Niseko/Kutchan’s 1,200-Resident Housing Plan: What It Signals for Single-Family Rentals       倶知安・ニセコ「1,200人住宅計画」が映すもの

2025.09.19

Hello, I’m Robert Alan Holmes from Niseko Investments. I’ve lived in Hokkaido for 30 years and have spent roughly 20 of those years in the Niseko real-estate market. The note below summarises how recent developments are shaping local placemaking and long-term asset values.

(こんにちは。ニセコ・インベストメンツのロバート・アラン・ホームズです。北海道在住30年、そのうち約20年をニセコの不動産市場で過ごしてきました。以下は、最近の動きが地域づくりと長期的な資産価値にどう影響しているかをまとめたノートです。)


What the Kutchan/Niseko “1,200-resident housing plan” reveals

— 戸建て賃貸の需要はどこまで伸びる?現場からの所感と戦略

— How far will demand for single-family rentals grow? Field insights and strategy

今日は、ここ数か月で一気に注目が集まった**「最大1,200人規模の住宅街建設計画」について、現場で見えている需給の変化と投資・売買の実務的示唆**をまとめます。

Today I’m summarising the on-the-ground supply–demand shifts and practical implications for investment and transactions around the suddenly high-profile “up to 1,200-resident housing district” plan.


何が起きているか(要約)

What’s happening (summary)

• 住民グループは7/25に245名分の署名を町へ提出。

• A residents’ group submitted 245 signatures to the town on July 25.

• 9/2にはオンラインの反対署名4,315名分を北海道に提出。

• On September 2, 4,315 online protest signatures were submitted to Hokkaido Prefecture.

• 反対理由は主に治安・環境・インフラ負荷への懸念。

• Main objections: concerns over public safety, the environment, and infrastructure strain.

• 農地転用をめぐり、町農業委員会は一度は反対見解→**道農業会議が「許可相当」と判断、その後「転用やむを得ない」**と意見変更・議決。

• Regarding farmland conversion: the Town Agricultural Committee initially opposed, but after the Hokkaido Agricultural Council deemed it “eligible for approval,” the committee reversed course and voted that “conversion is unavoidable.”

• 計画地は約2.7ha、外国人労働者ら最大1,200人を想定。

• The planned site is about 2.7 hectares, projecting up to 1,200 residents including foreign workers.

町の人口の約1割に相当する流入規模——**経済合理性(労働者住宅不足)と生活の質(コミュニティ負荷)**の衝突が、今、表面化しています。

The inflow equals roughly 10% of the town’s population—bringing to the surface a conflict between economic rationale (worker-housing shortage) and quality of life (community burden).


現場で体感する「3つの事実」

Three facts we feel on the ground

  1. 戸建て賃貸ニーズの急伸  冬の雇用確保を急ぐ事業者・施設が、今から住まいを押さえに来る動きが明確。 A surge in single-family rental demand. Businesses and facilities rushing to secure winter staffing are already moving to lock in housing.
  2. 賃料は上昇トレンド  昨年だけでも、法人・個人あわせて300〜500組規模の「入居待ち」が出たという話は珍しくありません(私のヒアリング・実務体感ベース)。 Rents are trending upward. It’s not unusual to hear of 300–500 parties on rental waitlists last year (based on my interviews and field experience).
  3. “早い者勝ち”と“急な値下げ”が同居  需給が引き締まる一方で、個別事情(資金化の都合・転勤・相続)で急いで売る→ピンポイントの値下げが出ることも。スピード×目利きが明暗を分けます。 “First-come wins” coexists with “sudden price cuts.” While supply–demand is tight overall, individual circumstances (liquidity needs, relocation, inheritance) can trigger quick sales and targeted discounts. Speed × discernment makes the difference.

中期ドライバー:上がり続ける理由と、冷静さ

Mid-term drivers: Why prices can keep rising—and why to stay cool-headed

• **北海道新幹線(倶知安駅)**という、数年先の大型インフラ。

• The Hokkaido Shinkansen (Kutchan Station)—a major infrastructure catalyst a few years out.

• 周辺の商業投資・来訪者は増加基調、雇用は季節性を含め拡大。

• Commercial investment and visitor numbers are climbing; employment—including seasonal—is expanding.

• ただし、許認可/近隣合意/季節変動/金利・為替といった外部要因は常に変わる。

• Yet approvals, neighborhood consensus, seasonality, rates, and FX remain moving parts.

→ だからこそ、**「需要は強いが、銘柄(物件)選びはさらに重要」**というのが私の結論です。

→ Hence my conclusion: demand is strong, but selection (the specific asset) matters even more.


戸建てが選ばれる理由(ニセコ/倶知安の実感値)

Why single-family homes are chosen (Niseko/Kutchan realities)

• 駐車・備品・ギア置きなど、季節就労者が戸建ての自由度を好む。

• Seasonal workers value the flexibility: parking, equipment/gear storage, etc.

• 除排雪・動線・光熱費効率など、冬の実用性が価値になる。

• Winter practicality—snow removal, movement lines, and utility efficiency—translates to value.

• 家具家電付き・柔軟な契約形態への需要が明確(社宅用途/シェア運用)。

• Clear demand for furnished units and flexible terms (corporate housing/shared use).


投資・売買の実務アドバイス(戦略3選)

Practical playbook (3 strategies)

戦略①:中古戸建ての“冬対応”リノベ → 賃貸化

• 断熱・サッシ・暖房、光熱費効率を上げる工事は賃料と稼働に直結。

• 家具家電・Wi-Fi・除雪手配までパッケージ化すると、法人需要を取り込みやすい。

Strategy 1: Winter-proof renovation of existing houses → rent-out

• Upgrades to insulation/windows/heating and utility efficiency directly improve rent and occupancy.

• Packaging furnishings, Wi-Fi, and snow-removal arrangements attracts corporate demand.

戦略②:通年+冬季短期の“二毛作”運用

• 夏は長期、冬はシーズン契約など、収益の波形を最適化。

• 管理体制(清掃・チェックイン・トラブル一次対応)を最初に設計すること。

Strategy 2: “Dual-crop” operations—annual + winter seasonal

• Long-term in summer, seasonal in winter, smoothing the revenue waveform.

• Design the ops stack upfront (cleaning, check-in, first-response to issues).

戦略③:社宅需要に特化

• 複数台駐車・物置・ドライルームなど、現場が本当に欲しい仕様に寄せる。

• 法人窓口と早期にマッチングしておくと、空室リスクを大幅に低減。

Strategy 3: Specialise for corporate housing

• Multiple parking spaces, storage, and a drying room—spec to what operators actually need.

• Early matching with corporate contacts greatly reduces vacancy risk.


売主さまへ:高く・早く・安全に売るコツ

For sellers: How to sell high, fast, and safely

• 雪前(初雪前〜序盤)は内見が動きやすい。写真も今のうちに晴れ・外観・設備を押さえる。

• Pre-snow (before/early in the first snow) is active for viewings. Capture clear exterior/interior/equipment photos now.

• 金融・相続・住み替えなどの事情は、率直に共有いただいたほうが戦略は立てやすい。

• Be frank about financing/inheritance/move-up reasons—better inputs, better strategy.

• 一点値下げで一気に決まるケースも。市場の“今”に合わせた価格調整が勝ち筋です。

• A targeted price cut can seal the deal. Tuning pricing to the market “now” is the winning line.


買主さまへ:良い物件を買うコツ

For buyers: How to secure good assets

• **資金手当(自己資金・ローン事前審査)**は準備万端に。

• Have funds/loan pre-approval ready.

• 指値の柔軟さと決済スピードが武器。

• Flexibility on offer price and speed to close are your edge.

• 用途(自用/投資)をブレさせない:冬場仕様の優先度を最初に決める。

• Don’t waver on purpose (own use vs. investment); define winter-spec priorities upfront.


規制・合意・リスクのチェックリスト

Checklist: Regulations, consents, risks

• 用途地域/建ぺい・容積/接道

• Zoning / building coverage & floor-area ratio / road access

• 農地転用・開発許可(該当時)

• Farmland conversion / development permits (if applicable)

• 近隣同意・管理規約・町内会

• Neighbor consent / covenants / neighborhood association

• 雪害・排水・ライフライン容量

• Snow damage, drainage, utility capacities

• 保険(火災・雪災)と賃貸の賠責設計

• Insurance (fire/snow) and rental liability coverage design

開発ニュースに一喜一憂しすぎず、足元の需給と現実的な運用設計を積み上げるのが、いちばん堅実です。

Rather than overreacting to development headlines, the safest path is to build around current supply–demand and pragmatic operating design.


まとめ:マーケットは“水”のように動く

Takeaway: The market moves like water

計画の是非をめぐる議論は続いていきます。ただ一つ確かなのは、人・仕事・住まいが絡み合うニセコ/倶知安の市場は、速く・途切れず・形を変えながら流れているということ。

Debate over the plan will continue. One thing is certain: the Niseko/Kutchan market—where people, jobs, and housing interlock—flows quickly, continuously, and keeps changing shape.

**戸建て賃貸の需要は強く、賃料は上向き。**一方で、個別事情の売却やスポット値下げも現実に起きています。

Demand for single-family rentals is strong and rents are rising, yet case-by-case sales and spot price cuts do occur.

スピードと設計力が、今年の勝ち筋。

Speed and design capability are this year’s winning edge.

物件の目利き・価格戦略・賃貸設計まで、ワンストップで伴走します。

We partner end-to-end—from asset selection and pricing strategy to rental design.

内見・査定・投資相談はお気軽にどうぞ。

Feel free to contact us for viewings, valuations, and investment consultations.

倶知安/ニセコの現場データを持って、最適解を一緒に作ります。

With live data from Kutchan/Niseko, we’ll build the best solution together.

筆者

Holmes Alan Robert

Originally from Sheffield, England. Graduated from the University of Sussex.

After retiring as an Associate Professor at Sapporo Medical University, he started a new chapter in his career about 20 years ago as a pension owner in the Hirafu area. Since then, he has been involved in running cafés and ski rental shops in central Niseko, closely observing the area’s development as one of its early innovators.

He began his real estate career around 15 years ago, and since then, he has been actively involved in various large-scale development projects and commercial property transactions in Niseko.

Fluent in Japanese and supported by a team of Japanese staff, he has built strong relationships with key local figures in the Niseko, Kutchan, and Rusutsu areas. This extensive network allows him to identify and secure undervalued, off-market, and bargain-priced properties before they reach the open market.

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