Less Than Half the Market Price? The Reality Behind Discounted Properties in Japan

One such property is a single-family home in Atsugi, Kanagawa, with a market value of around 4 million yen. Initially listed at an estimated 1.98 million yen, the price was slashed to half the market value. The reason? A criminal had barricaded himself inside for two days. Despite the stigma, the owner is hopeful it will sell for around 3.8 million yen. The two-story wooden house with a 2LDK layout is priced in the 3-million-yen range. However, the property is in poor condition, with parts of the ceiling missing and visible structural damage.

Another property, a two-story home in Narashino, Chiba, was put up for sale because its owner’s elderly parents could no longer manage the steep stairs. Initially valued between 10 million and 12 million yen, multiple buyers expressed interest but backed out at the last minute. The house, built 40 years ago, has a floor area of approximately 96 square meters, featuring a 16-tatami-mat living-dining room and a 6-mat Japanese-style room on the first floor. While the interior appears in reasonable condition, a closer inspection of the second floor reveals a noticeable tilt. A battery placed on the floor rolls on its own, highlighting the severity of the uneven foundation.

The primary issue, however, lies outside the house. The property sits on elevated ground, making it subject to local zoning laws that restrict construction near cliffs. In Chiba Prefecture, homes built near cliffs must be set back at least 1.5 times the cliff’s height, and those at the bottom must be at least twice that distance away. This home, located right next to a retaining wall, does not meet these criteria, making reconstruction nearly impossible. Despite these challenges, the house was eventually sold for 1 million yen.

In Saitama’s Kawaguchi City, another discounted home was a fire-damaged property. The charred walls and ceilings bore marks of the past incident, yet after cleaning, the property was quickly sold for 3.8 million yen, significantly below the 6.8 million yen market price. Similarly, in another area of Saitama, an apartment filled with garbage and linked to a solitary death was cleaned up and listed for 4.8 million yen—2 million yen below market value.

Another heavily discounted property in Atsugi, Kanagawa, originally valued at around 4 million to 5 million yen, was listed for half the price. The house, built 49 years ago, had been vacant for nearly 30 years after the original owner purchased it but never moved in. The interior was in disrepair, with a collapsing ceiling and holes likely created by animals. In addition to deterioration, the property faced another major challenge—it was a joint-ownership structure known as "rental housing," meaning multiple owners held portions of the building. Any reconstruction required unanimous consent from all co-owners, making redevelopment difficult.

Adding to its troubled history, the house had been the site of a standoff where a criminal barricaded himself for two days. A shattered window suggested forced entry, and a beer bottle left behind raised further questions. Given these conditions, the property was listed at an estimated 980,000 yen—less than half the usual price for homes in the area. Despite the challenges, a buyer was quickly found, and the property was later converted into company housing.

In another case, a home in a popular area of Yokohama, normally valued at 8 million yen, was listed for just 3.8 million yen. The house, a two-story 2LDK with 47 square meters of space, had belonged to a man who passed away in a hospital. His daughter, who inherited the property, decided to sell it. While not officially classified as a stigmatized property, it had several issues.

Inside, personal belongings were still scattered throughout the house, including an improvised shower room and a handmade kitchen installed by the previous owner. The most critical issue, however, was structural—the home was part of a row house, meaning it was physically connected to adjacent properties. Additionally, access to the home required passing through privately owned land, making reconstruction difficult.

The property was eventually sold to a Vietnamese couple for 2.02 million yen. Despite the deteriorated ceiling, the new owners planned to handle repairs themselves. Given Yokohama’s high real estate prices, the affordability of such properties attracted buyers, including foreign residents looking for budget-friendly housing options.

Investigating these discounted properties revealed that while each had unique circumstances driving their low prices, many still found buyers drawn by affordability. Even properties with structural issues, legal restrictions, or stigmatized histories could find new owners willing to take on the challenge.

Source: FNN