Beijing has seen an increase in the number of residential apartments sold in the city and witnessed a drop in prices for newly built homes in 2012, the Beijing Real Estate Association said on Sunday.[Hong Kong company registration]

The capital sold about 230,000 residential apartments, a 36.9 percent year-on-year increase, statistics released by the association said.

The average price for newly built residential apartments was 20,700 yuan(about 3322 U.S. dollars) per square meter. The figure was a 7.6 percent year-on-year decrease from that in 2011.

Statistics show that in 2012 about 90 percent of all houses sold in Beijing were bought by first-time housing buyers.

Chen Zhi, secretary general with the association said it shows the effect of the government's firm stance on property market control.[Set Up Company Hong Kong]

Chen predicts that Beijing's market will be generally stable in 2013 as more low-cost housing and new apartments are introduced.

Beijing has imposed a raft of measures aimed at reining in house prices since April 2010.[Hong Kong Company Formation]

The government has vowed to keep in place measures such as higher downpayments, bans on third-home purchases and property tax trials.