Property for sale in Taiwan

Has been the de facto capital of the Republic of China (ROC) , commonly known as Taiwan, since 1949. It is situated on the Danshui River, almost at the northern tip of the country, about 25 km southwest of Keelung, which is its port on the Pacific Ocean.

Is a state in East Asia that has evolved from a single-party state with full global recognition into a multi-party democratic state with limited international recognition.

Taiwan has enjoyed four years of rising house prices. Prices rose by 8.86% across Taiwan in the year to end-Q1 2008, according to the Sinyi House Price Index. Residential property for sale in Taipei city increased in price by 7.06% over the year.

Sales of upscale properties worth more than NT$30 million per unit (US$922,500) jumped 70% in the year to November 2007, according to a report by Yungching Real Estate Agency, while sales of houses costing less than NT$6 million (US$184,500) dropped 10%.

At the bottom end of the market the complaint is that house prices have climbed beyond ordinary affordability levels. Indeed, Taiwan has the highest price/rent ratio in Asia, at 42:1, exceeding even the levels of Hong Kong, Singapore, and Bombay, India. Yields (see below) are very low.

Taiwan's real estate market, an Asian laggard in recent years, is seeing new signs of life as developers and property owners hope that a new government will open the island to mainland Chinese investors.

Foreign buyers, including Citigroup, ING and AIG, have already been investing in commercial property for sale in Taipei and other cities in northern Taiwan since 2007. International real estate services companies like Jones Lang LaSalle, CB Richard Ellis and Savills have also been attracted to the island.

Mainland Chinese were effectively barred from buying Taiwan property during the administration of Ma's predecessor, Chen Shui-bian, despite growing investment by people from Taiwan in mainland China. In an effort to lift the island's economy, Ma has pledged closer business ties with the mainland, including opening Taiwan's real estate market and establishing regular direct air links