Second-hand apartment prices up 1.4% in April

According to REINS, the average sale price of a second-hand apartment in greater Tokyo in April was 25,560,000 Yen, up 1.4% from April 2012, but down 1.5% from last month. The average price per square meter was 393,600 Yen, up 2.5% from last year but down 0.9% from last month. 

Chiba saw the biggest change in prices over 12 months, with the average price up 7.3% to 17,620,000 Yen. The average price per square meter increased by 8.1% to 243,900 Yen.

Apartment prices in Tokyo's Chiyoda, Chuo and Minato-ku were down 3.4% from April 2012 to 43,840,000 Yen, while the price per sqm was down 0.5% to 767,000 Yen.Read more

by Zoe Ward

Apartment prices skyrocket in Sendai

According to the latest data released by Tokyo Kantei, the average list price of a second-hand apartment in Sendai City in the first quarter of 2013 is 35.5% higher than in early 2011.

Prior to the Tohoku disaster, average apartment prices had dropped to 565,000 Yen per Tsubo* (171,200 Yen/sqm). Following the disaster, prices have since risen to 766,000 Yen per Tsubo (232,100 Yen/sqm).Read more

by Zoe Ward

Office vacancy rates in April - Miki Shoji

According to Miki Shoji's Office Report for April, 2013, vacancy rates improved but rents continued to fall. The office vacancy rate in Tokyo's central business districts (Chiyoda, Chuo, Minato, Shinjuku and Shibuya) dropped by 0.02 points to 8.54%. This is the second month of decline. The vacancy rate in brand new buildings was 17.31%, down 5.93 points from last month. Read more

by Zoe Ward

New apartment supply to return to pre-Lehman levels in 2013

According to the Real Estate Economic Institute, the supply of new apartments offered for sale in greater Tokyo in March 2013 was 5,318 units - 48.4% higher than March 2012. Developers have been pushing forward their sales dates in order to capitalise on an expected last-minute rush before the first consumption tax increase hits consumers in 2014. 

The total supply of new apartments in 2013 is expected to exceed 50,000 units for the first time since 2007. In 2012, the supply was down 3.5% from the previous year to 46,754 apartments and the contract rate was 76.7%. The contract rate for March 2013 was 82.1%.Read more

by Zoe Ward

Office vacancy rates in March - Miki Shoji

According to Miki Shoji's Office Report for March 2013, the vacancy rate in Tokyo's central business districts of Chiyoda, Chuo, Minato, Shinjuku and Shibuya dropped by 0.01 points to 8.56%.

In Chiyoda-ku, the vacancy rate dropped 0.07 points to 6.59% as tenants began to move into recently completed Ochanomizu Sola City and existing buildings saw tenants combine their business operations in one space. Read more

by Zoe Ward

30+ year old apartments and houses growing in popularity

According to REINS the share of properties sold that are over 30 years old is growing. In 2012, the average age of an apartment sold in greater Tokyo was 18.97 years, 0.70 years higher than 2011. Apartments over 30 years old comprised 20.6% of total second-hand apartment sales - up from 18.20% in 2011. The average age of a house sold was 19.71 years, up 0.34 years from 2011. Houses over 30 years old comprised 18.5% of total second-hand house sales - up from 17.5% in 2011. Read more

by Zoe Ward

Office vacancy rates in February - Miki Shoji

According to Miki Shoji's Tokyo Office Report, the average office vacancy rate in Tokyo's central five wards (Chiyoda, Chuo, Minato, Shinjuku and Shibuya) in February was 8.57% - up 0.01 points from the previous month but 0.58 points lower than February 2012.

Three new office buildings were completed in February, but due to their relatively high occupancy rates the new supply had only a minor effect on the total vacancy rate.Read more

by Zoe Ward