A surface property measuring apparatus includes a control unit, configured to control operations of a roughness measuring instrument and a relative moving mechanism, including: a measuring force command module configured to output a measuring command; and a measuring force control module configured to control the direction and magnitude of the measuring force, wherein the measuring force control module instructs a measuring force application unit of the roughness measuring instrument to generate therein the measuring force whose magnitude and direction are designated by the measuring force command when a displacement speed of a measuring arm is equal to or slower than a predetermined threshold, and the measuring force control module instructs the measuring force application unit to generate therein a force in a direction in which the distal end of the measuring arm is raised upwards when the displacement speed of the measuring arm exceeds the predetermined threshold.