Buying a House in Japan

Dean shares his experiences buying a house in Japan, highlighting the affordability compared to the U.S., the process of finding and purchasing the property, and the renovations needed. He also discusses navigating cultural differences, the importance of community respect, and future plans for his new home. Dean's journey includes working with AkiyaMart agents, handling money transfers, and prepar...

The podcast discusses AI's role in starting modern businesses, emphasizing the importance of personal branding and long-form content for customer trust. The hosts welcome back Joey, who recovered from a flu, and explore topics like Trump's impact on American immigration trends to Japan, tariffs, rising interest in Japanese real estate, and upcoming off-market deals, including a samurai compound. T...

Joey and Take welcome guests Rob and Naomi, who share their journey of buying a house in Okayama, Japan. As third-generation Japanese Americans, they discuss their quest to reconnect with estranged family members and their reasons for choosing Okayama. The couple recounts their experience with the property search, the smooth buying process, and working with agents Ron and Hida. They also talk abou...

In this episode of the 'Buying a House in Japan' podcast, Joey and Take discuss their experiences with renovating multiple properties in Japan. They highlight the pros and cons of using individual contractors versus larger companies and stress the importance of having a local fixer to manage projects. The hosts reflect on their various renovation projects, focusing on properties in Beppu, Tokyo, K...

In the inaugural episode of 2025, Kurt Bell, aka @softypapa, shares his journey of retiring and buying a house in Japan. The discussion covers his transition back to Japan, overcoming the challenges of moving pets, and ultimately securing a home in Shizuoka Prefecture, thanks to AkiyaMart. Kurt also delves into the importance of due diligence in both retiring and purchasing property in Japan. He h...

In this post-Christmas episode, the hosts discuss cultural Christmas differences, recent property updates, including challenges with their Kitakyushu and Tokyo suburban rentals. They share insights on long-term rental management, cost-effective renovations, and landscaping efforts. Updates on their Myoko snow cabin and predictions for 2025 round out the episode, reflecting on their growth and futu...

In this episode of the 'Buying a House in Japan' podcast, hosts Take and Joey welcome back Erik B, who shares his recent experiences of purchasing and visiting a house in Niigata, Japan. The discussion covers the logistics of transferring money, setting up utilities, dealing with local banking issues, and receiving help from friendly neighbors. Erik also touches on the challenges of obtaining loca...

In this episode, Joey and Take recap their journey of buying and managing five properties in Japan over the past year, including their Beppu Hot Springs short term rental, Tokyo Suburb midterm rental, Kitakyushu long term rental, and Myoko Snow Cabin. They also share insights into the challenges and learning experiences such as dealing with contractors, the importance of insulation, and their inno...

Japan Remotely Website: https://japanremotely.com/ In this episode, Joey and Take return from their podcast break and introduce Nick from Japan Remotely. The discussion focuses on the simplest ways to move to Japan, emphasizing student visas, the JET program, and digital nomad visas. Nick shares his journey to Japan and provides insights into the startup and business manager visas. He explains the...

Buying a Home in Japan: A Success Story with Justin Wong House bought: https://www.akiya-mart.com/listing/27492270?currency=usd&is-metric=false In this episode of the 'Buying a House in Japan Podcast,' host Take interviews Justin, an early Akiyamart direct customer. Justin shares his experience of purchasing a house in Nara for $30K, highlighting the challenges and surprises of navigating the...

In this episode, the hosts wrap up their 10-day content creation spree across Japan and share 10 key insights from their experiences. They discuss their intensive schedule, including meetings with agents, checking out properties, and attending conferences. Key insights include observations about Japan's beauty, opportunities for foreigners, the abundance of empty houses, economic challenges, falli...

In this episode of the 'Buying a House in Japan' podcast, hosts Joey and Take recount their experiences over the past 10 days, highlighting the ongoing renovation of their first Akiya in Beppu, dubbed Jisoji Lux. They discuss the ups and downs of refurbishment, including their interactions with their contractor, Sato san. From initial high hopes to the unexpected challenges—such as communication i...

Join Mika, Jesse, and their dog Pancake in this episode of the "Buying a House in Japan" podcast as they share their journey from Canada to Japan’s countryside. From converting a traditional Japanese house into a cozy, rustic home, to adjusting to rural life and learning blacksmithing, they open up about the joys and challenges of their new life. Perfect for dreamers, doers, and those curious abou...

In this episode of the Buying a House in Japan podcast, recorded live from Niigata's Lyme Hotel, hosts chat with Matt Guy, a Japan travel expert who transitioned from Fremont, California, to Myoko, Japan. Matt shares his journey of purchasing and renovating a $6,000 house, tackling challenges such as winter heating, insulation, and snow maintenance. The discussion delves into practical aspects of...

AkiyaMart sits down with Ron and Hide-san, two experts navigating Japan's complex real estate landscape. From starting a business to helping foreigners find homes in Nagoya, they share the ups and downs of real estate investments, their personal journeys from MMA to international business, and why they believe Japan’s hidden properties are treasures waiting to be uncovered.  00:15 Introductio...

In this episode of the 'Buying a House in Japan' podcast, hosts Take and Joey converse with Catherine, the first successful customer of the AkiyaMart Direct process, and real estate agent Yoshi Chatani. Catherine discusses her transition from Las Vegas to Tama, Japan, driven by her passion for Sanrio and Hello Kitty. They delve into the home-buying process, tackle challenges like international mon...

In this episode, hosts Take and Joey talk with Koen Klinkers from Front Office Tokyo about the challenges and practices in Japanese real estate. Koen shares insights on bank limitations for old homes, cultural preferences for new builds, and unique architectural practices in Japan. The discussion covers renovation challenges, insulation issues, and using CLT in construction. Koen also offers advic...

In this episode of the Buying a House in Japan podcast, hosts Joey and Take record live from Tama Base Camp in Tokyo, bringing exciting updates on their real estate ventures. They discuss their new house at Tama, successful delivery of items via a Japanese phone number, and an exciting Mikoko ski property acquisition bought for a mere 3,500 USD due to its proximity to a graveyard. They address ren...

In this episode of 'Buying a House in Japan,' hosts Joey and Take are joined by Erik Buhrow, who shares his experience of purchasing a home in Niigata Prefecture using the Aki Mart Direct program. Discussing the challenges and adventures of buying a property in Japan, Eric's story involves overcoming misconceptions about foreign ownership, navigating the logistics of registering utilities, and arr...

Get your Japan Real Estate Summit Tickets here: https://summit.realestate.jp/ Ziv's Podcast: Japan Real Estate Podcast Nippon Tradings International: https://nippontradings.com/ In this episode of the Buying a House in Japan podcast, hosts Take and Joey welcome back highly requested guest Ziv Nakajima from Nippon Trainings International. They discuss the complexities of purchasing property in Japa...

In this episode, Take and Joey share more lessons from their latest investment in a Kyuushu rental property. They discuss long-term rental strategies, renovation insights, and how to navigate Japan’s unique housing market. With tips from their expert deal-finder Keaton, they explore the delicate balance of making savvy investments without breaking the bank. Whether you’re new to Japanese real esta...

Joey and Take join Risa on her inaugural podcast and share their journey of turning a post-layoff dream into a thriving business. Discover how these two friends started AkiyaMart, a company dedicated to helping foreigners buy and renovate abandoned homes in Japan. Learn about the challenges, triumphs, and the “doer” mentality that drives them to succeed in a market most would shy away from. Find R...

In this episode, Joey and Take dive into the exciting new features coming to AkiyaMart, including zoning and hazard maps, historical sold data, and customizable email alerts. Learn how these updates will enhance your property search experience in Japan, and get a behind-the-scenes look at the technical challenges and creative solutions driving these innovations. 00:10 Introduction 02:02 AkiyaMart...

Take and Joey dive into their latest adventure: purchasing a $3,500 akiya in Kitakyushu, Japan. They discuss the process of securing this bargain property, the challenges they anticipate, and the potential rewards. With insights from their trusted local contact, Keaton, who has negotiated the deal and offered to manage the renovation and rental process, they explore whether this investment could b...

In this episode, Joey and Take dive into the challenges of setting up and managing a business bank account in Japan as foreigners. They share their frustrating experiences with Japanese banking technology, the complexities of accessing online banking, and the unexpected hurdles they encountered along the way. If you're considering doing business in Japan or just curious about the realities of Japa...