Average rent in Tokyo drops for 4th month in a row

According to Tokyo Kantei, the average monthly rent of a condominium in Tokyo’s 23 wards was 3,308 Yen/sqm in October, up 0.6% from the previous month but down 0.7% from last year. This is the 4th month in a row to record a year-on-year decline in rents.Read more


New apartment prices in Tokyo increase for 7th month

According to the Real Estate Economic Institute, 2,817 brand new apartments were released for sale across greater Tokyo in October, down 5.4% from the previous month and down 3.0% from last year.

The average sale price was 55,860,000 Yen, down 4.1% from the previous month but up 3.3% from last year. The average price per square meter was 811,000 Yen, down 4.1% from the previous month but up 2.3% from last year. This is the 7th month in a row to record a year-on-year increase.

The contract ratio across greater Tokyo was 60.7%, down 0.9 points from last year.

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Tokyo apartment sale prices increase for 61st month

According to REINS, 3,103 second-hand apartments were sold across greater Tokyo in October, down 3.7% from the previous month and down 7.1% from last year. The average sale price was 32,090,000 Yen, down 0.5% from the previous month but up 2.3% from last year. The average sale price per square meter was 501,600 Yen, down 1.0% from the previous month but up 3.3% from last year. This is the 58th month in a row to see a year-on-year increase in sale prices. The average building age was 20.80 years.

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A third of apartments in central Tokyo sell at full asking price

A common question we get from buyers is how much of a discount can they get on the asking price of a property. The honest answer is that it varies. Some properties will sell at their full asking price, while others may sell at a discount. Typically two-thirds of all reported apartment sales in central Tokyo (Minato, Chiyoda, Chuo, Shibuya, Shinjuku and Shinagawa) sell at a discount of less than 3%, while a third sell at their full asking price.

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Tokyo Apartment Sales in October 2017

The following is a selection of apartments that were reported to have sold in central Tokyo during the month of October 2017:Read more


Banks urged to take care when lending on investment properties

According to Japan’s Financial Services Agency’s Financing Report, the average vacancy rate for investment-grade apartment buildings is estimated to be around 7%. For ‘apaato’-type buildings less than 5 years old, the average vacancy rate was just 2.6%, but for a 10-year old building it was 7.1% and 11.6% for 20-year old buildings.

As buildings age, vacancy rates and maintenance costs increase, resulting in some investments becoming cash-flow negative for landlords. The Agency has requested that banks take more care to explain the potential risks and pitfalls of these type of investment loans to borrowers.Read more


Apartment development focusing on city centers as buyers shun suburbs

In Tokyo’s 23 wards, 4.98% of the land is being used for condominium buildings, an increase of 1.02 points over the past 10 years. The ratio is higher in central Tokyo, with some districts having a ratio of around 9%, signaling a clear shift towards living closer to the office and city center.

The report, released by Tokyo Kantei on October 31st, compiled data on Japan’s three major urban centers. In greater Tokyo, Shibuya ward was in top spot with 8.90%, up 1.46 points from 2007. Chuo ward, which includes the man-made islands of Kachidoki and Harumi in Tokyo Bay, increased by 2.03 points to 6.07%. This district has seen a number of high-rise condos built in recent years, especially in the bayside area, while the Nihonbashi district has seen an increase in small-to-medium sized residential developments.

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