Property: Weak High-End Demand Limits Taipei's Luxury Homes to Just Two New Projects in First Half of 2026

According to market research data, in the first half of 2026, only two newly launched residential projects in Taipei have been publicly disclosed with more than five units priced over 100 million NTD: 'Wenshin Tianmu' in Shilin District and 'Songyi' in Xinyi District, with average total prices of 114.49 million NTD and 103.76 million NTD respectively.

Given that high-end property buyers represent a tiny fraction of the ultra-wealthy elite, the number of such projects launched is naturally limited. In both the previous and the year before, only two such major projects were introduced during the first half of the year.

Chen Bing-chen, Director and Spokesperson of the Housing Exhibition Research Department, noted that repeated housing cooling policies have impacted luxury transactions. Current regulations restrict mortgage loans to 70% of the property value (30% down payment) with no grace period. Additionally, the tax benefits previously gained through corporate-name purchases have been curtailed. Property tax is now calculated at a higher rate for multiple property owners, and adjustments to the vacant house tax have further increased holding costs—factors that significantly hinder the development of this market.

At the same time, weak real estate market conditions and a strong stock market drawing investment funds have disrupted real estate investment strategies. Recently, there have been frequent reports of price reductions for luxury homes. Even the wealthy are not spending freely; they are closely scrutinizing whether prices reflect current market conditions and whether they can secure value through low-price purchases. Their financial calculations are extremely precise.

Therefore, for luxury projects—which are inherently not volume-driven—sales often take extended periods. Developers are proceeding cautiously and must possess the capability to launch high-priced projects. For example, the developer of 'Wenshin Tianmu' has a long track record of high-end developments, while the developer of 'Songyi' benefits from its image as a publicly listed or publicly traded company and has enhanced its brand value through collaboration with a Japanese real estate firm.

Moreover, location must match the property's premium pricing. Both projects are situated in high-value residential areas—Tianmu and near the Xinyi Planning District—aligning with their elite positioning.

Chen Bing-chen analyzed that, in Taipei’s current pre-sale apartment market, transactions exceeding 100 million NTD account for less than 4% of total sales. Despite Taipei’s high property prices, the pool of buyers at the 100-million-NTD level remains small. Unfavorable policies affecting transactions and ownership, combined with poor macroeconomic conditions, have naturally led to a ceiling effect in the high-end market. Furthermore, outside Taipei—such as in New Taipei’s Xinban Special Zone, Taichung’s 7th Redevelopment Zone, and Kaohsiung’s Nongshiliu Special Zone—brand-name developers are launching projects with greater grandeur, larger spaces, and top-tier specifications, meaning buyers are no longer exclusively focused on Taipei.