Real estate agencies analyzed transaction data from the Ministry of the Interior’s public price registry to assess the proportion of new homes (under 5 years old) versus older homes (over 5 years) in Kaohsiung during the first half of 2026. The citywide new-to-used ratio stood at approximately 3:7.

Further analysis of major administrative districts revealed that six districts recorded over 70% of transactions in older homes—above the city average. Yancheng District led with 90% of transactions in older homes, the highest in Kaohsiung, while new homes accounted for only 10%. This was followed by Qianjin and Gushan Districts, where older homes made up over 80% of transactions.

In contrast, Qiaotou and Renwu Districts showed a clear preference for new homes. In Renwu, transactions in homes under five years old reached 60%, while in Qiaotou, the figure was even higher at 70%—significantly above the citywide average of around 30%.

Li Chia-ni, Manager of the Trend Center at Taiwan House Group, noted that districts dominated by older homes are typically mature urban areas with abundant existing housing stock and complete living infrastructure, supported by strong demand from owner-occupiers. Additionally, new homes in city centers are priced higher, leading budget-conscious buyers who wish to live in central areas to sacrifice building age and opt for more affordable older units. In older urban districts like Yancheng, where aging buildings are prevalent and land supply is limited, new developments are extremely rare, resulting in an exceptionally high share of older home transactions.

However, the share of older home transactions declined citywide and in several regions during the first half of 2026, with only Qianjin and Qianzhen Districts showing an increase. Li attributed this partly to cooling buyer sentiment and conservative bank lending, which introduces greater uncertainty in the appraisal and loan-to-value ratios for older homes. Another factor is the wave of new project completions and handovers in many popular districts, which has boosted the proportion of new home transactions and diluted the share of older homes. The development effect of the Asia New Bay (A-NB) zone has reignited the property markets in Qianjin and Qianzhen. Qianjin, in particular, has a strong commercial character targeting young professionals, and transactions in lightly aged (5–10 years) small second-hand apartments became notably active in the first half of 2026.

Unlike other districts, Qiaotou and Renwu are clearly dominated by new home transactions. Renwu recorded a 60% share in new homes, while Qiaotou reached 70%—both far exceeding the city average of around 30%.

Chen Yang-chih, store owner of Taiwan House’s Gaotie Zhong’ai franchise, pointed out that both Qiaotou and Renwu share common characteristics: active land redevelopment, high supply of new projects, and employment inflow from industrial parks. As outer-ring “protein districts” with affordable pricing, the average transaction price for new homes in the first half of 2026 remained in the NT$300,000s per ping—more accessible than city center units. With a small price gap between new and older homes, these areas attract first-time homebuyers, young professionals, and tech workers who prefer new builds, further boosting new home transaction volumes.

Chen noted that in Qiaotou, early housing consisted mainly of aging detached houses and apartments, mostly held long-term by local residents with high owner-occupancy rates, resulting in limited market supply. Thus, the baseline for older home transactions is inherently low. In recent years, the dual benefits of the Qiaotou Science Park and spillover effects from TSMC’s factory construction, combined with MRT access via Qingpu Station, have made Qiaotou New Town a hotspot for new developments. Currently, the oldest apartment buildings in the area are only about 16 years old, and transaction activity is concentrated on new elevator apartments in the new town.

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  • Source: PR Times
  • Category: Survey