Pursuits

Adrenaline Shot From China Housing Boom May Spur 2017 Hangover

  • New home sales surged 61% by value in September, data show
  • Pillar of economic growth may weaken as property curbs imposed

Residential buildings under construction in Chongqing, China.

Photographer: Qilai Shen/Bloomberg
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China’s moves to cool rampant property prices may have had an unintended consequence -- unleashing a stampede of buyers seeking to get in ahead of further restrictions.

With attempts to avert a bubble intensifying -- property curbs have been rolled out in at least 21 cities and developers even banned from using words like ‘exclusive’ and ‘cheapest’ in advertising -- that boon to realtors pay checks may be about to end.