Shares of Chinese developers soared after at least two cities released new land sales rules that may benefit leading property players.
Tianjin and Qingdao have adopted a new land bidding regulation that some analysts say will help large developers snap up land and gain market share, squeezing smaller players.
Tianjin will limit the number of land auctions this year to three, instead of holding multiple smaller-scale sale events throughout the year, according to a Wednesday statement on the website of its land regulator. The new rule is to implement requirements from the nation’s top land regulator, it added.
The policy is designed to further stabilize land prices, and that should in turn help cool the current home-buying frenzy, according to a report by China Index Holdings analysts. Land value in China jumped about 20% in January from December due to heavy demand for premium parcels auctioned by local governments, according to China Real Estate Information Corp. China’s home-price growth also accelerated last month as low inventory stoked a fear of missing out among buyers, even as authorities widened curbs.
An uneven distribution of land parcels for auction by local governments has been a factor behind the recent surge in land prices in some cities. In January, all four land parcels in the eastern city of Hangzhou, near Shanghai, were auctioned at the upper end of prices set by local authorities due to limited supply in the fourth quarter.
Worried about bubble risks, Chinese authorities have taken a series of steps to cool land and housing prices, with the latest measures including limiting bank lending to the sector.