Average asking price of an apartment in Tokyo up 1.1% from last year
According to Tokyo Kantei, the average asking price of a 70 sqm (753 sq ft) second-hand apartment across greater Tokyo was 35,660,000 Yen in August 2017, up 0.1% from the previous month and up 1.3% from last year. Prices continue to remain stable in the 35 million Yen range since November 2016. The average building age was 23.0 years.
In Tokyo’s 23 wards the average asking price was 53,380,000 Yen, up 0.2% from the previous month and up 1.1% from last year. The average building age was 22.4 years.
Japan's supply of new office space hits lowest level since 1980
According to the Japan Real Estate Institute, 1.35 million square meters (approx. 14.5 million sq ft) of new office space was supplied across the country in 2016, down 25% from 2016 and the lowest level seen since 1980. 84% of the new supply was centered in Tokyo’s 23 wards.
Sapporo, Sendai, Saitama, Kyoto and Kobe saw no new office buildings supplied last year, although there are several new buildings planned for completion over the next two years. Kyoto City, however, has no new office supply planned for the near future. Kyoto is reportedly suffering from a severe shortage of office space with office brokerage Miki Shoji reporting a current office vacancy rate around 2%, down from 12% seen in 2010.
Standard land prices in Tokyo increase for 5th year in a row, while nationwide commercial prices increase for first time in 10 years
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT), announced the Standard Land Prices on September 19th. In the Tokyo metropolitan area, land prices across all uses increased by 3.0% from last year, recording the fifth consecutive increase in land prices. Commercial land prices in Tokyo’s 23 wards increased by an average of 5.9%, after recording a 4.9% increase in 2015. Shibuya Ward was in top place with 8.6% growth (6.6% in 2016).
The survey site under the Ginza Owaricho Tower in Ginza 6 Chome saw a 21.8% increase in land prices over the past 12 months.
Nationwide, standard land prices were down 0.6% for residential land, but up 0.5% for commercial land. This is the first time in 10 years to see an increase in commercial land prices.
Kyoto’s tourism boom drives commercial land price growthRead more
Maison Mita to be redeveloped into high-rise
Maison Mita, a 67-unit, 49-year old condominium in central Tokyo’s Mita neighbourhood will be redeveloped into a 77m tall, 23-storey high rise by both Mitsubishi Jisho Residence and Asahi Kasei Realty & Residence. Demolition of the current building is expected to start in December 2017 and the new building is due for completion by December 2020.
Apartment owners had been discussing redevelopment for the past 10 years.
Apartments in the older building ranged in size from 34 ~ 108 sqm, with a mixture of studio and family-oriented layouts. The building was developed by Kyoei Life Insurance and completed in 1968. Kyoei developed several Maison-named condominiums in central Tokyo in the 1960s, 70’s and ‘80s. The insurance company filed for bankruptcy with liabilities of 4.6 trillion Yen in 2000 in what was said to have been the country’s biggest bankruptcy since WWII.
Average apartment rent down in greater Tokyo
According to Tokyo Kantei, the average monthly rent of a condominium-type apartment across greater Tokyo in August was 2,628 Yen/sqm, down 0.1% from the previous month and down 1.2% from last year. The average apartment size was 59.74 sqm and the average building age was 21.1 years.
New apartment prices in greater Tokyo increase for 5th month in a row
According to the Real Estate Economic Institute, there were 2,101 brand new apartments offered for sale across greater Tokyo in August, down 38.7% from the previous month but up 6.9% from last year. The average sale price was 57,940,000 Yen, down 11.7% from the previous month but up 2.3% from last year. The average price per square meter was 871,000 Yen, up 9.1% from last year and the fifth month in a row to record a year-on-year increase.
The contract ratio in greater Tokyo was 68.2%, up 1.6 points from last year. In the Tokyo metropolitan area it was 72.4%, above the 70% line said to indicate healthy market conditions.
The following buildings saw same-day sellouts in August:
Kyoto may impose hefty tax on short-term accommodation hosts
Kyoto City is firming up plans to impose a nightly tax on providers of short-term accommodation, or ‘minpaku’-type rentals. If approved, it could go into effect from October 2018.
Under the proposal, hosts or providers may be taxed at 200 Yen per night on accommodation that is priced at under 20,000 Yen per person, per night, 500 Yen on nightly accommodation that is between 20,000 ~ 50,000 Yen, and 1,000 Yen on nightly accommodation that is over 50,000 Yen.Read more