How to preserve the value of your apartment? Buy and sell every 10 years

July 27, 2013Property Purchasing Guide,All

If you want to maintain the value of your real estate investment, Attractors Lab President Yujin Oki suggests that you should change apartments every 10 years.

Why 10 years?

One reason is that our lifestyles tend to change every decade or so. For example, your home requirements will be different as you move through different phases in life such as being single, getting married and having a two-income household, having children, retirement and old age. Read more

by Zoe Ward

Akasaka Business Place sold

July 26, 2013Akasaka Real EstateOffice/Retail News & Information,Real Estate News,Sold Properties,All,Tokyo

Daiwa Office Investment Corporation acquired Akasaka Business Place from Hakuba Capital 1 TMK (Angelo Gordon's SPC) for 9.2 billion Yen (approximately 92 million USD).Read more

by Zoe Ward

Secondhand apartment prices in June - Tokyo Kantei

July 25, 2013japan apartment price,Tokyo apartment pricesReal Estate News,Market Information,All

According to Tokyo Kantei, the average asking price of a 70 sqm (753 sqft) second-hand apartment in Tokyo's 23-ku in June was 39,720,000 Yen (397,000 USD), up 0.3% from last month and 0.7% higher than June 2012.

Across greater Tokyo, the average price was 27,700,000 Yen (277,000 USD), up 0.4% from last month but down 2.7% from last year.Read more

by Zoe Ward

Be wary of apartments advertised by celebs

July 22, 2013Buyer Beware!,Property Purchasing Guide,All,Tokyo

One real estate expert is suggesting that buyers be cautious of buying into new developments that use actors, musicians and sports stars to advertise their apartments.

According to journalist Atsushi Sakaki, if a condominium is in a good location and priced in line with the market then it shouldn't need a fancy marketing campaign to appeal to buyers.

A glitzy and flash marketing campaign may sometimes be used to draw attention away from some of the drawbacks of the development. Eg. it may be in a less desirable area, priced too high or too large in scale to achieve strong sales. Read more

by Zoe Ward

June rental data - Tokyo Kantei

July 21, 2013average rent japan,average rent tokyoReal Estate News,Rental Market,Market Information,All

According to Tokyo Kantei, the average monthly rent of an apartment in greater Tokyo for the month of June was 2,541 Yen/sqm, up 0.4% from last month and up 3.2% from June 2012.

In Tokyo's 23 special wards, the average rent in June was 3,101 Yen/sqm, up 0.5% from last month and up 3.0% from last year. This is the highest level it has been since February 2011.Read more

by Zoe Ward

Fixed or floating: Which type of home loan interest rate is right for you?

July 20, 2013Property Purchasing Guide,All,Home Loans / Mortgages

For many, buying a home is the largest purchase they will make in their lifetime, but it can also be one of the biggest debts they take on. Choosing the type of mortgage - fixed-rate or variable rate - can be a difficult decision to make.

Fixed-rate loans offer stability as the interest rate is fixed for the duration of the term. With variable-rate loans, however, there is a risk that you repayments may rise in the future. Variable-rates are typically reviewed twice a year.Read more

by Zoe Ward

81-year old building in Ginza saved from demolition

July 19, 2013Ginza Real Estate,GinzaHistoric Properties,Real Estate News,Renovations,All,Tokyo

A historic brick building fronting Ginza's Showa Dori Avenue has been saved from demolition after the new owner had a change of heart and scrapped his redevelopment plans in favour of restoring the 81 year old building.Read more

by Zoe Ward