Despite the continuing rise in residential property prices in Tokyo’s 23 Wards, we have continued to see a high level of interest in central Tokyo properties, from both investors and people looking for family homes. In parallel, this year, we have also seen a steady increase in inquiries from people looking to buy outside Japan’s big cities.
If you wanted to buy a new condominium in the greater Tokyo area, you would be looking at an average listing price of ¥58.84 million (525,800 USD, up 3.5% year-on-year), which is a price point approaching levels last seen at the peak of the asset price bubble.
The situation is comparable in the re-sale market. According to Tokyo Kantei (in Japanese), the average listing price for a 70-sqm single-family house in Tokyo in July was ¥54.30 million. If you want to buy in Osaka, you would get some relief, as the average for Osaka prefecture, is less than half: ¥25.73 million.
So when we are looking at examples of houses in Japan selling for $120,000 or about ¥13 million, we’re looking at properties that are listing for about a quarter of the Tokyo average.
Let’s take a look at some examples of properties currently on the market in Japan’s smaller cities with a list price of of less than ¥13 million.
7BR+ House for Sale in Minami-Boso (Chiba Prefecture)
Where: Minami-Boso City, Chiba Prefecture. On the Chiba Peninsula, about 95-km south of Tokyo
Price: ¥12,000,000 ($110,500)
Size and Layout: 7BR, 178-sqm
Floors: 2-stories
Land rights: Freehold
Year Built: 1974
Notes: Large, beautifully landscaped yard
2BR House for Sale in Atsugi-shi (Kanagawa Prefecture)
Where: Atsugi-shi, Kanagawa Prefecture. About an hour commute to Shinjuku Station. Nearby cities to the south include the historic city of Kamakura and the beach town of Zushi. To the northeast is Yokohama.
Price: ¥12,000,000 ($110,500)
Size and Layout: 2BR, 60-sqm
Floors: 2-stories
Land rights: Freehold
Year Built: 1993
Notes: All western-style rooms, good natural light, residential neighborhood with good shopping nearby
5BR House for Sale in Komagane-shi (Nagano Prefecture)
Where: Komagane-shi, Nagano Prefecture. A city of about 32,000 people nestled in a valley between the Central and Southern Japanese Alps.
Price: ¥12,980,000 ($119,500)
Size and Layout: 5BR, 192-sqm
Floors: 2-stories
Land rights: Freehold
Year Built: 2003, renovated kitchen, bathroom, and toilet
Notes: Large lot, amazing views of the Japanese Alps
4BR House for Sale in Kita-Hiroshima-shi (Hokkaido)
Where: Kita-Hiroshima-shi, Hokkaido, about 25-km southeast of Sapporo
Price: ¥10,800,000 ($99,500)
Size and Layout: 4BR, 93-sqm
Floors: 2-stories
Land rights: Freehold
Year Built: 1977, renovated kitchen, bathroom, toilet
Notes: All western-style rooms, one-car garage
To see other “For Sale” listings around Japan, please use the links below:
Real Estate for Sale in Nagoya
Real Estate for Sale in Fukuoka
FAQs About Buying a Home in Japan
Can a foreigner buy property in Japan?
Yes. You can buy property in Japan regardless of your nationality or country of origin. There are also no residency requirements for buying real estate in Japan. Securing financing as a resident foreigner is more complicated. For info on financing, please see “Basic Requirements for Getting a Mortgage as a Foreigner in Japan“.
How do I get a home loan as a foreigner in Japan?
Please see this article for information on: Getting a home loan as a foreigner in Japan
What is the process for buying a home in Japan?
Please see our step-by-step guide: Guide to Buying a Home in Japan
See how much you can borrow and your monthly payments in yen: Yen Mortgage Loan Calculator
For information about purchase and brokerage fees: Breakdown of real estate purchase fees and taxes in Japan
For information about real estate taxes: Guide to Japanese real estate taxes
One thought on "What can you buy for $120,000 in Japan’s Smaller Cities?"
hi,
this is very nice information for us and this is very nice posting for us ,
thank for this posting ,
regards,
mansi desai