Newsletter

May 2006

ffeilden, property in Kobe, Japan

Welcome to the newsletter for English speakers looking to buy or rent property in Kobe, Ashiya and Nishinomiya in Japan See our website: www.ffeilden.com

Taipei

When traveling I always find it interesting to compare property in other cities to property in Kobe, and in February I visited Taipei.
There is a bit of Japanese feel to it, and like many Asian cities new building construction is everywhere. Compared to Kobe, Taipei seemed well planned and despite the new development, you get the feeling there is more greenery. I loved the small informal Chinese style parks scattered all over the city. They are well maintained and there are plenty of places to sit, kids playgrounds and space for morning “taichi.”

For residential property, I looked at an area called Tianmu, a favourite district for foreign expatriates where there are international schools and a Japanese school. Tianmu is fifteen minutes MRT ride from Taipei city center. The streets are wide and tree-lined, with department stores, fashionable shops and international supermarkets. It is a desirable residential district for both foreigners and locals.
Apartments of around 150 square meters are fairly common, usually with shared facilities like swimming pools. The prices are around 70,000,000 yen. Smaller family type new apartments of 80 square meters are around 30,000,000 yen.
In contrast there are few apartments larger than 150 square meter apartments in Kobe and this market is typically for expats. At this size, most locals would prefer a house with land. The typical size of new apartment developments in Kobe is 80 square meters. Space standards in Taipei appear to be more generous than in Kobe.
In Japan there is such a big price difference between brand new apartments and used apartments, it is difficult to draw a clear price comparison. Our impression was that prices in Tianmu are similar to Kobe for new developments.

Here is a listing of around 100 sqm apartments for sale in Kobe.

Shinohara Kitamachi
32,500,000 yen
3LDK 98.51m² Balcony size 38.20m²
Fantastic view of the bay and the mountains, quiet location, five minutes walk from bus route 2 (Sannomiya to Hankyu Rokko), car parking space available.

Shinoharadai
26,400,000 yen
4LDK 117.32 m² Maisonette Balcony size 21.24 m²
Located in a quiet residential area of Rokko hillside, surrounded by trees. South facing, low maintenance fee of 13,705yen/m and car parking space is available for 13,000yen/m.

Takaha Rokko
27,800,000 yen
3LDK 110.80 m² Balcony size 11.76 m²
This is one of our favorite mansions. Located in Rokko Mikage area. Top corner unit, south facing, recently renovated, storage included. Green and tranquil location in good school area.

For Sale or for Rent in Kobe

You can check properties on our website to see listings and photos of selected properties for sale and rent in Kobe. Check the website regularly for new property.
http://www.ffeilden.com/listing/
This is just a selection of what is available. We have access to all the properties registered for sale on the real estate agents network. And as always, you can request a search via our online application form: www.ffeilden.com/form.php

ffeilden is the international marketing arm of Kubota Home. All real estate transactions are carried out through Kubota Home.

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