East China city lifts home resale limit to boost property market

Nanjing, the capital of east China's Jiangsu Province, on Monday announced that it is completely lifting home resale restrictions amid a series of measures to promote the stable and healthy development of the property sector.

Effective from Monday, commercial housing can be listed for resale as soon as the owner obtains a property ownership certificate, Jiang Haiqin, deputy director of the Nanjing Municipal Bureau of Housing Security and Real Estate, told a press briefing. The move aims to better accommodate residents' diverse housing needs and facilitate the housing upgrades.

The city imposed housing resale restrictions in May 2017, banning owners from reselling their homes within three years of getting their property ownership certificates, in a bid to curb speculation and cool the home market.

To further support home buyers looking to upgrade their housing, the city authorities will also improve and expand its housing trade-in scheme, Jiang said.

The scheme will be backed by government and developer subsidies, financial institution support, and real estate broker assistance. As part of the first phase, authorities will allocate 100 million yuan (about 13.9 million US dollars) in subsidies, supplemented by additional developer-led promotions, to boost housing upgrading purchases.

Nanjing is also introducing preferential financial policies for young people. Commercial banks will be encouraged to launch special mortgage products featuring low down payments, reduced interest rates, and extended loan terms for buyers under the age of 45.

The city's latest efforts reflect a broader effort by Chinese authorities to stabilize and boost confidence in the real estate market, a key pillar of the country's economy.

The latest policy shift comes as Nanjing's housing market shows signs of recovery. Official data indicates that in the first two months of 2025, the city's transaction area for new and second-hand homes rose by 29.9 percent and 16.7 percent year on year, respectively.