Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that a total of 2,321 building units and parking spaces were purchased and sold in the fourth quarter of 2018 as per Stamp Duty record, and the total value of transactions was MOP14.16 billion, down by 26.3% and 20.7% respectively quarter-to-quarter.
Purchase and sale of residential units decreased by 627 quarter-to-quarter to 1,756 units and the total value dropped by 22.2% to MOP11.32 billion. Existing residential units transacted totalled 1,463 units, down significantly by 703, and the transaction value fell by 34.8% to MOP8.28 billion. Meanwhile, number of pre-sale residential units transacted increased by 76 quarter-to-quarter to 293 units, and the transaction value rose by 65.1% to MOP3.04 billion.
In terms of average price per square metre of usable area, the overall average price of residential units (MOP107,790) in the fourth quarter saw an increase of 3.8% quarter-to-quarter. Among them, the average price of residential units in Taipa (MOP114,680) rose by 16.6%, mainly due to a growth of 27.6 percentage points in the proportion of relatively high-priced pre-sale residential units (29.8%) transacted in that area. The average price of residential units in Coloane (MOP137,865) went up by 15.4% while the price of those in the Macao Peninsula (MOP99,860) dropped by 4.5%.
The average price of existing residential units fell by 1.9% quarter-to-quarter to MOP97,725 per square metre. Transactions were mainly in NATAP (291 units), Baixa da Taipa (176 units) and Areia Preta & Iao Hon (109 units), and the respective average prices per square metre were MOP138,313, MOP100,291 and MOP91,011.
The average price of pre-sale residential units was MOP146,990 per square metre, up by 1.6% quarter-to-quarter. Most of the transacted units were in Coloane (156 units), Baixa da Taipa (98 units) and Fai Chi Kei (15 units), and the respective average prices per square metre were MOP140,307, MOP156,625 and MOP158,993.
The average price of office units went down by 0.6% quarter-to-quarter to MOP117,568 per square metre, while that of industrial units rose by 0.8% to MOP54,655 per square metre.
For the whole year of 2018, number of building units and parking spaces transacted went up by 7.8% year-on-year to 15,073, and the transaction value grew by 5.1% to MOP89.60 billion. Purchase and sale of residential units increased by 241 to 10,822 units, of which pre-sale residential units rose by 574 while existing residential units dropped by 333. Total transaction value of residential units remained flat, at MOP69.43 billion, with the value of pre-sale residential units (2,617) and existing residential units (8,205) amounting to MOP22.05 billion and MOP47.38 billion respectively.
The average price of residential units was MOP108,427 per square metre of usable area in 2018, up by 7.5% year-on-year. The average prices of those in the Macao Peninsula (MOP101,914) and Coloane (MOP135,527) rose by 11.1% and 5.7% respectively, whereas the price of those in Taipa (MOP112,391) dropped by 2.4%. The average prices of existing residential units (MOP97,211) and pre-sale residential units (MOP142,663) recorded respective growth of 7.5% and 3.7% year-on-year. Meanwhile, the average prices per square metre of office units and industrial units were MOP163,863 and MOP56,393 respectively, up by 44.8% and 3.6% year-on-year.
In the fourth quarter of 2018, there were 2,701 real estate purchase and sale contracts signed, and the number of properties involved (2,876) fell by 31.3% quarter-to-quarter. Meanwhile, 2,838 mortgage contracts were signed, with the number of properties involved (3,407) dropping by 34.4%. For the whole year of 2018, a total of 13,494 real estate purchase and sale contracts were signed, and the number of properties involved (14,759) went down by 1.9% year-on-year; moreover, 13,772 mortgage contracts were signed, and the number of properties involved (20,095) showed an increase of 15.2%.
As regards construction in the private sector, there were 20,624 residential units in the design stage, 7,469 under construction, and 190 under inspection as at the end of the fourth quarter. During the quarter, 23 residential units were issued the construction permit and all of them were located in the Macao Peninsula; meanwhile, 2,121 residential units were issued the licence of use and 2,076 of them were in Taipa.
In 2018, a total of 1,493 residential units were issued the construction permit and 52.4% of them were studio flats. Furthermore, 4,158 residential units were issued the licence of use; 32.8% of them were studio flats and 25.3% were two-bedroom units.