Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that a total of 2,569 building units and parking spaces were purchased and sold in the fourth quarter of 2019 as per Stamp Duty record, and the total value of transactions was MOP14.15 billion, down by 14.7% and 19.1% respectively quarter-to-quarter.

Purchase and sale of residential units decreased by 511 quarter-to-quarter to 1,831 units and the total value dropped by 18.7% to MOP11.58 billion. Existing residential units transacted totalled 1,612, a decrease of 334 units; the transaction value fell by 14.9% to MOP9.38 billion. Meanwhile, number of pre-sale residential units transacted reduced by 177 quarter-to-quarter to 219 units, amounting to MOP2.20 billion, down by 31.8%.

In terms of average price per square metre of usable area, the overall average price of residential units (MOP104,468) in the fourth quarter dipped by 5.0% quarter-to-quarter. The average price of residential units in Taipa (MOP110,613) went down by 9.7%, mainly due to a decrease of 25.7 percentage points in the proportion of relatively high-priced pre-sale residential units transacted in that area (18.7%). Besides, the average price of residential units in the Macao Peninsula (MOP100,060) dropped by 4.4% whereas the price of those in Coloane (MOP126,844) rose by 8.8%.

The average price per square metre of usable area of existing residential units fell by 3.9% quarter-to-quarter to MOP97,513. Most of the transacted units were in NATAP, with 330 units; 221 units were in Baixa da Taipa and 139 units in Areia Preta & Iao Hon. The respective average prices per square metre were MOP129,917, MOP99,163 and MOP92,025.

The average price per square metre of usable area of pre-sale residential units was MOP147,805, down by 3.5% quarter-to-quarter. There were 93 transacted units in Coloane, 45 in Cidade & Hipódromo da Taipa and 27 in Móng Há & Reservatório. The respective average prices per square metre were MOP128,854, MOP196,867 and MOP144,447.

The average price per square metre of office units (MOP115,867) edged up by 0.1% quarter-to-quarter, while that of industrial units (MOP55,518) fell by 7.0%.

For the whole year of 2019, number of building units and parking spaces transacted went down by 26.9% year-on-year to 11,022, and the transaction value fell by 30.5% to MOP62.24 billion. Purchase and sale of residential units decreased by 2,545 to 8,277 units; total transaction value fell by 26.5% to MOP51.05 billion, with the value of existing residential units (7,101) and pre-sale residential units (1,176) amounting to MOP40.61 billion and MOP10.44 billion respectively.

The average price per square metre of usable area of residential units was MOP107,522 in 2019, down by 0.8% year-on-year; the average prices of those in Coloane (MOP125,799) and Taipa (MOP110,721) dropped by 7.2% and 1.5% respectively, whereas the price of those in the Macao Peninsula (MOP104,346) rose by 2.4%. The average price of existing residential units (MOP100,977) grew by 3.9%, while that of pre-sale residential units (MOP142,487) nudged down by 0.1%. Meanwhile, the average price per square metre of office units fell by 33.8% year-on-year to MOP108,407 as there were higher-priced units being transacted in 2018. Besides, the average price per square metre of industrial units was MOP54,979, a decrease of 2.5%.

In the fourth quarter of 2019, there were 2,505 real estate purchase and sale contracts signed, and the number of properties involved (2,598) fell by 30.9% quarter-to-quarter. Meanwhile, 2,691 mortgage contracts were signed, with the number of properties involved (3,704) dropping by 21.4%. For the whole year of 2019, a total of 10,303 real estate purchase and sale contracts were signed, and the number of properties involved (10,969) went down by 25.7% year-on-year; moreover, 10,884 mortgage contracts were signed, and the number of properties involved (16,508) showed a decrease of 17.9%.

As regards construction in the private sector, there were 9,039 residential units in the design stage, 3,959 under construction, and 1,315 under inspection as at the end of the fourth quarter of 2019. During the quarter, 812 residential units (810 were located in the Macao Peninsula) were issued the licence of use, with studio flats and one-bedroom units accounting for 41.5% and 31.7% of the total respectively. Meanwhile, no construction permits for residential units were issued in the fourth quarter.

For the whole year of 2019, a total of 325 residential units were issued the construction permit and 61.5% of them were studio flats. Furthermore, 2,886 residential units were issued the licence of use; 64.3% of them were in Coloane and 35.0% were in the Macao Peninsula. Analysed by type of unit, 29.2% of the units were two-bedroom units, 25.2% were one bedroom-units, 22.9% were studio flats and 20.7% were three-bedroom units.