Demand for high-end residential property continues to be robust in Beijing, with prices still high. From April to June, in the high-end Beijing residential market, the average price increased by 9.5% quarter-on-quarter to CNY56,307 per square meter, according to a report by property service provider DTZ. Transaction volume reached 204,482.2 sq m, an increase of 2.7% from the same period last year. High-end residential property is defined as projects where the sales price is above CNY45,000 per sq m for apartments and more than CNY30,000 per sq m for villas. “The growth in the sector can be attributed to the slight relaxation of government restrictions on pre-sale permits,” said Zhao Yan, Director of Research for North China at DTZ. On the demand side, high-quality, stable value and scarcity, and expectations of price appreciation prompted more buyers, including those scaling up, to make purchases. In terms of market segments, villa transaction volumes saw a sharp increase of 41.4% to 89,098.2 sq m from the same period in 2013. The average price increased by 18.6% to CNY53,119 per sq m. According to Zhao, high land and construction costs will bolster high-end residential property prices. Property developer Poly Real Estate Group recently got the green light for sales of its high-end housing project Haide Park, indicating that Beijing is easing its home purchase restrictions. In Beijing’s high-end leasing market, the average rent increased by 0.8% to CNY175.9 per sq m per month, the China Daily reports.