Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that a total of 2,369 building units and parking spaces were purchased and sold in the fourth quarter of 2020 as per Stamp Duty record, and the total value of transactions was MOP13.57 billion, down by 6.8% and 9.2% respectively quarter-to-quarter.

Purchase and sale of residential units decreased by 271 quarter-to-quarter to 1,630 units and the total transaction value dropped by 8.5% to MOP11.53 billion. Existing residential units transacted totalled 1,362, a decrease of 243 units; the transaction value fell by 12.6% to MOP8.79 billion. Number of pre-sale residential units transacted reduced by 28 quarter-to-quarter to 268, amounting to MOP2.74 billion, up by 7.6%.

In terms of average price per square metre of usable area, the overall average price of residential units (MOP108,969) in the fourth quarter rose by 4.8% quarter-to-quarter. The average price of residential units in Taipa (MOP118,329) went up by 10.3%, mainly due to an increase of 9.1 percentage points in the proportion of relatively high-priced pre-sale residential units transacted in that area (36.5%). In addition, the average prices of residential units in Coloane (MOP121,007) and the Macao Peninsula (MOP102,842) rose by 2.3% and 2.0% respectively. The average price per square metre of usable area of existing residential units (MOP99,375) increased by 2.4% quarter-to-quarter, and that of pre-sale residential units (MOP156,474) grew by 8.7%.

The average prices per square metre of usable area of industrial units (MOP40,856) and office units (MOP108,050) fell by 14.4% and 2.0% respectively quarter-to-quarter.

In 2020, number of building units and parking spaces transacted went down by 18.3% year-on-year to 9,002, and the transaction value fell by 17.9% to MOP51.11 billion. Purchase and sale of residential units decreased by 1,794 year-on-year to 6,483 units; total transaction value dropped by 15.9% to MOP42.96 billion, with the value of existing residential units (5,485 units) and pre-sale residential units (998 units) amounting to MOP34.26 billion and MOP8.70 billion respectively.

The average price per square metre of usable area of residential units was MOP105,064 in 2020, down by 2.3% year-on-year; the average prices of those in the Macao Peninsula (MOP102,097), Taipa (MOP107,771) and Coloane (MOP120,240) dropped by 2.2%, 2.7% and 4.4% respectively. The average price of existing residential units (MOP97,721) dipped by 3.2% year-on-year, while that of pre-sale residential units (MOP148,024) increased by 3.9%. As regards non-residential units, the average price per square metre of office units rose by 2.4% year-on-year to MOP110,973, whereas that of industrial units decreased by 13.0% to MOP47,855.

In the fourth quarter of 2020, there were 3,869 real estate purchase and sale contracts signed, and the number of properties involved (4,037) rose by 5.8% quarter-to-quarter. Meanwhile, 3,762 mortgage contracts were signed, with the number of properties involved (3,963) dropping by 19.4% quarter-to-quarter. For the whole year of 2020, a total of 11,589 real estate purchase and sale contracts were signed, and the number of properties involved (12,222) went up by 11.4% year-on-year. Besides, 11,347 mortgage contracts were signed, and the number of properties involved (14,954) reduced by 9.4% year-on-year.

As regards construction in the private sector, there were 8,705 residential units in the design stage, 2,687 under construction, and 1,371 under inspection as at the end of the fourth quarter of 2020. During the quarter, 1,083 residential units were issued the licence of use, with studio flats and two-bedroom units accounting for 40.4% and 31.2% of the total respectively. On the other hand, 43 residential units were issued the construction permit, of which 58.1% were one-bedroom units.

In 2020, a total of 2,365 residential units were issued the licence of use, of which 2,069 were located in the Macao Peninsula. Analysed by type of unit, 52.0% of the units were studio flats and 25.0% were two-bedroom units. A total of 162 residential units were issued the construction permit, and 68.5% of them were studio flats.