Category: Japan

How to Buy Property in Hokkaido: A Complete Guide

Posted on by Marcus Sohlberg — 5 Comments

buying-property-hokkaido

Do you plan to buy property in Japan?
Click here to get in touch with an experienced agent

Hokkaido gets increasingly popular among foreign and Japanese investors, who want to find cheaper property, a holiday retreat or just a place to escape the hustle and bustle.

You most often hear that foreigners go to Hokkaido (and often Sapporo) to spend one or two weeks skiing.

The other seasons are also great, offering a great quality of life and astonishing nature.

In this article, I explain all the essentials you need to know when buying property in Hokkaido.

Hokkaido real estate market

Hokkaido and its real estate market are significantly different from the Japanese mainland and the three major Japanese islands.

Firstly: It’s among the least densely populated areas in Japan, the population density is less than 65 people per kilometer.

That’s around 1% compared to the population density in Tokyo, where the density is more than 6000 people per km.

Secondly: it’s the 2nd largest island in Japan, but also the northernmost part of the country, thus exposed to a colder climate, with a comparatively harsher winter season.

Continue reading How to Buy Property in Hokkaido: A Complete Guide

How to Buy Property in Yokohama: The Definitive Guide

Posted on by Marcus Sohlberg — Leave a comment

buying-property-yokohama

Do you plan to buy property in Japan?
Click here to get in touch with an experienced agent

Investors are moving firmly towards the Yokohama property market as Tokyo has gone increasingly expensive over the years.

In fact, Yokohama is an overlooked city that is getting more and more appreciated, not only by locals, but also foreigners.

With an increasing population, the demand will also stay relatively high, compared to many other cities in Japan.

In this article, I explain the essentials when buying property in Yokohama.

Yokohama property market

Yokohama is the second largest city in Japan in terms of population, but most populous in terms of density.

The city has become a popular destination for foreigners, in fact, the foreign population has increased to a record number of 8%, and is still growing.

Yokohama is unique for one reason: while its population has increased the past decades, the population in Japan is shrinking.

Even in the 1950’s, Yokohama was the 4th most populous city in Japan, but temporarily climbed to a 1st position in 1985.

So: as the population increases, demand increases. Hong Kongers are some of the foreigners who now turn to Yokohama as property gets too expensive back home.

Continue reading How to Buy Property in Yokohama: The Definitive Guide

How to Buy Property in Tokyo: A Complete Guide

Posted on by Marcus Sohlberg — 2 Comments

Suggestion: Watch the 5 minutes video tutorial before reading this article

Do you plan to buy property in Japan?
Click here to get in touch with an experienced agent

Tokyo is the financial hub and the most popular city for foreigners in Japan.

Due to its great size, prices differ much between different areas. It’s important that you study well in advance, before buying a property in this city.

In this article I explain the basics when buying property in Tokyo.

Property market in Tokyo

It might not come as a surprise that property prices and rental yields are highest in Tokyo, compared to other cities in Japan.

Tokyo is the capital, the largest city and the most popular city among foreigners.

It offers all the amenities and luxuries of modern life, and was ranked as the safest city in the world by The Safe Cities Index.

Dailymail has also listed Tokyo as the best city to live, leaving behind the major cities in Europe and North America.

Tokyo attracts more foreigners

Even when the native population is in decline, there is a significant increase in the number of foreigners living in Japan, mainly in Tokyo.

The past years, there’s been a big year-on-year increase of foreigners living in Japan, the numbers are currently the highest historically. Tokyo outperforms the average value in Japan with a couple of percentage points.

Personally, I’ve visited Nagoya, Kuwana, Osaka, Kyoto and Tokyo. I preferable like Tokyo and would probably move there, if I went to Japan.

At the moment I’m writing this article, almost 1/4 of all foreigners reside in the greater Tokyo area, which speaks for itself.

Continue reading How to Buy Property in Tokyo: A Complete Guide

Buying Property in Osaka: A Complete Guide

Posted on by Marcus Sohlberg — 2 Comments

buying-osaka-proeprty

Do you plan to buy property in Japan?
Click here to get in touch with an experienced agent

Osaka is one of the biggest and most popular cities in Japan.

As one of the commercial centers, attracting people from not only Japan but all over the world, you can do great property deals, if you do your research thoroughly.

The demand is in decline in Tokyo, at the same time as the market is heating up in Osaka. In this article, I explain the essentials you need to know when buying property in Osaka.

Property market outlook in Osaka

Continue reading Buying Property in Osaka: A Complete Guide

Buying Property in Nagoya: The Ultimate Guide

Posted on by Marcus Sohlberg — 1 Comment

buying-property-nagoya

Do you plan to buy property in Japan?
Click here to get in touch with an experienced agent

Nagoya is one of the biggest city in Japan, but often overshadowed by Tokyo and Osaka.

I’ve been to Nagoya 3 times in total, doing business trips, travelled and attended my Japanese friend’s wedding.

Personally, I believe it’s a great city, with cheap restaurants and it’s generally livable.

Many locals and foreigners have opened up their eyes for Nagoya due to the above mentioned reasons, offering a greater quality of life compared to the more expensive cities.

However: before you buy a Nagoya property, it’s important that you study well beforehand and learn the local areas and market.

Continue reading Buying Property in Nagoya: The Ultimate Guide