The latest Hong Kong SAR government figures show about 61,000 new flats will be available for sale in the coming years, pointing to a steady supply on the market.

Analysts estimated 18,000 flats would be built this year, the highest since 2001, when the number was 18,300. The market then entered a mature phase, when supply and demand stabilized.

Statistics on private housing supply, released by the Housing, Planning and Lands Bureau, also showed the market has 18,000 completed unsold flats. Another 45,000 units are currently under construction. Work on 10,100 of them began only in the past six months.

After discounting the 2,000 flats under construction that have been sold, the total number of unsold residential flats in the coming years would stand at 61,000 units.

The number of new flats sold last year was 16,000. Analysts estimate the sales figure this year would be around 12,000. Last year 17,300 flats were completed, down from 26,000 in 2004.

Chief analyst of Midland Realty, Buggle Lau Ka-fai, attributed the small number of new flats being snapped up - 2,000 units in the past three months - to developers' lukewarm attitude towards selling.