Taiwan property market to stay lukewarm in early 2026: Business executive

Taipei, Jan. 7 (CNA) Taiwan's property market is expected to remain steady but subdued in early 2026, with transaction volumes staying flat and commercial real estate demand supported mainly by the technology sector, a property executive said Tuesday.

Billy Yen (顏炳立), managing director of Cushman & Wakefield Taiwan, a global property services firm, made the remarks at a press conference in Taipei reviewing market conditions in 2025 and outlining expectations for the first quarter of 2026.

Yen said the outlook remains cautious as capital conditions and the policy environment show little improvement. Shrinking land supply, a cooling presale market, and tight mortgage restrictions continue to weigh on demand.

He added that if policies and financing conditions are eased for owner-occupiers, buyers with genuine housing needs could find entry opportunities, potentially leading to slightly stronger market activity in 2026 than in 2025.

Yen estimated that property transaction volumes totaled about 260,000 units in 2025 and are expected to remain at a similar level in 2026, with prices likely to see only mild adjustments.

Meanwhile, statistics released by Cushman & Wakefield on Tuesday indicated that Taiwan's commercial property market maintained solid momentum in 2025, with total transaction value reaching NT$158.62 billion (US$4.997 billion) for the year, up 7.2 percent from 2024.

The firm said growth was driven by strong demand for technology-sector space upgrades and momentum from the artificial intelligence (AI) industry, despite global economic and credit pressures.

It said that AI and semiconductor firms are expected to continue supporting commercial property demand in the first half of 2026.

However, the firm noted that overall market performance will hinge on future Taiwan-United States trade policies and global interest rate trends, adding that rising trade tensions or tighter financing conditions could slow market activity.