Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that the construction of 2 new buildings with a gross floor area of 24,159 m² has been started in the second quarter of 2008. Upon completion, these buildings will provide 14 units, 139 parking spaces for cars and 87 parking spaces for motorcycles. Meanwhile, a total of 10 buildings with a gross floor area of 31,210 m² were completed, providing altogether 144 units, as well as 75 and 40 parking spaces for cars and motorcycles respectively. There were 3,064 cases of real estate sale and purchase contracts made in the second quarter of 2008, involving 4,022 units that amounted to MOP4.11 billion, down by 7.8% and 2.9% respectively over the preceding quarter. Moreover, the total value of mortgage loans amounted to MOP5.45 billion, down notably by 77.2% compared with the preceding quarter. Sale and purchase of building units with stamp duty paid was 7,339 in the second quarter of 2008, and the total value amounted to MOP10.99 billion. Among these transactions, 3,147 units (42.9%), with a total value of MOP6.95 billion, were purchased and sold under Intermediate Transfer of Title. The majority (4,075 units valued at MOP9.2 billion) of these transactions were residential units that accounted for 55.5% of the total number of building units. Compared with the first quarter, transaction of residential units and value decreased by 10.7% and 16.2% respectively. Among these residential units, 3,155 units were situated in the Macao Peninsula, 902 in Taipa Island and 18 in Coloane Island. Analyzed by transaction price, number of residential units were sold for over MOP4,000,000 totalled 661 (16.2% of the total); 1,002 units (24.6%) for over MOP2,000,000 to MOP4,000,000; 864 units (21.2%) for over MOP1,000,000 to MOP2,000,000; and 1,548 units (38.0%) for MOP1,000,000 or less. In the second quarter of 2008, the overall average transaction price of residential units with stamp duty paid amounted to MOP24,741 per square meter of usable area, up slightly by 0.6% over the previous quarter. The average transaction price of those in the Macao Peninsula rose by 22.7% to MOP25,198 per square meter, with notable increase in the districts of NATAP and Patane & São Paulo; however, the average price of those in Taipa Island decreased by 28.8% to MOP23,553 per square meter. With regard to the transaction of residential units under Intermediate Transfer of Title, the overall average transaction price amounted to MOP37,268 per square meter, down by 6.6% over the previous quarter. The average price of the residential units in the Macao Peninsula increased by 15.2% to MOP40,808 per square meter, whereas the average price of those in Taipa Island decreased by 37.1% to MOP28,434 per square meter. In the second quarter of 2008, the average transaction price of industrial and office units amounted to MOP5,919 and 24,130 per square meter, up by 3.6% and 11.4% over the preceding quarter.
