Construction of 5,100 private residential units started in the third quarter, up 64.5% on the previous one, the Housing Department says.

There were 4,600 units completed, down 37% on the previous quarter.

Taking the year's first nine months together, there were 11,700 units under construction, with 15,800 completed.

At the end of September, there were 17,000 unsold units in completed projects, with another 43,000 under construction, within which 3,000 were sold by presale.

There were 12,000 units from disposed sites where construction has yet to start.