Average Price of an Apartment in Shibuya-ku, February 2011

The following price guide is based on current real estate listings for apartments in Shibuya-ku, Tokyo. Actual prices vary depending on factors such as age, location, distance to station, views and so on.Read more

by Zoe Ward

2010 Land Price Survey of Tokyo

The results of the 2010 Land Price Survey of Tokyo have been explained in an English report by the Tokyo Association of Real Estate Appraisers.

Some of the key points from the report are summarized below:

  • Some locations in Tokyo's 23 wards saw flattening land prices
  • Some areas saw increases over 6 months
  • Land prices are expected to moderately recover
  • Growth in the condominium market has increased demand for blocks with development potential
  • Residential land is expected to fare better than commercial land

The full report can be read here.

by Zoe Ward

Traditional Japanese Shophouse in Tokyo for Sale

SOLD

This 2-storey shophouse in Koenji, Tokyo, was built over 75 years ago by a “Miya-daiku” master carpenter (Miya-daiku are specialist craftsmen who design shrines and temples). Read more

by Zoe Ward

Japan's largest apartments

The following is a ranking of the residential buildings across Japan with the largest average apartment size. The original list was published in Tokyo Kantei's [Apartment Data White Paper 1956-2006].

These apartments were built during Japan's real estate bubble in the 1980s and early 1990s - a time when developers could sell units for very high prices. In current times, Japanese developers focus on providing smaller units (eg. 60-80sqm) as these can be sold faster. It is now rare to see a new building where the majority of the units are over 150sqm.Read more

by Zoe Ward

Is it really smart to buy a South-facing apartment?

When looking at an apartment to buy or rent in Japan, everyone is told to look for places that are south-facing as these rooms get the most sunlight throughout the day and year round. Real estate search engines even have "South-facing" as a search option.

As such, South-facing apartments command a premium price over units facing other directions. Many consider North-facing to be the most undesirable as it receives the least direct sunlight. It would seem safe to assume that purchasing a South-facing apartment would be a sure-bet. But is this really the case?

an apartment facing which direction will increase in value after you purchase?

A recent survey by Attractors Lab has shown some interesting results. Read more

by Zoe Ward

[Foreclosed] Land in Minamiaoyama 2 Chome

Court Evaluated Price: 150,000 JPY (1830 USD)
*UPDATE: The winning bid was 555,556 JPY (6775 USD). A total of 15 bids were made on the land.*

The cheapest (and smallest) land you will ever find in Omotesando. The land is in a laneway just behind Aoyama Dori Avenue and is 200 meters from Gaienmae Station and 660 meters from Omotesando Station.

With commercial land fronting Aoyama Dori valued at anywhere between 5~9 million JPY/sqm and residential land in Minami Aoyama ranging anywhere between 1.2 ~ 1.5 million JPY/sqm, this piece of land at only 78,500 JPY/sqm seems like a great deal, but...

Read more

by Zoe Ward

Japan investment property returns increase by as much as 2% over past 3 years

Data released by Japanese real estate company, First Logic, has shown the average return from an investment building in Japan has increased by as much as 2% over the past 3 years.Read more

by Zoe Ward