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Individuals encouraged to buy Courtyard Houses

Corporate and individual buyers are now allowed full rights to siheyuan, the four-sided enclosed courtyard homes that are a key part of Beijing's heritage and a symbol of traditional civilian culture. 

The move will help the local government with its efforts to conserve and restore historic sites in quantity in the city, experts say.

Enterprises, social undertakings, governmental departments and individuals in and outside Beijing are allowed to purchase, sell, lease and inherit any of the siheyuan in the city's old downtown areas, according to a document promulgated recently by the municipal land and housing administration. They may also donate or mortgage the siheyuan.

The buyers will enjoy favourable taxes and charges on land-use right transfer for the siheyuan trade. Under the new rules, enterprises from abroad or foreigners are also permitted to own siheyuan with the same preferential treatment as domestic buyers enjoy, unless specified otherwise by laws and regulations. Prices will be set in negotiations between buyers and sellers. The siheyuan, as a residential architecture genre, emerged in the early Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) in Beijing. A small or medium-sized siheyuan usually has its main or only entrance gate built at the southeast corner of the quadrangle with a screen wall just inside to prevent outsiders from peeping in. Such a residence offers space, comfort and quiet privacy.