[How old is too old for a used house?] A survey of 300 respondents

Survey of 300 people on used houses: 42.0% (126 people) say it depends on the condition; 22.3% (67 people) find properties 6-10 years old most acceptable, and 55.3% (166 people) accept properties up to 15 years old. The primary concern is earthquake resistance at 74.7% (224 people).

AZWAY Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Azumi Iguchi) conducted a survey on intentions, anxieties, and decision-making criteria regarding used house purchases.

When considering used houses, the most common approach is that it depends on the condition (42.0%, 126 people). This was followed by prioritizing location even if the house is somewhat old (30.7%, 92 people), revealing that comprehensive judgment of property condition and location is more mainstream than the age of the building.

Regarding acceptable age, 6-10 years (22.3%, 67 people) and 11-15 years (21.3%, 64 people) were the top choices, with 55.3% (166 people) accepting up to 15 years. Conversely, anxieties regarding older used houses were dominated by earthquake resistance (74.7%, 224 people), followed by water leaks/corrosion/structural degradation (68.0%, 204 people) and aging of water/electrical wiring (64.3%, 193 people), showing that anxieties are concentrated in structural, deterioration, and infrastructure areas.

Furthermore, as for the conditions for considering a property 10 years older than desired, 38.0% (114 people) of the segment do not judge by discount rate alone. However, among the segment that does judge by discount rate, 20% cheaper (19.7%, 59 people) and 30% cheaper (18.0%, 54 people) were top, suggesting that valid evidence (condition, earthquake resistance, inspection) plus price adjustment is the key to decision-making.

Survey Overview: Survey on Used Houses Target: Men and women from their teens to 70s+ Survey Period: January 15, 2026 - January 19, 2026 Survey Method: Internet survey Number of Respondents: 300 people *Totals for multiple-choice questions do not equal 100%

Respondent Attributes Gender: Female: 70.7% (212) / Male: 29.0% (87) / Other: 0.3% (1) Age: Teens: 1.0% (3) / 20s: 21.0% (63) / 30s: 38.7% (116) / 40s: 22.7% (68) / 50s: 11.7% (35) / 60s: 4.3% (13) / 70s+: 0.7% (2) Household composition: Couple/partner + children: 47.0% (141) / Couple/partner (2 people): 20.7% (62) / Single: 14.0% (42) / Living with parents/grandparents (no children): 10.7% (32) / Single parent + children: 4.0% (12) / Living with parents/grandparents (with children): 2.0% (6) / Other: 1.7% (5) Current residence: Rental (mansion/apartment): 36.0% (108) / Owned (new purchase): 31.7% (95) / Owned (used purchase): 15.7% (47) / Parents' home: 10.7% (32) / Rental (detached): 3.3% (10) / Company housing/dorm: 1.3% (4) / Other: 1.3% (4)

Survey Results Summary - Thinking on used house purchase: Depends on condition (42.0%, 126 people) is the most common. - Acceptable age: 6-10 years (22.3%, 67 people) is most common; up to 15 years accepted by 55.3% (166 people). - For properties 10 years older than desired, 38.0% (114 people) cannot decide based on discount rate. - Condition for extending acceptable age: Renovated water facilities (73.0%, 219 people) is the most common. - Center of anxiety: Earthquake resistance (74.7%, 224 people), water leaks/corrosion/structural degradation (68.0%, 204 people). - Used house image: Mentions of 'cheap' (60.7%, 182) and 'renovation/reform' (56.0%, 168) are common.

[Result 1] Thoughts on purchasing a used house: Depends on condition (42.0%, 126 people) is the most common. When asked to choose the view closest to their own when purchasing a used house, the results were as follows: 1st: Depends on condition (42.0%, 126 people) 2nd: Prefer location even if somewhat old (30.7%, 92 people) 3rd: Prefer price even if somewhat old (12.0%, 36 people) 4th: Age is more important than location (8.0%, 24 people) 5th: Age is more important than price (5.0%, 15 people) 6th: No particular preference/depends on situation (2.3%, 7 people)

[Result 2] Acceptable building age: 6-10 years (22.3%, 67 people) and 11-15 years (21.3%, 64 people) are top. Acceptance up to 15 years is 55.3% (166 people).

[Result 3] Conditions for considering a property 10 years older than desired: 38.0% (114 people) cannot decide based on discount rate.

[Result 4] Conditions for extending the acceptable age range: Renovated water facilities (73.0%, 219 people) is the most common. Average of 5.6 items selected per person.

[Result 5] Anxiety about old used houses: Earthquake resistance (74.7%, 224 people) is the most common. Average of 4.5 items selected per person.

[Result 6] Image of used houses: Mentions of 'cheap' (60.7%, 182) and 'renovation/reform' (56.0%, 168) are common.

Summary This survey found that only a minority of people decide based solely on building age when considering used houses; comprehensive judgment based on condition and location is the mainstream. Meanwhile, anxieties are concentrated on 'invisible risks' such as earthquake resistance, structural degradation, and aging infrastructure. Therefore, presenting information that supports quality of life and safety is strongly required. The fact that 42.0% say it depends on condition and 38.0% cannot decide based on discount rate indicates that the ability to assess the actual state of the property is becoming essential in the used housing market.