Investment properties across Japan see jump in prices

According to First Logic, the average price of investment properties listed on their Rakumachi site in September have seen a jump in prices while corresponding yields have fallen.

Both 'apaato' buildings and individual apartments nationwide have seen their advertised prices increase by 10% ~ 16% from last month. Meanwhile 'mansion'-type buildings have seen prices fall 2.36% from August, although they are still higher than last year. Read more

by Zoe Ward

Studio apartment sale listings reach all-time high

The number of secondhand 'one-room' or studio apartments listed for sale in greater Tokyo has reached an all-time high. According to Tokyo Kantei, as many as 70,000 units were listed in 2012, an increase of almost 10% from 2011.

Many of the studios were built during the bubble period from the late 1980s to 1990 and are hitting the market as investors show a trend towards reducing their asset holding time.Read more

by Zoe Ward

Sendai's property bubble

Somewhat sensationalist magazine Nikkan SPA has reported that Sendai is experiencing a property bubble brought on by the reconstruction work following the Tohoku disaster.Read more

by Zoe Ward

Tas Corp's rental market data for August

TAS Corp, the company behind the "Tas-Map" real estate valuation site, released their latest data on the rental market for both the greater Tokyo and Kansai area for August 2012.

The data includes a vacancy rate index, average time an apartment is advertised before a tenant is found, average rate of lease renewals, rate of mid-way cancellations and a rent index.

This month's report on the greater Tokyo area focused on the aging population in Saitama and the consequences this will have for landlords in the future.Read more

by Zoe Ward