Investing in Residential Real Estate
Advantages of Buying a Condominium as a Tokyo Investment Property
By Nils Herchenroeder Investors interested in purchasing a residential property in Japan have the choice between condominiums, detached houses and regular apartments to add to their portfolio. Having personally managed many condominium properties for overseas owners over the years, I would... More
Buying Property in Japan
Cost of buying real estate in Japan: Breakdown of purchase fees and taxes
By Jeff Wynkoop Prior to making an offer to buy property in Japan, it is important to have a good estimate of your total out-of-pocket costs, and understand when the costs will arise in the buying process. Usually when buying... More
Buying a Home in Japan
What can you buy in Japan’s regional cities for $150,000?
This month we continue to see a year-on-year increase in inquiries for properties for sale in Tokyo’s 23 Wards, but also of note is the growing interest in cities outside the capital region. In this article, we give a few... More
Market Trends
Land Prices Up in 80% of Sites in Major Japanese Cities: MLIT LOOK Report
Land prices rose in about 80% of locations surveyed by Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) in its latest LOOK Report, which surveys land price trends for intensively used commercial and residential land in major cities throughout... More
Airbnb in Japan
Japan Legalizes Airbnb Rentals: Diet Passes Law
On June 9th, the Japanese Diet formally approved the new law authorizing the leasing out of private residences for short-term accommodations, also known as Airbnb-style rentals or minpaku rentals. Under the new law, homeowners wishing to lease out a room... More
Buying a Home in Japan
What interest rate can I get for a home mortgage loan in Japan?
By Jeff Wynkoop Rates for fixed-rate home loans in Japan are still generally very low, even though the majority of banks raised their base rate for several types of loans in June. Main street banks currently offer an average rate... More
Airbnb in Japan
Airbnb-Style Rentals in Japan: Majority of Properties in Legal Grey Zone
By Jeff Wynkoop The Japanese government has been unable to verify the legality of 53% of the 15,000 properties it surveyed and 30% of properties were found to be unlicensed. This is according to a recent government survey meant to ascertain... More