(Yicai) March 18 -- Twenty-eight main cities in China are slated to nearly triple their supply of new housing this month compared with last month as developers capitalize on rebounding demand.

The cities are likely to add 7.1 million square meters of new homes this month, according to the findings of a survey by real estate data provider CRIC.

Taking Beijing as an example, the most recent government notices indicate that eight real estate projects put out pre-sale notices between March 3 and yesterday.

Premium projects are selling well in the capital city. One in Haidian district opened pre-sales on March 16, only five days after receiving its permit. Just 30 minutes after launching, more than four-fifths of the more than 750 units were gone, with total sales amounting to CNY7.3 billion (USD1 billion). The average price paid per square meter was between CNY89,000 and CNY97,000 (USD12,318 and USD13,425).

Besides Beijing, builders are also adding supply in other big cities. From February into March, 35 projects with nearly 3,670 homes were launched in the three eastern urban centers of Shanghai, Hangzhou, and Suzhou, with more than three-quarters premium units. Sales have been good, according to data monitored by the China Index Academy.

In Guangzhou, 13 new projects debuted this month, including several in popular locations, per on figures from online property platform Anjuke.

A person from a leading real estate company told Yicai that the majority of buyers in search of new homes have been looking for two or three years. Those developers that can attract and retain these customers will have a chance to survive, the source added.

The person said the company has shortened the process from land acquisition to project launch to four months from six months, and has speeded up construction by meticulously planning every detail of the project.

The company snapped up land at the start of the year with the aim of launching unit pre-sales before mid-year, thereby accelerating cash flow and enabling it to make new land purchases in the second half of the year, the person pointed out.

CRIC data show that the average de-stocking ratio of projects in 28 key cities is expected to be 33 percent this month, up from 28 percent a year earlier. In the four first-tier cities, it could be 46 percent, compared with 31 percent a year ago.

Editors: Tang Shihua, Emmi Laine