I Bought Two Abandoned Japanese Houses in 30 Days

[@shumatsuopost]

Is buying an abandoned house in Japan a GOOD or BAD investment in 2025? forms.gle/ZbanpivqL1kch8uV6

[@GraceSantos-je5gv]

Is it still good to buy property in q1 2025 for investment?

[@FrauWNiemand]

Depends on your purpose. Just think about who would like to rent/buy these and if renting, then for short or long time rent. For me, my colleagues and I from Germany want to work from abroad for 1-2 months and the market is wery sparsely settled to find cheap appartments next to German school Yokohama. So this would be a godd plce and a selling point for me. If you look for long time tennants it is probably the best to put in as less furniture as possible, but the kitchen needs to be your selling point. All vids I watched of japanese people abroad or gaijin in Japan all talking about the kitchen. You need specific standards for selling flat or houses to people from abroad for long term stay. Japanese people might live with less standards - which is less costs for you but also less money you will earn in a short time period. I'd probably would go with the second akiya, because I love the surrounding nature and the stunning view catched me completely.

[@1johnnygunn]

Awesome, raising a child and letting them see what daddy does for a living is good. These videos are encouraging me to move with my plan of buying rental properties

[@shumatsuopost]

I'm glad you're finding inspiration from the videos!

[@JetcannonM]

Happy Birthday, well done Shu.

[@shumatsuopost]

Thank you!

[@vidaliaaaaaaa]

Happy birthday and congrats!!

[@shumatsuopost]

Thanks!

[@LuisMCTrabuco]

Happy Birthday, Mr. Shu!

[@shumatsuopost]

Thanks!!

[@Ian-wn7eb]

You already bought all the good stuff yourself. Congrats. What is there left for the rest of us 😊

[@stephen1657]

Happy Birthday Shu

[@shumatsuopost]

Thank you!

[@debbiecurtis4021]

Happy Birthday. I enjoyed your video. I like the woodblock flooring.

[@shumatsuopost]

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it!

[@MonicaHubbard-r4h]

Shu, Hello. I like your house! It's a big improvement from your last visit. Also, I've always said to parents that babies can find the smallest things we missed on the floor. They will always find the most dangerous things to do like climbing the stairs. Your heart skips a beat when they show you their latest move!

[@Ian-ez2qt]

hi, hahaha I'm quite amazed with your channel actually, I am an architectural student who loves Japanese style houses and your videos help me a lot to improve my skills, thanks bro

[@shumatsuopost]

Glad you like it!

[@MazarineFdeV]

I would rent either but maybe the 2nd one more. Love the accent wall, the green balcony and the traditional Japanese bath tubs but with wood. The first house had those fun "cubby hole" rooms mid-stairway if I'm not mistaken. Good choices 👌

[@p7272]

Congrats brother!!!

[@shumatsuopost]

Appreciate it!

[@MosKou2KH1]

Let's gooooo! It's actually cool to see your jouney too! Also, Happy Birthday Shu! Wish you all the best, wish you well and all the success that you deserve! 🎉

[@yanange]

Happy birthday Shu. Otanjobi omedeto🎉

[@shumatsuopost]

Thanks!!

[@jwang9988]

Happy Birthday Shu!!

[@shumatsuopost]

Appreciate it!

[@Sal_Joy]

Happy Birthday Shu-chan!!!....we want Yokohama home as well!

[@shumatsuopost]

Thanks! You can do it!

[@shandichau4376]

Happy Birthday Mr Shu! I watched your video on HK Mil Milk yesterday, and found it very interesting! 😊😊😊

[@shumatsuopost]

Awesome! Thank you!

[@vancethefence2020]

Congratulations and happy birthday🎉

[@shumatsuopost]

Thank you!

[@joewelsunga6205]

congrats. toilet are not expensive, please replace

[@dennisgiguere5166]

Happy Birthday !

[@shumatsuopost]

Thanks!

[@zackm1456]

Happy Birthday 🎂 When you going to help me buying one of those???

[@epicenter5126]

Even if I don't reply, I watch all your videos and love them. I wish I could live in Japan.

[@shumatsuopost]

Love to hear that!

[@ChelizAsa]

HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY 🎂🎂🎂

[@shumatsuopost]

Thank you!

[@clementdetruche3764]

I’ve been following your journey for a few weeks/months, and I’m impressed by the number of houses for sale at totally affordable prices. Can you tell me how much it costs to renovate a kitchen, a bathroom, and a toilet? Also, how much does it cost to install air conditioning?

[@cheuktungpang2503]

So interesting !

[@shumatsuopost]

Glad you think so!

[@arcticredpanda4598]

There is a male Swedish model rubbing his hands together watching this video.

[@sarahb.4967]

It is gorgeous

[@le_th_]

Wishing you a wonderful birthday weekend of rest (does a parent of little ones ever get rest? lol) and rejuvenation!! Kind of your team to post this for you~

[@shumatsuopost]

Thank you! You too!

[@michaelayles1832]

Happy birthday

[@shumatsuopost]

Thanks!

[@MrGlobing]

Was going to apply, but 10.000 USD for your service to find a propty and closing thats a big chunk. A pity!

[@ななにいち]

Happy Birthday Shu, i just followed you YT channel, i’m very interested you, how do to buying an abandoned house in Japan of overseas people.

[@Andrew-yv4up]

Wishing you a very happy birthday 🎈

[@shumatsuopost]

Thank you!

[@derechte2362]

I really like the look and the view of the second house. How many houses do you own in Japan now? From what I've seen the number went up quite a bit in 2024

[@shumatsuopost]

Thank you! Just three now. But planning to get a couple more in 2024... Yes, prices are going up!

[@brokendystopia]

Not a big surprise with all the akiya hunters on KZbin xD

[@rrsc816]

Aniki, my daughter planning to study in Japan in 5 years from now (well the parents also moving there, I guess) Do you think I should already browse now about buying akiya or just wait a few years later?

[@francodambolena]

Congrats on all the houses! Out of that gross yield, what is the net?

[@Rinace13]

Happy birthday 🎉

[@shumatsuopost]

Thanks!

[@ravichandranchandrakesavan3311]

Lots of love from tamilnadu 🙏

[@brokendystopia]

Happy birthday 🎊🎉🎁 Would you also rent the houses to foreigners?

[@MM-hr9zv]

Does Foreigner allow to buy these akiyas in the property market? very complicated process ? Thx & Happy Birthday.

[@nashng2296]

bro just careful as at 9 months she doesnt understand danger of stairs yet

[@shumatsuopost]

Yeah, that was not a smart parenting move. Didn't think she was going to climb the stairs...

[@brakmaster]

@@shumatsuopost maybe cut that part of the video out 🤣

[@Dr0111]

He was close bye and we all learn through trail and error❤

[@zulthor8453]

How this work visa wise. You purchase the property but then how long can you live yhe house if you are not resident.

[@SusanWaggener]

Happy Birthday Shuhei! Just found your You Tube Channel. You should contact us! XOXO

[@benjaminchan478]

Hi Shu, Happy birthday! I am wondering how a foreigner can rent out their property in Japan if they don't live in the country and don't have a bank account in Japan.

[@le_th_]

You hire a management company to run it and troubleshoot all problems for you, and you pay them to do that, collect your rent, make your repairs, etc. You have to factor all those costs into your cost of doing business because it dramatically eats away at any true "yield" you might get.

[@Mwoods2272]

@@le_th_ So true, then when you consider rent in the suburban areas for a house is relatively cheap.

[@TheKaren_makeup]

Happy Birthday 🎉 from 🇺🇲Ohio.

[@shumatsuopost]

Thank you!

[@gianzuetta6629]

誕生日おめでとう

[@IvoryOasis]

How much does it cost to renovate though?....

[@alohanarealtyllc4046]

Thank you for the helpful videos! There is SO MUCH interest in Akiyas - buy, renovate, rent it. But what happens in 5, 10 or 20 years? If you buy and renovate for $50,000 (USD), rent it for $400 / month, then deduct real estate agent commission, property tax, insurance, home maintenance (roof replacement?) - how long (on average) does it take to make back the original investment? And given that Japan's declining population is producing more vacant homes each year, what will be the projected resale value in 5, 10 or 20 years? Are akiyas profitable in the long term? Any insight will be greatly appreciated.

[@le_th_]

I think you missed the part where he said he buys a property to HOLD it and make cash flow, and has no intention of selling it. Then, he manages these himself (he lives in Yokohama where he buys these akiya), so he's not paying all those fees the rest of us would pay. Since I live in California, my bigger concern is what happens when you buy that property for $45k, pay all those renovation, tax, and mgmt fees, get it rented, and then have a large earthquake (remember, he just told us these are OLD houses, not built after the newest earthquake codes in 1982). All it takes in one leaking roof, one leaking a/c unit, one leaking washing machine, and if the tenant happens to be on vacation when that happens, you now how a home filled with mold that you have to pay to mitigate (or the people who live inside will get very sick, very quickly, and then you've got bigger problems). I did that math several months ago when I began watching his videos, and I've yet to see where anyone over 30 would live long enough to make their initial investment back on renting these alone. I do a basic numbers crunch (not even factoring in management fees, just the basics), and it would take you more than 60 years to get your initial investment back. The one thing that saves Shu is that he lowballs the offer, cheaps out on the reno and does mostly aesthetic work, he is going to manage it himself, and he often repurposes his old stuff (a/c units, toilet seats, etc.) so he's not buying a lot of new stuff, PLUS, in Japan the custom since WWII is to GIFT the landlord at least one month's rent, so each time he gets a new tenant, that is money he never has to get back. Notice he is leaving the squat toilet (a $5-7K cost to upgrade to today's US standard commode). Personally, I wouldn't rent from him only because he is leaving these units closed up so tight, and look at how he is sweating from before he walks in to after he is inside, so mold is proliferating inside those units faster than you could ever imagine because there is ZERO air circulation, 90F+ degree temps, and 70-80% humidity. It's a literally mold fest proliferating in there. For the health of the buildings, those A/C units should've been on 78F since they were installed, but that also eats away at the margin. Plus we haven't even touched on the costs to exchange US dollars to Yen, and there is always a cost for that. It does help if you can exchange several hundred thousand when the yen is at it's lowest, but that was back in June. The Yen typically drops again in October, so now is the time to watch the rate if you're someone who does that. If you're in RE in HI, I'm not telling you anything here you don't already know, and since I haven't renewed my RE license since 1995, you're probably far more up to date on what the situation is today.

[@Mwoods2272]

Flipping houses is not a thing in Japan, A house depreciates as soon as you buy it and good luck trying to resale it.

[@FUToob]

@@Mwoods2272 - Actually "flipping" is very common for real estate agents and a few others with connections. They buy up all of the best properties at the lowest price, do a cheap retrofit, then sell it for a tidy profit. I know one who makes about ¥45m. year doing it. Real estate agents in Japan can be quite slimy. I know of a situation where a listing was made through an agency, they sat on it and then the agent bought it for a discount. I am very certain he made a good profit on its sale. On top of that, they are lazy. I used a couple and after showing me 3 places one guy stopped trying. I had already purchased one place through him. I bought two through another guy, and asked him to help me with a third. He never did. I found out he was buying them up himself and doing like I explained above. This video may be an example of that.

[@adrianm4506]

Shu is it possible to buy akiya with loan? My wife is Japanese but we do not live in Japan. Last year we tried to get a loan from the bank she used to bank with but they were very annoying polite telling us to f* off until we actually move to Japan.

[@ginajohnson1679]

Hi, just question how hard to buy a house in Japan? I love the country side!

[@Mwoods2272]

It's easy to buy a house but staying in the country is the hardest part.

[@emilianogabriel9613]

How much the rent for a house out there

[@susumukawamoto2924]

I thought if you buy an Akiya house, you have to live in it for a number of years. How do you do that if you buy 2 Akiya houses?

[@rrsc816]

OTanjoubi omedeto

[@emilianogabriel9613]

I hope you have some rental house so we can rent from you

[@saigonmoi6982]

Hi Shu Masuo, I’m looking to buy a house between Tokyo and Yokohama budget around 40-50k. Can you help? Paul

[@shumatsuopost]

You can fill out one of these forms so I can help you: Akiya Income Generator (for rental properties): forms.gle/7ySUCdpiLVy9mHoy9 Japan Akiya Assist (for vacation homes): forms.gle/1A7FHHJxqHfuuUjh7

[@rappsam1]

So did your wife find out you just left your daughter downstairs, happy birthday!

[@Ian-wn7eb]

What does 4dk means?

[@heythave]

Four rooms, dining and kitchen.

[@RichAction]

1. Happy birthday 2. Chill out and save some for us. Serious question do you manage renovations for foreigners that buy in japan but dont live there lol just got to the end of the video lol

[@andypandy7580]

Did you change yourself $10K commission for each house that you change everyone else?

[@cnm867]

He's providing a service not doing this for charity. Do you work for free?

[@nadr1983]

1964 very old, hilarious 😂😂😂

[@nadr1983]

In Poland no one would take 15. Mins walk to the metro station

[@vidaloca3047]

I do not want to buy akiya houses in Japan because I already bought 1 big akiya house!

[@robcaldwell3172]

Your videos have degraded. The edits with sound, screen splash and subtitles do not add to your content and make them almost unwatchable. Please go back to how you were making your content. Too Gaijin dude....

[@snoogly]

Yup

[@Mwoods2272]

Maybe he got a new editor.

[@snoogly]

@@Mwoods2272 I think he has a couple of young bucks on the job now.

[@HokageDX]

Happy birthday 🎉

[@shumatsuopost]

Thank you!