Frequently Asked Questions
We have compiled a list of the most frequently asked questions to help you better understand our services and the process of purchasing, renovating, and maintaining traditional Japanese properties. If you have any additional questions or need further assistance, please feel free to contact us.
FAQs
We are a licensed real estate agent, architecture firm and renovation firm. Based in Kyoto, we sell, restore and manage traditional Kyoto townhouses and farmhouses in the surrounding areas. Additionally, we relocate and re-build large, culturally important heritage buildings to Niseko, Hakuba, Furano and other areas.
For more details, and to view some of our past and current projects, please visit About Us page and Projects page
Yes, Apart from agricultural land, non-Japanese individuals and corporations can buy and sell properties on exactly the same conditions as domestic buyers. For more details on how the buying process works, please visit this page.
In most cases, yes. Monthly and longer rentals require no license at all, but nightly / Airbnb style rentals requires you to have a license, either a Guesthouse License or a Minpaku license. For details of how it works, please visit this page.
It varies hugely and depends on the state of the property, but for a ground up renovation, i.e some structural work, plumbing, electricity, new windows and floors and new kitchen and bathrooms, the average renovation cost is around ¥275,000 (plus 10% sales tax) per square meters. To learn about the entire renovation process, please visit this page.
The short answer is no. There are exceptions, such as buying an off plan very high end apartment in central Tokyo or Osaka, where the developer offers direct finance. But regular mortgage facilities are only available to Japanese citizens or permanent residents with a long financial track record in Japan. Even then, getting a mortgage for a renovation property is almost impossible.