Shanghai Cuts Real Estate Taxes to Boost Housing Market
Real Estate

Shanghai Cuts Real Estate Taxes to Boost Housing Market

Shanghai announced new tax reductions for real estate transactions, effective December 1, as part of efforts to revive its struggling property market. The city will remove the distinction between "ordinary" and "non-ordinary" housing, which had subjected larger properties to higher taxes.

Key changes include exempting residents from value-added tax (VAT) if they sell a property held for over two years. Additionally, the threshold for levying deed tax has been raised from 90 square meters to 140 square meters. For instance, the deed tax on a 10-million-yuan apartment will drop significantly from 300,000 yuan to 100,000 yuan.

These measures follow the central government's broader initiatives, including interest rate cuts and reduced down-payment requirements, to stabilize the real estate sector. Despite these efforts, resale home prices in Shanghai fell for the 16th straight month in October, down 6.7% year-on-year.

"Shanghai's tax cuts align with national policies to rebuild confidence in the housing market," said Bruce Pang, chief economist at JLL. However, Pang cautioned that reducing transaction costs alone may not ensure long-term recovery without addressing broader economic concerns and stabilizing housing price expectations.

The policy shift sparked significant discussion on Chinese social media, ranking as the second-most-read topic on Weibo. While some welcomed the changes, many expressed skepticism about their immediate impact on affordability and market recovery.

Economists anticipate that other cities may follow Shanghai's lead, introducing similar tax incentives in the coming weeks.

Shanghai announced new tax reductions for real estate transactions, effective December 1, as part of efforts to revive its struggling property market. The city will remove the distinction between ordinary and non-ordinary housing, which had subjected larger properties to higher taxes. Key changes include exempting residents from value-added tax (VAT) if they sell a property held for over two years. Additionally, the threshold for levying deed tax has been raised from 90 square meters to 140 square meters. For instance, the deed tax on a 10-million-yuan apartment will drop significantly from 300,000 yuan to 100,000 yuan. These measures follow the central government's broader initiatives, including interest rate cuts and reduced down-payment requirements, to stabilize the real estate sector. Despite these efforts, resale home prices in Shanghai fell for the 16th straight month in October, down 6.7% year-on-year. Shanghai's tax cuts align with national policies to rebuild confidence in the housing market, said Bruce Pang, chief economist at JLL. However, Pang cautioned that reducing transaction costs alone may not ensure long-term recovery without addressing broader economic concerns and stabilizing housing price expectations. The policy shift sparked significant discussion on Chinese social media, ranking as the second-most-read topic on Weibo. While some welcomed the changes, many expressed skepticism about their immediate impact on affordability and market recovery. Economists anticipate that other cities may follow Shanghai's lead, introducing similar tax incentives in the coming weeks.

Next Story
Infrastructure Urban

IT Raids on Gujarat Builders Uncover Rs 100 Million

The Income Tax (IT) department's ongoing search at the premises of three builder groups in the state has led to the recovery of more than Rs 100 million in cash and incriminating documents, according to sources. Initially, 34 locations were targeted in the operation, but six additional sites were subsequently included, increasing the total to 40. Sources revealed that during the preliminary investigation, officials uncovered fake loan entries, bogus transactions, and undisclosed investments in land and properties that were not reflected in the final accounts. The full extent of the tax evasi..

Next Story
Infrastructure Energy

Ethanol Blending Hits 14.6%, Saving Rs 750 Billion in Forex Since 2018

Ethanol blending in petrol reached a record 14.6 per cent during the Ethanol Supply Year (ESY) 2023-24, with over 7 billion litres of ethanol blended, representing a notable rise from 5 per cent and 1.88 billion litres in ESY 2018-19. Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Suresh Gopi, informed the Rajya Sabha about this development. He noted that the government’s Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Programme had achieved nationwide coverage across all retail outlets as of 2024, up from 43,168 outlets in 2019. According to data provided by the Petroleum Planning and Analysis Cell (PPAC)..

Next Story
Infrastructure Energy

Coal ministry picks applicants for Rs 85 billion gasification scheme

The Ministry of Coal recently announced the selected applicants for its Rs 85 billion Coal Gasification Incentive Scheme under Categories I and III. This initiative is part of the government’s efforts to promote cleaner energy solutions and achieve India’s target of 100 million tonnes of coal gasification by 2030. Under Category I, Bharat Coal Gasification and Chemicals, along with Coal India Limited (both independently and as part of the CIL-GAIL Consortium), have been chosen. Meanwhile, New Era Cleantech Solution has been selected under Category III. The Union Cabinet-approved scheme f..

Hi There!

"Now get regular updates from CW Magazine on WhatsApp!

Join the CW WhatsApp channel for the latest news, industry events, expert insights, and project updates from the construction and infrastructure industry.

Click the link below to join"

+91 81086 03000