China's property measures give sales a boost

On May 17, China cut minimum mortgage rates and down payments, and instructed municipalities to buy unsold apartments to turn them into social housing, sparking dozens of announcements from cities easing policies under the new guidelines.

Small samples of transactions data and interviews with 10 real estate agents across China show the measures had an uneven impact throughout the country, reviving demand in megacities such as Beijing and Shanghai, but not in smaller places.