the average price of those in Taipa increased by 6.8% to MOP23,897 per square meter. In addition, the average price of residential units purchased and sold under Intermediate Transfer of Title stood at MOP34,357 per square metre, up by 10.2% quarter-to-quarter. The average transaction price of office units rose by 2.5% over the preceding quarter to MOP20,049 per square meter, while that of industrial units went down by 5.8% to MOP5,480 per square metre. There were 2,825 cases of real estate sale and purchase contracts made in the third quarter of 2009, involving 3,323 units valued at MOP3.94 billion, up by 16.7% and 19.9% respectively quarter-to-quarter. The total value of mortgage loans amounted to MOP5.97 billion. In the third quarter of 2009, approvals were granted to the construction of 17 buildings with a gross floor area of 121,681 square metres, which will provide a total of 534 units, 529 parking spaces for cars and 117 parking spaces for motorcycles upon completion. Meanwhile, construction of 12 new buildings with a gross floor area of 10,118 square metres has been started which, upon completion, will provide 63 units, of which 43 are residential units. In addition, a total of 19 buildings with a gross floor area of 436,310 square metres were completed, altogether providing 1,245 units (1,217 are residential units), 2,146 parking spaces for cars and 377 parking spaces for motorcycles.
