XN000022-1986-04-20 — Page 2

SUNDAY, APRIL 20, 1986

FLAT SALES SHOW FURTHER INCREASE

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THE NUMBER OF SALE AGREEMENTS OF FLATS REGISTERED IN 1985-86 ROSE TO 53 853, AN INCREASE OF 67.9 PER CENT OVER THE FIGURE FOR 1984-85, THE REGISTRAR GENERAL, MR NOEL GLEESON, SAID TODAY (SUNDAY).

THE TOTAL VALUE OF CONSIDERATIONS IN SALE AGREEMENTS OF FLATS INCREASED BY 96.4 PER CENT FROM $17.141 BILLION TO $33.665 BILLION.

DURING THE YEAR, 75 902 ASSIGNMENTS OF FLATS WERE REGISTERED, COMPARED WITH 54 717 IN 1984-85.

OF THESE, A TOTAL OF 7 268 ASSIGNMENTS WERE COMPLETED BY HIS DEPARTMENT ON BEHALF OF THE HOUSING AUTHORITY UNDER THE GOVERNMENT'S HOME OWNERSHIP SCHEME, COMPARED WITH 9 601.

THE TOTAL VALUE OF CONSIDERATIONS IN ASSIGNMENT OF FLATS INCREASED BY 44.2 PER CENT FROM $23.117 BILLION TO $33.327 BILLION.

THERE WERE 661 ASSIGNMENTS OF LOTS AND SECTIONS OF LOTS, 55.9 PER CENT MORE THAN IN 1984-85. THE TOTAL VALUE OF CONSIDERATIONS IN ASSIGNMENTS OF LOTS AND SECTIONS INCREASED BY 975.8 PER CENT FROM $2.536 BILLION IN 1984-85 TO $27.283 BILLION IN 1985-86.

SIXTY BUILDING MORTGAGES AND 68 650 OTHER MORTGAGES WERE REGISTERED, UP FROM 33 AND 45 409 RESPECTIVELY IN THE PREVIOUS YEAR. THE TOTAL AMOUNT SECURED UNDER BUILDING MORTGAGES REGISTERED DURING THE FINANCIAL YEAR ROSE BY 435.9 PER CENT, FROM $0.226 BILLION TO $1.209 BILLION.

THE AMOUNT SECURED UNDER MORTGAGES OTHER THAN BUILDING MORTGAGES ALSO ROSE BY 79.8 PER CENT FROM $15.206 BILLION TO $27.341 BILLION.

REPAYMENTS UNDER MORTGAGES OF ALL KINDS, AS EVIDENCED BY DISCHARGES AND RECEIPTS, WERE UP BY 62.4 PER CENT, FROM $15.227 BILLION TO $24.722 BILLION.

SEARCHES IN THE LAND OFFICE BY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC REACHED AN ALL-TIME HIGH OF 1 051 016, UP BY 40.6 PER CENT.

COMMENTING ON THESE FIGURES, MR GLEESON SAID THEY REFLECTED A CONTINUING AND VERY SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN ACTIVITY IN THE PROPERTY MARKET, PARTICULARLY IN SMALL AND MEDIUM SIZED FLATS.

+THE FIGURES FOR SALE AGREEMENTS OF FLATS, BOTH AS TO THE VALUE OF SALES AND THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF CONSIDERATIONS, WERE A RELIABLE INDICATION OF THIS, AND, GENERALLY SPEAKING, UNITS IN NEW DEVELOPMENTS WERE SELLING WELL, HE SAID.

'THE INCREASE