Taipei's housing market has turned a corner, with prices steadying after a year of declines — good news for owners and builders, but bad for buyers who were hoping prices would keep dropping.

• Taipei's home price index ticked up in the first quarter, ending four straight quarters of falling prices.
• New pre-construction apartments now sell for a higher average price per unit, jumping over the prior quarter.
• Sales volume is still weak, so the market has shifted from "prices falling, few sales" to "sales steadying, prices flat."
• The central bank held interest rates and only slightly eased loan limits for second-home buyers, so banks are still cautious about lending.
• Beitou district is the hottest area, boosted by Nvidia confirming it will move its headquarters into the nearby Beitou-Shilin tech park; luxury districts like Da'an dipped slightly.

Outlook: Whether the recovery holds depends on whether actual sales pick up, as a growing economy pushes against still-tight lending rules.