[At Home Survey] Real Estate Market Sentiment Survey for Local Brokerages (Jan-Mar 2026)

At Home Co., Ltd., a provider of real estate information services, conducts a quarterly survey on market sentiment in the residential real estate distribution market, targeting its member real estate brokerages deeply rooted in their local communities across 13 prefectures and 14 regions nationwide. The analysis is outsourced to At Home Lab Co., Ltd.

This survey began in the first quarter of 2014 and the current report (Jan-Mar 2026) marks the 49th edition.

Topics

- The DI for rental market conditions rose in all 14 regions compared to the previous quarter. The DIs for Chiba and Kanagawa prefectures reached their highest levels since the survey began in 2014. - Sales market conditions rose in 8 regions compared to the previous quarter, and 8 regions showed a year-on-year increase. There are many concerns regarding interest rate trends and the situation in the Middle East for the next quarter. - When searching for rooms, single people (aged 30 or under) prioritize different factors: students focus on cleanliness and safety due to parental influence, while working professionals prioritize convenience, floor plan, and size.

Commentary: Junko Iwamae, Executive Officer, Data Marketing Department, At Home Lab Co., Ltd.

"The rental peak season saw a slowdown in growth in Tokyo's 23 wards. Rising rents and supply shortages are shifting demand to neighboring prefectures."

Overall, rental market conditions remained solid. The Tokyo metropolitan area, in particular, maintained a high level, and the DIs for Chiba and Kanagawa reached record highs. On the other hand, while the DI for Tokyo's 23 wards was 53.3, which is not bad, it shows a slowdown compared to previous peak seasons. This is attributed to soaring rents and supply shortages, leading to a shift in some demand to neighboring prefectures. This trend is expected to continue for the time being.

Regarding the next quarter, concerns about the impact of the tense situation in the Middle East are frequently raised for both rental and sales markets.

Survey Overview

- Survey period: March 12, 2026 - March 25, 2026 - Target: At Home member stores in 13 prefectures (Northern Hokkaido, Miyagi, Tokyo metropolitan area (1 capital and 3 prefectures), Shizuoka, Aichi, Kinki (2 prefectures and 1 metropolis), Hiroshima, Fukuoka) that hold a prefectural governor's license and have been in the brokerage business for over 5 years. - Primarily management-level personnel. Valid responses: 1,913 stores.

(Note) The DI used in this survey is an index representing sentiment judgment compared to the same period of the previous year.