Second-hand apartment prices in greater Tokyo continue to rise this month with the average asking price of a 70 sqm (753 sq ft) apartment up 1.1% from February and up 3.3% from last year. This is the 7th month in a row to see a month-on-month increase. According to Tokyo Kantei, the average apartment asking price greater Tokyo in March was 29,560,000 Yen.
In Tokyo’s 23 wards, the average asking price was 45,360,000 Yen, up 1.7% from the previous month and up 9.4% from last year. The average building age was 22.1 years. The property market in Tokyo is far-outperforming Yokohama City (+1.5% from March 2014), Saitama City (+2.5%), Chiba City (-2.3%) and Osaka City (+3.1%).
Prices continue to reach new highs in central Tokyo’s six wards with the average asking price reaching 64,680,000 Yen, an increase of 2.1% from February and and increase of 13.0% from last year. This is the 9th month in a row to see a month-on-month increase. The gap between price rises in central Tokyo and other wards is becoming more apparent.
Asking prices are being supported by an increase in actual contracted prices. Sellers and real estate brokers are also setting higher and higher asking prices. The market for second-hand properties in Tokyo has been strengthening as a shrinking supply of new apartments is causing buyers to consider older apartments which are typically less expensive. Demand from investors is also strong, and properties that have been set at high prices are starting to sell without any discounting.