China: Property rights index

A subcomponent of the Index of Economic Freedom, the property rights index measures the degree to which a countrys laws protect private property rights, and the degree to which its government enforces those laws.

Higher scores are more desirable, i.e. property rights are better protected. Scores are from 0 to 100.

The index also assesses the likelihood that private property will be expropriated and analyzes the independence of the judiciary, the existence of corruption within the judiciary, and the ability of individuals and businesses to enforce contracts.

The Global Property Guide considers protection of property rights as a significant factor affecting the desirability of a residential real estate investment.

Source: The Heritage Foundation and the Wall Street Journal

China has poor house price statistics. The National Bureau of Statistics of China (NBSC) has quarterly house price time-series but these are not publicly available. Another source of house price indices is eHomeday, Shanghai's largest property market web site, which has time-series for Shanghai, Nanjing, Hangzhou, Beijing, Yangzhou and Suzhou (but the site is only in Chinese, and no time-series are available). Colliers International publishes useful housing data in their quarterly property market reviews. General economics statistics are available from the NBSC and the People�s Bank of China.