China is expected to adopt new housing policies by the end of the month to favor middle- and low-income urban residents.

One important adjustment is to divide current affordable apartments into two types: those for sale and those for rent. This will create the backbone of the nation's housing guarantee system in the future.

Different from past policies, cities will be encouraged to construct and lease out "low-cost houses" for minimum earners. Moreover, local governments will provide certain allowances for these tenants on rental fees.

On May 29, nine cabinet departments jointly issued an eight-article announcement to curb the property price hikes in many cities.

"Cities at all levels must work out concrete plans on housing construction before the end of September," it said.

Because China is a populous nation, it is unrealistic to help each person purchase an apartment of his/her own.

By building low-cost houses, the nation will handle the problem of the large-number of urban people who cannot afford to buy a new house.

One controversial issue for real estate developers and insiders is that small apartments no bigger than 90 square metres must now account for 70 per cent of new homes being built.

Low-priced apartments are welcomed by the mass of people who participate in the distribution of social resources by purchasing new houses. But the small size is just the eye-catching part of the problem.

Nowadays, the proportion of investment into economically affordable housing only accounts for 5 per cent of the total, which is far short of the increasing demand for new houses from middle- and low-income families.

The ideal proportion of economically affordable apartments in China's real estate market should surpass 30 per cent.

Source:佚名