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Resale condominium discounts in Greater Tokyo widened to more than 6% in 2025, even as average prices rose and homes sold faster. The figures point to a more selective market rather than a broad downturn. Homes priced close to buyer expectations continued to sell quickly. Listings launched at ambitious prices were more likely to require deeper reductions, especially after several months on the market. Key Points: Average discounts widened to 6.14% in the first half of 2025 an

Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism has issued new guidelines explaining how existing real estate law applies when homeowners sell their property and remain in it as tenants. Photo by Signature Pro on Unsplash The guidelines take effect on October 1, 2026. They are intended to address complaints involving unclear lease terms, high rents, costly cancellation provisions and aggressive approaches to homeowners, particularly older people. What is a res

The number of properties registered for sale through Japan’s Real Estate Information Network System, or REINS, continued to increase in June 2026, outpacing growth in reported sales. Key Points: The number of properties registered for sale on REINS increased 4.7% year on year in June, while reported sales rose 1.0%. The figures suggest that supply recorded on the agent-only network is building faster than transactions, although they do not by themselves establish a nationwide

Financial markets and real estate are often influenced by the same economic forces, although the connection is not always immediately visible. On July 14, Bloomberg’s The Asia Trade examined the weak yen, Japanese equities and the changing position of overseas investors, including how Japan’s stock market performance looks different when measured in US dollars. We summarize the main discussion points before applying the same currency lens to Greater Tokyo existing condominium

Existing condominium transactions and prices in the Greater Tokyo Area declined again in June, while the existing single-family home market continued to record growth. The East Japan Real Estate Information Network, or REINS, released the data on July 10th. Existing Condominium Prices Fall as Inventory Rises The average sold price per square metre fell 0.8 percent year-on-year to JPY 826,400, while the average price per unit slipped 0.02 percent to JPY 52.08 million. Both mea

Japan’s regional economies are still moving forward, but that improvement has not yet clearly reached the housing market. On July 9, 2026, the Bank of Japan released its July Regional Economic Report, commonly known as the Sakura Report. Bank of Japan. Photo courtesy of Wiiii via Wikipedia. The BOJ kept its overall economic assessment unchanged for all nine regions. At the same time, the report showed that housing investment remained one of the slower parts of the regional ec

Japan’s real wages rose for a fifth consecutive month in May, as nominal pay growth continued to outpace the inflation measure used by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW). MHLW released the preliminary May 2026 results of its Monthly Labour Survey on July 7th. The data showed total cash earnings at workplaces with five or more employees increased 3.2% year-on-year to 311,165 yen. Photo by Franck V. on Unsplash After adjusting for inflation, the real wage index

Greater Tokyo homeowners are still completing sales at a rising rate, but Recruit’s latest SUUMO survey suggests the seller market is becoming more selective. Recruit’s SUUMO Research Center announced the results of its 2025 “Home Sale Considerers and Sellers” survey on June 18th. Fewer owners considered selling than last year. Those who did enter the market, however, were more likely to complete a sale. Photo by Steven Diaz on Unsplash The survey covers people in the Greater

Orders for building renovation and renewal projects in Japan climbed 18.7% year-on-year to JPY 16.4 trillion in FY2025, according to MLIT. The increase was driven by strong demand for repairs, refurbishments, and energy-efficiency upgrades. Photo by Renovations Certified on Unsplash Residential renovation orders increased 18.7% to JPY 4.9 trillion, while non-residential projects rose 18.6% to JPY 11.5 trillion, highlighting broad-based growth across the sector. FY2025 Renovat

Greater Tokyo’s existing condominium market softened in May, with completed transactions falling for a second straight month and the average sold price per square meter declining year on year (YoY) for the first time in over six years, according to data released June 10th by REINS East Japan. The Greater Tokyo Area (GTA) consists of the prefectures of Tokyo, Saitama, Chiba and Kanagawa. The headline figure refers to reported completed transactions, not advertised listing pric

Real estate information service provider AtHome released registered price data on May 28th for newly built single-family homes listed on its proper in the Greater Tokyo Area in April 2026. The data covers asking prices per unit for properties registered and publicly listed for consumers on AtHome’s real estate information network. Prices were compiled across eight areas: Tokyo’s 23 wards, Tokyo non-23 wards, Yokohama and Kawasaki, the rest of Kanagawa Prefecture, Saitama City

Japan’s major real estate brokerages posted broad gains in commission revenue in fiscal 2025, as rising property prices supported transaction value even as deal volumes softened at some firms, according to a new industry survey. Fudosan Ryutsu Kenkyujo, with the literal translation being Real Estate Distribution Research Institute, announced the results of its fiscal 2025 brokerage performance survey on May 22nd. FY2025 refers to the time period from April 1st, 2025 until Mar

Greater Tokyo’s existing condominium market lost momentum in April, with transaction volume turning negative for the first time in 18 months while sold prices continued to rise. The figures come from the Real Estate Information Network for East Japan, or REINS, pronounced “rains,” which released its April 2026 market report on May 13th. REINS is the industry-only-accessed MLS system used to track brokered resale transactions across the region. REINS data is widely used as a r

On May 7th, Tokyo Kantei released their 2025 Condominium Price-Earnings Ratio (PER) report, showing that Greater Tokyo Area (GTA) condominium prices are rising faster than rents and further stretching the link between purchase prices and rental income. The clearest signal is in the resale market. The average PER for 10-year-old existing condominiums reached 31.78, surpassing the 30.46 recorded for newly built units. Photo by Maria Krasnova on Unsplash That means existing con

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) on April 30th released its fiscal 2025 and March 2026 housing starts statistics. FY 2025 runs from April 2025 to March 2026. Total housing starts nationwide in FY2025 came to 711,171 units, down 12.9% year on year, marking a return to decline after increasing in the previous fiscal year. Total floor area fell 13.2% to 54.57 million square meters, also reversing the previous fiscal year’s growth. Breakdown by P

Global markets are entering a rare G7 Super Week - a tightly packed stretch in which multiple major central banks, including the Bank of Japan, the Federal Reserve, the Bank of England, the Bank of Canada and the European Central Bank, deliver policy decisions within days of each other. The BOJ is under particular pressure as it contends with a weak yen, rising inflation, and geopolitical risks linked to Iran. As other central banks signal their policy paths, questions remain

Japan’s consumer sentiment weakened sharply in March 2026, even as a separate survey of housing intenders shows that more than half believe now is a good time to buy property, highlighting a divergence between broad household confidence and purchase timing among active buyers. Photo by Nikolay Likomanov on Unsplash Released April 9th, the latest Consumer Confidence Survey from the Cabinet Office shows a clear deterioration in sentiment across all major indicators, while Recr

Supply of brand-new condominiums in the Greater Tokyo Area (GTA) fell to its lowest level on record in fiscal 2025, according to data released April 20 by the Real Estate Economic Institute. A total of 21,659 new condominium units were launched across the region during the fiscal year (April 2025–March 2026), down 2.6% from the previous year. Supply declined for a fourth consecutive year, marking the lowest level since the survey began in 1973. By area, Tokyo’s 23 wards recor

According to a survey released April 16th by Recruit, 50% of people currently considering purchasing or building a home believe now is a good time to buy - the highest level recorded since 2020 and the fourth consecutive annual increase. The survey was conducted online by Recruit’s housing research arm, the SUUMO Research Center, between December 19, 2025 and January 7, 2026. It targeted men and women aged 20 to 69 who are actively considering purchasing, building, or renovat

Existing condominium transactions in the Greater Tokyo Area (GTA) rose slightly in March, extending a 17-month streak of year-on-year (YoY) growth, according to data released April 10th by the Real Estate Information Network for East Japan (REINS). A total of 5,001 resale condominium units were transacted across the GTA during the month, inching up 0.2% from a year earlier. The GTA consists of the following prefectures: Tokyo, Kanagawa, Chiba and Saitama. Broken down by GTA p