Beijing eases home purchase restrictions for non-locals

BEIJING -- Beijing unveiled a new policy package to relax purchase restrictions for non-local families and support multi-child households in home purchases, effective Wednesday.

The move aims to stabilize the property sector and better meet residents' housing needs, the municipal government said.

The required period for social insurance or individual income tax payment records in Beijing for non-local families to buy homes within the fifth ring road is reduced from three years to two years, while for homes outside the fifth ring road, the period is cut from two years to one year.

Families with two or more children are allowed to purchase one additional home within the fifth ring road. Specifically, local multi-child families can buy up to three homes, while non-local multi-child families with two years of continuous social insurance or individual income tax payment records can buy up to two homes in the area.

Financial institutions will no longer differentiate between first and second homes when setting mortgage interest rates, instead basing decisions on market mechanisms and risk assessments.

Procedures for new property projects have been streamlined to raise the efficiency of real estate investment.