The following are the experiences of four foreigners who have ventured into property purchase in Japan.
Jim (American; 45 years old; 17 years in Japan) House for a family of two in Yokohama purchased in September 2008 for ¥65 million. "I thought it would be difficult to find a rental where I could park a car and a couple of motorcycles, as well as keep a couple of pets. Also, I thought it would be better to invest in property rather than rent. I'm not sure how long I'll stay in Japan — but I've been saying that all along!
"The house is very well constructed, it looks like a 'house' (there are some strange designs here), and there is a decent amount of space between it and the surrounding properties.