New condo starts down 35% in February
According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT), housing starts across Japan in February were down 2.6% from the previous year to 70,912 units. This is the first time in 8 months to see a decrease from 12 months prior. Housing starts in the Tokyo metropolitan area were 12,370 units, down 4.9% from last year.Read more
Historic Yugawara Fujiya Ryokan sold to fund, to reopen in 2018
The historic Fujiya Ryokan in Yugawara, Kanagawa, has been sold to a fund and will re-open in 2018.
The sukiya-style building was built during the Meiji period (1868-1912), while the gardens date from the previous Edo period. The ryokan was a famed high-end onsen until its closure in 2002. Since then, the building has sit empty and unused.Read more
Tokyo Apartment Sales in March 2017
The following is a selection of apartments that were sold in central Tokyo during the month of March 2017:Read more
4,000 sqm site in Ebisu sold to developer
Nomura Real Estate Development has won the bid to acquire a 4,035 sqm block of land in Ebisu. The property, which was a former apartment building for government officials, was sold by the Kanto Local Finance Bureau under a competitive bidding scheme. A total of 11 applications were made on the property, with 5 offers making it through the qualification round.Read more
Sales in the Tokyo Bay Triple Tower Project to start in April
Sumitomo has started advertising City Towers Tokyo Bay (previously called the Tokyo Bay Triple Tower Project) - a large-scale three-tower condominium with over 1,500 apartments under construction on the man-made Ariake island in Tokyo Bay.
Sales were scheduled to start in late April 2017 but have been delayed until late May. Apartments are priced from 34 ~ 150 million Yen and above. The 43 sqm one bedroom apartments are to be priced from 34 million Yen, 54 ~ 55 sqm two bedroom apartments to be priced from 44 million Yen, and 70 sqm three bedroom apartments to be priced from 59 million Yen.
The average price per square meter is around 1,000,000 Yen which is almost 40% higher than the average resale price of existing apartments in the area (722,000 Yen/sqm in 2017).
Harajuku Station Front Project to include retail and residential
NTT Urban Development Corporation will start work on the Harajuku Station Front Project later this year. The 5,000 sqm site is located in a prime position directly across the street from Harajuku Station and the greenery of Meiji Shrine and Yoyogi Park. This is likely become a retail and residential landmark building.Read more
Tokyo apartment asking prices in February 2017
According to Tokyo Kantei, the average asking price of a 70 sqm (753 sq ft) second-hand apartment in greater Tokyo was 35,830,000 Yen, up 0.4% from the previous month and up 6.7% from last year. The average building age was 22.5 years.
In the Tokyo metropolitan area the average asking price was 48,450,000 Yen, up 0.4% from the previous month and up 4.3% from last year. The average building age was 22.9 years.
In Tokyo’s 23 wards the average asking price was 53,280,000 Yen, up 0.2% from the previous month and up 3.2% from last year. The average building age was 22.1 years.
The average asking price in Yokohama City was 30,030,000 Yen, up 0.7% from the previous month and up 8.6% from last year. This list he first time since November 1997 that the asking price in Yokohama has exceeded 30 million Yen. The average building age was 23.8 years.
In Tokyo’s central six wards (Chiyoda, Chuo, Minato, Shinjuku, Bunkyo and Shibuya) the average asking price was 72,680,000 Yen, down 0.2% from the previous month but up 2.2% from last year. The average building age was 20.4 years.