Property prices may be showing signs of slowing, but they are still high in China's first-tier cities.
Beijing's home price index for the first half of this year shows that the average price of new homes, excluding high-end ones, fell to less than 14,000 yuan per square meter. That's nearly 900 yuan less than over the same period of 2010.
房价可能出现上涨放缓的迹象，但是中国一线城市的房价仍然很高。今年前半年北京的房价指数显示，新建房的平均价格，不包括高档房，每平米跌至1万4千元以下。这比2010年同期下降了近900元。
Property sales have also dropped. The capital's real estate association says that over the first 6 months of this year, transactions have fallen 5 percent year on year. Experts say it's mainly due to the municipal government's tightening policies.
房产销售额也减少。首都房地产协会表示，在今年的前六个月，房地产交易比去年同期相比下降了5个百分点。专家称，这主要是因为市政府的紧缩政策。