Beijing has announced a further relaxation of its housing purchase restrictions for non-local residents, marking the latest move in a string of policy adjustments aimed at revitalizing the city's property market. Starting August 8, 2026, non-Beijing households purchasing homes within the Fifth Ring Road will only need to demonstrate one year of social insurance or individual income tax payments, down from the previous requirement of two years.
Unified 1-Year Threshold Across the City
The adjustment means that non-local families now face a uniform one-year social insurance requirement when purchasing any residential property in Beijing. The purchase quota remains unchanged — one unit within the Fifth Ring Road (with an additional unit allowed for families with multiple children), and unlimited units outside the Fifth Ring Road.
This policy change effectively positions Beijing alongside Shanghai and Shenzhen as cities that have substantially lifted their most stringent purchase restrictions, signaling a broader trend toward market liberalization in China's tier-one housing markets.
Housing Provident Fund Loans Quadrupled
In a complementary measure, Beijing has also significantly expanded access to housing provident fund loans. For individual borrowers purchasing a first home, the maximum loan amount rises to 1.2 million yuan. For couples where both partners contribute to the housing provident fund, the first-home ceiling jumps to 2.4 million yuan.
Families meeting additional criteria — such as purchasing green buildings, being registered in the six central districts and buying outside those districts, or having two or more children — can stack additional allowances on top of the base amount, with the theoretical maximum reaching 3.4 million yuan for a couple purchasing a qualifying first home.
Parental Gift Simplification
Another notable reform allows parents to transfer property to their adult children without the recipient needing to satisfy housing purchase qualification checks. This measure is expected to facilitate intergenerational wealth transfer within families and free up inventory held by older homeowners.
Market Response
Industry observers described the package as "the most impactful policy adjustment in recent years." With restrictions having been progressively relaxed through multiple rounds of reform, Beijing's housing market is now operating under the most liberal conditions in years, setting the stage for a potential acceleration in transaction volumes during the traditionally active autumn selling season.