An updated forecast of Tokyo real estate prices
The Japan Real Estate Institute published an updated forecast of real estate prices and rental values in Tokyo’s 23 wards from 2014 to 2020.
In 2013, apartment prices increased by around 4% due to a last minute buying rush before the hike in the consumption tax kicked in. Note: this tax applies to the sale of brand new apartments and applies to the building portion of the sale only. Anyone who signed a contract on a new apartment before the end of September 2013 could lock in the 5% tax rate.
2014
In 2014, apartment prices are forecast to fall by around 2% from the previous year to 804,000 Yen/sqm. This was attributed a drop in demand due to the increase in the consumption tax rate from April 2014.
Monthly apartment rent increased by 6.4% to 3,430 Yen/sqm.
2015
Office vacancy rates in June - Miki Shoji
According to Miki Shoji’s office report, the office vacancy rate in Tokyo’s five central business districts (Chiyoda, Chuo, Minato, Shinjuku and Shibuya) was 6.45% in June, down 0.07 points from the previous month and down 2.01 points from last year.
The vacancy rate in brand new buildings was 18.09%, down 2.33 points from the previous month but up 6.49 points from last year.
It is not just large-scale office buildings that are experiencing better conditions, but mid-size buildings are also seeing a boost in demand. All 11 buildings developed under Nomura’s mid-size office brand ‘Premium Midsize Office (PMO)’ are almost fully occupied. Mitsubishi’s renovated small-to-mid sized office building in Kanda is also almost fully occupied. The building has attracted several IT-related tenants who want the freedom to design their own office space. Read more
June rental data - Tokyo Kantei
According to Tokyo Kantei, the average monthly rent of a condominium apartment in greater Tokyo was 2,609 Yen/sqm in June, down 0.5% from the previous month but up 2.7% from last year. All areas within greater Tokyo saw rents decline from the previous month.
The average apartment size was 59.37 sqm and the average building age was 18.7 years.
The average rent in Tokyo’s 23-ku was 3,174 Yen/sqm, down 0.7% from the previous month but up 2.4% from last year. The average apartment size was 56.38 sqm and the average building age was 16.9 years.Read more
Residential yields and vacancy rates in Minato-ku - July 2014
According to real estate listing site Homes, the average gross yield on an apartment in Minato-ku in July was 5.2%, down 0.1 points from last month and down 0.8 points from July 2013. The average gross yield across Tokyo was 7.1%, down 0.1 points from last month and down 0.9 points from last year.
The vacancy rate remains unchanged at 9.9% in Minato-ku and 11.0% across Tokyo.
The average asking price of a secondhand apartment in Minato-ku was 785,957 Yen as of July 1, down 0.86% from June. The price growth seen in 2013 appears to have stalled and asking prices have started to decline slightly. The average asking price for land was 1,250,303 Yen/sqm, up 5.9% from last month.Read more
Tokyo’s bayside islands struggling with apartment and population boom
Residents in Tokyo’s bayside islands in Chuo-ku and Koto-ku are growing increasingly concerned about whether the current transport infrastructure and schools can cope with the growing population. Over the past several years, the area has been undergoing a transformation from what was once heavy industrial areas and shipyards into islands crowded with high-rise residential towers.
The development boom is not the direct result of the coming Olympic games, although the announcement did lead to a flurry of sales from buyers excited by the news.
The Athlete’s Village is expected to be built on Harumi Island - about 1 kilometre from Kachidoki Station on the Oedo Line. It will need to house approximately 17,000 people for the Olympic games, with the housing converted for either rental or sale post-games. Read more