《TAIPEI TIMES》 House prices near science parks surge

TECH BOOM: Local tech firms are expanding due to surging global demand, creating well-paying jobs and real demand for property near science parks, a study found

By Crystal Hsu / Staff reporter

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Housing prices near Taiwan’s science parks have received a significant boost for the past three years from a global supply chain realignment and local tech firms’ growing importance on the world stage, a study released yesterday by Evertrust Rehouse Co （永慶房屋） showed.

Taiwan’s exports have benefitted from order transfers induced by US-China trade tensions and a boom in devices used for remote work and study amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the nation’s largest broker by number of offices found.

These trends have prompted local companies to expand capacity in science parks nationwide, creating well-paying jobs and real demand for housing in their vicinity, Evertrust research department assistant manager Chen Chin-ping （陳金萍） said.

House price hikes are the most evident near the Southern Taiwan Science Park （台南科學園區） in Tainan where prices averaged NT$174,000 （US$6,249） per ping （3.3m2） in the first half of this year, up 20.8 percent from NT$144,000 per ping in the same period in 2019, Chen said.

The steep price gains came after Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co （台積電） announced plans to build new fabs at the Southern Taiwan Science Park to make advanced chips, moves that have attracted suppliers at home and abroad, including ASML Holding NV, to follow suit, she said.

Housing prices near the Hsinchu Science Park （新竹科學園區） picked up 13.6 percent, averaging NT$242,000 per ping in 2019 and NT$275,000 per ping at present, Chen said.

The development should come as little surprise since Hsinchu City has grown into Taiwan’s richest area over the years, thanks to its geographic closeness to the headquarters of major local tech firms, which have rewarded employees with lavish bonuses, Chen said.

Five-star hotels, hypermarket chain Costco, sporting goods retailer Decathlon and junior-high schools have set up in Hsinchu City to serve new customers, she said.

Housing prices near the Jhunan Science Park （竹南科學園區） in Miaoli County increased 11.3 percent, while those near Taichung Science Park （台中科學園區） gained 13 percent, the study found.

Taipei’s Neihu Science Park （內湖科技園區） led in terms of transactions with 383 cases in the first half of the year, Chen said.

Supported by improving transportation convenience, housing prices in Neihu District （內湖） increased 8.2 percent to NT$657,000 per ping in the first six months of the year compared with the same period in 2019, he added.

The addition of more mass rapid transit lines in Neihu should help ease traffic jams and make the district an even more attractive location, Chen said.

新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES