An Iowan in Tokyo

[Matthew Pinkston]

I'm an Iowan who has found his way to Tokyo, Japan to work as a programmer.

Although I truly enjoy programming as a profession, my real dream is to become a full-time investor and continue programming as a hobby. 

I've already acquired four duplexes back in Iowa and, with the help of a good PM, managed to generate a modest passive income stream along with a reasonable chunk of equity. I'm now looking to take my next step towards financial independence by learning where to go from here, and making it happen!

[Matthew Pinkston]

@James Wise Thanks! I'm getting a really good vibe from this site right off the bat!

And that's a good question! I've only begun to explore the possibilities of investing in Tokyo, but even as a renter, I've already learned a few interesting things. 

- Contracts can be voluntarily exited at any time without penalty. There's no need for subleasing. But to make up for this, move-in costs can be quite a bit higher with deposits often being two or more months' worth, and "gratitude money" ranging from one to three ( or possibly more) months' worth. 

- Property management companies are everywhere. There's so many of them and they're so competitive, that their rates are generally half that of US based PMs (~4% gross rent).  But services are comparable to their US counterparts.. I haven't figured out how they do it yet. I think I'm missing something.

- Fair housing laws aren't what they are in the US. A potential tenant can be turned down for just about any reason. This can make apartment hunting a bit more of a challenge for foreigners. But some companies cater specifically to foreigners (like AghartA http://agharta-japan.biz/) which makes it much easier to find a place.

There's quite a bit more I've learned, but so much more I'm missing. My next rental will likely be somewhere in Iowa, but I'm going to keep studying and hopefully eventually be able to get a rental here someday. From what I know so far, Tokyo apartments can produce very attractive cash flows (in exchange for negligible appreciation). I'll keep researching.

@Dan Baker Awesome!! Thanks for letting me know about that. I certainly do have interest and will check that thread out right away!!