New apartment prices across greater Tokyo hit highest price since 1990
According to a report issued by the Real Estate Economic Institute on April 16, the average price of a brand new apartment across greater Tokyo was 59,210,000 Yen in fiscal 2017, an increase of 6.9% from 2016 and the highest level seen since 1990 when the average price peaked at 62,140,000 Yen. High labor and construction costs along with rising land prices have been a major contributor to the high sale prices of apartments in and around the capital.
A total of 36,837 brand new apartments were released for sale, a 1.1% increase from 2016 and the first increase seen in four years. This is still far short of the peak supply of 95,479 apartments seen in 2000. The average price per square meter was 864,000 Yen, up 7.9% from 2016.Read more
Bidding restarted for Sengaku-ji Station high-rise apartment tower
A 160m tall apartment tower is planned for a site located above Sengaku-ji Station in Minato-ku, Tokyo. The project covers a 13,000 sqm site located on the eastern side of the Daiichi-Keihin Road, with the Yamanote train tracks running along the western side. This is reclaimed land that was once part of Tokyo Bay.
In February it was announced that a joint venture between Kajima Corporation, Tokyu Land and Keikyu Corporation had successfully bid on the development. On April 4, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government announced that their bid was disqualified after charges were filed against an executive from Kajima Corporation for allegedly colluding on a bid for the new high-speed maglev train. Read more
48-yr old Tokiwamatsu House condo being redeveloped
Tokiwamatsu House, a vintage condominium located a 10 minute walk south of Omotesando Station, is being redeveloped into a new apartment building. Demolition of the existing building is expected to be finished by late August.
The former block of apartments was developed by Sumitomo and built in 1970. It included 62 apartments on 8 floors with sizes ranging from 37 ~ 122 sqm (398 ~ 1,313 sq.ft). The most recent reported sale was a large apartment on a low floor that sold early last year for around 770,000 Yen/sqm, which is less than half of what a similarly-sized brand new apartment would cost in this neighbourhood.Read more
Tokyo apartment sale prices increase for 66th month
According to REINS, 3,819 second-hand apartments were reported to have sold across greater Tokyo in March, up 11.5% from the previous month and up 2.7% from last year. The average sale price was 33,690,000 Yen, up 0.5% from the previous month and up 7.1% from last year. The average price per square meter was 521,100 Yen, up 1.8% from the previous month and up 5.7% from last year. This is the 63rd month in a row to see a year-on-year increase in sale prices.Read more
Two floors in ARK Hills sell for 3 billion Yen
Two floors in ARK Mori Building - the office tower in the ARK Hills complex located in central Tokyo - have been acquired by Heiwa Real Estate REIT. Heiwa paid 3.085 billion Yen (approx. 29 million USD) for the trust beneficiary rights to the 30th and 31st floors from an unnamed seller.Read more
Chuo-ku to remove floor area ratio allowances to curb population growth
Tokyo’s Chuo ward is planning to abolish the floor area ratio (FAR) allowances in an attempt to curb the district’s rapid population growth. Up until now, a FAR allowance of as much as 20 ~ 40% could be given to residential developments in certain zones. For example, if a developer chose to build a new apartment building in Tsukiji or Kyobashi, the normal FAR for the land might be increased from its current limit of 500% to 700%, allowing a much larger building. Read more
30% of old buildings in Tokyo at risk of collapse in strong earthquake
On March 29, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government released data from earthquake resistance inspections on public buildings built to the old ‘kyu-taishin’ earthquake codes (pre-May 1981). A total of 251 kyu-taishin buildings, representing a third of the total, were determined pose some risk of collapse in the event of an earthquake producing a seismic intensity scale (shindo) of a 6-upper or above. Of those, 156 were found to be at high risk of collapse.
The publication of this data is the result of a revision to the Act for Promotion of Renovation for Earthquake-Resistant Buildings that was introduced in November 2013. Under this revision, public buildings used by an unspecified number of people, such as hotels and commercial facilities, with a floor area over 10,000 sqm and built to the old kyu-taishin earthquake codes are obligated to carry out earthquake resistance inspections, the results of which are made public. This also applies to old buildings located alongside emergency roads. Although the revision requires building owners to carry out inspections, there are no obligations or requirements to conduct the retrofitting.Read more