5%. What do you think of this number? The discount you can get for the rent if you are non-Japanese? No.
This is the proportion of properties in Tokyo that foreigners can rent. There are millions of properties in Tokyo but only five percent of them are open for foreigners, which implies finding an apartment is not an easy job for foreigners.
Moreover, Japan is known as one of the least English spoken countries in the world and the process to rent or buy property is very complicated.
These factors make it very important for foreign people to find a reliable real estate agent. With a proper agent, you can not only avoid troubles but find a good property.
In this article, we will introduce 7 foreign-friendly and reliable Japanese real estate agents.
These companies are going to help you with the whole process of moving in.
7 Real Estate Companies For Rent in Tokyo
Best- Estate.JP
Best- Estate.JP only deals with foreign people and they offer their its service in seven different languages. They offer an app as well as zoom consulting so you don’t need to visit this company.
OYO LIFE
With OYO LIFE, All you need to start a new life in Japan is your smartphone. You can go through all the processes from looking for an apartment to move-out and the contract does not come with 2 years policyso you can relocate anytime you want. Rooms are furnished as well.
OAK HOUSE
OAK HOUSE offers not only apartments but sharehouses as well; owing over 600 rooms for apartments and more than 60,000 rooms for share houses all over Japan. If you’re interested in share houses as well, you should check this out.
SOCIAL APARTMENT
If you are looking for a large scale share house, take a look at Social apartment. This type of share house is beginning to grab young people’s attention and the number of it has been increasing at a rapid rate.
YOUZI LIUXUE (Chinese)
Youzi Liuxue mainly focuses on Chinese customers, offering approximately 10,000 in Tokyo. This website is especially good for students because you can search for a commutable apartment by filling in your school name. They sometimes offer discounts to students, too.
SUUMO
SUUMO is the biggest apartment search website in Japan and introduces a wide range of foreign-friendly options to you. This website itself is not a real estate agent so when you find one you like, the website connects you and the agents. Since SUUMO covers all over Japan, you can find an apartment in rural areas
FREA
FREA (Foreigners Real Estate Agency) is a Tokyo-based company offering comprehensive services, especially for foreigners. Their service is mainly for middle-long term stay and has been awarded as Best Agent 2016 on the foreigner-focused housing website Real Estate Japan.
For buying: 5 Real Estate Companies in Tokyo
Tokyu Liveable
Tokyu Liveable is part of Tokyu Group; one of the major train companies in the Tokyo area, investing in properties along their train lines.
On top of Yokohama, Nagoya, and Fukuoka branches in Japan, they also cover major Asian countries such as Singapore, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. They have multilingual staff and their website is foreign-friendly.
Mitsui Fudosan Realty Co.,Ltd
Mitsui Fudosan Realty Co., Ltd is a Tokyo-based company owned by Mitsu Fudosan, which is one of the largest developers in Japan. They have a number of large commercial complexes as well as small houses in the center of Tokyo and its surrounding.
They also deal with foreign customers and the website is available in many languages.
Real Estate Japan
What makes Real Estate Japan special is that its main customers are non-Japanese people and they hold seminars for foreigners where you can learn about the Japanese real estate system.
Sumitomo Real Estate Sales
Sumitomo Real Estate Sales is another biggest real estate company in Japan, covering other Asian countries such as Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and mainland China.
They offer comprehensive services; from helping with the purchase of properties to maintaining them, in addition, they have an international consultation office in Tokyo so you can talk to their multilingual staff.
Shingi Fusaya Real Estate
Shingi Fusaya Real Estate is a Taiwan-based real estate company, providing services to both Japanese and foreigners. Of course, they have multilingual staffso no need to worry about the language barrier.
Best Real Estate Agents in Japan
Renting an apartment or buying investment properties in Japan is far from simple and you have to go through many steps and follow rules. The number of companies that provide services for foreign customers is limited, but these companies will help you find the right one and support you throughout the whole process. Do not hesitate to contact them!
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