XN000022-1997-02-04 — Page 11

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Land Registry statistics for January released

A total of 19,727 sale and purchase agreements for building units, including both residential and non-residential properties, were lodged with the Land Registry in January 1997.

The figure represented an increase of 17.1 per cent from that of December 1996 and an increase of 115.5 per cent compared with January 1996.

The total consideration of these agreements in the month was $86.5 billion, up 24.8 per cent and 280.4 per cent respectively when compared with the amounts for December 1996 and January 1996.

The figures were contained in the monthly statistics released today (Tuesday) by the Land Registry on deeds relating to property transactions received for registration in the urban and New Territories land registries in January 1997.

Relevant statistics for December 1996 and January 1996 were provided for comparison. Figures on sale and purchase agreements received for the past 12 months and the year-on-year rate of change were also released.

These statistics generally related to land transactions executed up to four weeks prior to their submission for registration, as there is usually a time lag between the execution of deeds and their lodgement for registration.