Learn how foreigners actually buy property in Japan, from property viewing to mortgage. The webinar will be held from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. (JST) on May 23 (Saturday).
- Host: Dovetail Inc.
- Date: May 23
- Time: 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. (Japan Standard Time)
- Admission: Free
Getting a mortgage in Japan as a foreigner is entirely possible, but the system isn’t exactly built with expats in mind. Between tricky visa requirements, rigorous bank screenings, and strict property eligibility rules, the process can feel overwhelming, and many standard real estate agents simply aren’t equipped to help non-Japanese buyers navigate it.
Whether you live in Japan on a work visa or are looking to buy from overseas, this webinar will walk you through what you actually need to know. We will break down the Japanese mortgage landscape, sharing practical, on-the-ground advice drawn from direct experience negotiating with Japanese bank officers on behalf of foreign clients.
TOPICS
- The Agent Factor: Why your real estate agent’s relationships with banks can be just as important as your income.
- Offshore Financing: Options if you aren’t a resident.
- The Application Process: How the two-step loan process (jizen-shinsa and hon-shinsa) works.
- Visa Requirements: Why Permanent Residency (PR) is no longer a strict dealbreaker at certain banks.
- The Bank Interview: What banks are actually looking for in the interview (mendan)
- Life Insurance (Danshin): How to navigate this mandatory requirement, including options if you have a medical history.
- Property Eligibility: What actually makes a property eligible for mortgage.
- Choosing a Bank: The practical differences between mega-banks, regional banks, and net banks.
- The True Costs: A realistic breakdown of closing costs, comparing flat fees against percentage-based models.
- Real Transactions: Three Case studies from actual deals, to better understand the challenges and how we did overcome that.
Dovetail Inc
Dovetail is a new and fast-growing brokerage located in central Tokyo.
Their team includes a bilingual agent with five years experience in brokerage as well as staff experienced in housing support services for foreigners.
Their staff can guide foreign buyers through the purchase journey, from initial fact-finding and needs analysis to explaining cultural nuances, tax rules and all the minutiae involved in purchasing a property as a foreigner.
As their name suggests, the Dovetail team prides itself on streamlining and harmonizing the purchase process, with the goal of making your home buying journey as seamless as possible.
Click here to see currently available properties in Tokyo, Saitama, Kanagawa and Chiba that the Dovetail team can assist you with.
Join them for this installment of their popular series of webinars on how to buy a home in Japan as a foreigner.
Speakers
Dovetail Inc
Francesco Picardi
Real Estate Agent
Francesco Picardi is a real estate consultant at Dovetail, a bilingual brokerage in Tokyo that works with foreign nationals buying property in Japan. He speaks Japanese, English, and Italian, and came to this work as an expat himself, so he’s navigated a lot of the same frictions his clients face. One of his focuses at Dovetail is financing, which is where most foreign buyer deals fall apart. He has worked with people who have tricky visa situations, non-standard income, or circumstances that make Japanese banks uncomfortable. A good chunk of his cases come from buyers whose previous agents had already told them it wasn’t possible.
Dovetail Inc
Yukihiro Takenaga
Licensed Real Estate Agent
Yukihiro is a licensed real estate agent with over 6 years of experience in both property sales and rentals. In his current role, he specializes in assisting clients, especially international residents, with finding their dream home in the Tokyo area. Before joining Dovetail, Yukihiro held a team leader position at a leading real estate company, where he developed a strong foundation in property consultation and customer service.
Register
Attendance is free but you must register in order to attend. Please click the link above then fill in the registration form. Zoom will send you an email with a link to the webinar, so please be sure to fill in your email address correctly.
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