Housing market to consolidate next year: brokerLENDING WOES: Mortgage rates have climbed to their highest level since the 2008 financial crisis, making borrowing difficult for first-time buyers, Evertrust saidBy Crystal Hsu / Staff reporterTaiwan’s housing market is set to consolidate next year, with transaction volumes expected to hold near this year’s levels as tight mortgage conditions continue to weigh on demand, Evertrust Rehouse Co (永慶房屋) said on Wednesday, citing a quarterly survey. Photo: CNA“The worst from policy tightening is likely over and conditions are unlikely to deteriorate, barring major economic or policy shocks,” Yeh said. Speculative buyers have mostly exited the market, leaving transactions increasingly driven by owner-occupiers, he said, as long as Taiwan’s economy remains broadly stable. Yeh flagged four major uncertainties shaping the outlook: the health of a global artificial intelligence boom, Washington’s trade policy under US President Donald Trump, domestic housing policy directions, cross-strait relations and the pace of new housing supply. Mortgage rates have climbed to about 2.3 percent, the highest since the 2008–2009 global financial crisis, eroding affordability for first-time buyers, Yeh said.
