China's four leading property developers by revenue saw their combined sales climb to 187 billion yuan ($30.55 billion) over the first half of 2013, according to a report published Tuesday in the Economic Information Daily.

Analysts frequently look to the financial results of the developers in question - China Merchants Property Development Co (CMPD), China Vanke, Gemdale Corporation and Poly Property Group Co - to gauge the climate in China's property market.

"There were two reasons for the spike in sales: favorable market conditions and the low base set in the first half of 2012," Liu Yuan, a senior research analyst at Centaline Group in Shanghai, said in an interview with the Global Times Tuesday.

Notes and data issued by the listed units of these developers suggest that most sales during the first six months of 2013 were completed between January and April, with sales tapering through May and June.

China's top developers took advantage of their widening cash flows during the first half to bolster land holdings, the Economic Information Daily also wrote. China Vanke reportedly acquired 9.25 million square meters of new land during the period, while Gemdale and CMPD added 4.93 million square meters and 1.33 million square meters respectively. Meanwhile, Poly was said to have gained 5.65 million square meters in gross floor area terms.

As Liu remarked, this interest in land acquisition may stem from bullishness toward the market or the need to replenish land as inventories whittle away.

Liu predicted that sales growth could remain strong into the third quarter before a slowdown toward the end of the year. Liu went on to say that intensifying competition continues to have an adverse effect on profit margins among developers, many of which are now shying away from the larger projects they once favored.

Data released earlier this month by the National Bureau of Statistics showed home prices in 70 major cities rising by 0.7 percent in July month-on-month. This increase compares with the 7.5 percent rise in prices witnessed in July 2012, Reuters reported.