New Rage Wave: Chinese Homeowners Protest Shoddy Construction

Zhang Dawei of Centraline, the go to guy for quotes on the real estate market, recently said buyers should avoid recently build properties because of shoddy construction.

Zhang Dawei, chief analyst at Centaline Property, warned that not only were the overall sales dropping, but poor construction quality could also be a cause for more violence. “Try not to buy homes built in 2018, because while the developers were short of money, the same is the case with contractors,” he said.

SCMP: ‘Fix our flats, or give us back our money’: buyers protest against Vanke build quality

Angry homebuyers who protested outside housebuilder China’s Vanke’s headquarters in Beijing last week, have dismissed the company’s claims it had been fully transparent during the sales process at a development in the capital, and have vowed to continue to fight for justice.

...“The homes are so shabbily built that I was appalled when I saw them,” said one new owner Liu Meimei, a Beijing accountant.

“The ceiling in the loft is so low that I have to bow my head to get inside. The kitchen and bathroom are so small that I can’t extend my arms. The hood above the cooker is like a toy.

“The project is well-located near a subway station and a park. I had planned to live there with my parents and kids. But I am protesting because the flat I bought is unlivable,” Liu said.

“I feel cheated out of my hard-earned money.”

If buyers know what they're getting, why do they complain?

“It’s a perennial problem in China,” Chen Lei, an analyst with Beijing property listing firm zhuge.com told the Post.

“When prices rise, even if there are grave problems, will you complain?” he said, meaning only when prices fall do buyers become intolerant of issues.

There will be more rage and complaints if prices remain in a downtrend, and history says the very emergence of real estate rage signals a downturn is underway. Real Estate Rage Spreading As Developers Grab Golden Week Opportunity, Will 2019 Be the Year of Defending Rights?