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Tianjin’s autumn housing fair opened on Tuesday at the Tianjin International Exhibition Center, attracting over 400,00 visitors, including 45 developers and 18 real estate brokers.

About 9 million square meters of housing is on show, up 45 percent compared to this year’s spring fair.

Fifty five new projects in all districts of Tianjin, including 27 in downtown areas, are open to visitors.

Economical housing projects, which are sold at low prices to low-income earners, and low-rent housing projects subsidized by governments are also being displayed.

The first day of the fair saw a surge in transactions. Close to 400 units of 35,666 square meter-apartments were sold or rented with sales revenue reaching over 256,000, 000 yuan.

Experts say the Autumn Housing Fair, signaling a housing price trend, will be a watershed for this year's real estate market.

Many residents believe the housing market will continue to boom despite high prices.

"I think housing prices will continue to rise. The demand for houses, propped up by those who plan to marry or have just gotten married, is pretty strong," one local resident said.

By Guo Changdong