You spend hours every day looking at property websites, yet you cannot find a good vacant house.
On the other hand, there are people who receive offers for bargain properties from unexpected places.
Perhaps what you should be looking for is not just the property itself.
Are you only chasing property information?
If you ask people who want to start real estate investment what they do first, many will answer ‘look for properties’.
I also think that looking for properties is extremely important.
Price.
Location.
Age of the building.
Land area.
Condition of the building.
Estimated rent.
Comparing these factors to find properties that seem suitable for investment.
Especially for 0-yen properties or bargain detached houses under 500,000 yen, finding them is not easy in itself.
Properties with good conditions sometimes receive inquiries immediately.
That is why some people check information sites many times every day.
Searching when they wake up in the morning.
Searching during work breaks.
Searching after returning home.
Continuing to look at property information even on weekends.
Even so, it is difficult to make a purchase.
“Perhaps I don’t have the talent to find good properties.”
Some people might think that way.
However, I believe there is another important perspective when looking for properties.
That is human connection.
The internet is convenient. But it doesn’t contain everything.
Nowadays, you can check real estate information from all over the country on the internet.
Compared to the past, it has truly become a convenient era.
While in Kyoto, you can also research property information in Toyama, Akita, Aomori, and Oita.
However, not all vacant houses in the world are listed on the internet.
Even if the owner is thinking about selling, they may not have consulted a real estate company yet.
They might be in the middle of discussing with their family what to do with an inherited house.
In the first place, there are owners who don’t even have the idea of selling their house.
Such properties cannot be found by searching.
Then, how can you find out about their existence?
One method is interacting with local people and those involved in real estate.
Of course, this does not mean that if you have connections, you will definitely find bargain properties.
However, there are cases where the opportunities to obtain information expand more than just looking at property websites.
Information can be obtained from screens, and it can also be obtained from people.
This obvious fact is surprisingly important in real estate investment.
Saying ‘Please let me know if there are any good properties’ is not enough
Let’s think about this for a moment.
Suppose you are a representative at a local real estate agency.
Someone you have just met says to you,
‘Please introduce me to any cheap properties with high yields.’
How would you feel as the representative?
You might feel like introducing some.
However, if you don’t know the specific conditions, you cannot judge what kind of property is suitable.
What is the budget?
Will you purchase with cash?
Will you use a loan?
Is it okay if the property requires repairs?
Which areas can you cover?
Will you manage it yourself after purchase?
These things are unknown.
Conversely, what if you clearly communicate your conditions and investment policy?
‘My budget is within 500,000 yen. I can do repairs myself. I will check the site before purchasing, and I am looking in areas with rental demand.’
If you provide such specific explanations, it becomes easier for the other party to make a judgment.
However, I do not recommend trying to get them to introduce just any property.
It is important to build a relationship where they want to help you.
This is because real estate investment does not end with the purchase.
If a property does not meet your criteria, you must also be prepared to decline it.
Getting information from people is different from leaving investment decisions to others.
This is a point I want to keep in mind.
Acquiring a bargain property is not the end
I have acquired bargain detached houses all over the country.
I have felt something from that experience.
Real estate investment is not a goal the moment you purchase a property.
Rather, it starts from there.
For example, suppose you bought an old detached house.
The interior is old.
The water heater is broken.
There is a suspicion of a roof leak.
Even if you start advertising for tenants, inquiries rarely come in.
Such problems can arise.
At that time, can you solve everything by yourself?
There are parts that can be handled with DIY.
However, specialized construction requires qualifications and knowledge.
Local real estate companies may also be more knowledgeable about local rental conditions.
That is where connections with reliable people become useful.
People you can consult with about repairs.
People who will cooperate with tenant recruitment.
Experts you can verify taxes and registration with.
People who can tell you about neighborhood circumstances.
Having such people around can sometimes make it easier to proceed with rental management.
Of course, just because a contractor was introduced to you does not mean you should hire them unconditionally.
It is also necessary to check estimates and the details of the work.
Trust relationships and your judgment as a manager.
Both are important.
Human connections reduce the anxiety of remote investment
While I am based in Kyoto, I am involved with properties all over the country.
Remote real estate investment has unique difficulties.
You cannot go to the site immediately.
Even if trouble occurs, you cannot respond right away.
Rental demand and property characteristics differ depending on the region.
If it is an unfamiliar area, you may be hesitant in your judgment.
Therefore, it is important to know the local circumstances.
Real estate companies that have been working locally for a long time.
People who live near the property.
Specialized contractors who can handle repairs.
By valuing these relationships with people, it becomes easier to gather information even from a distance.
However, the premise is that you take responsibility as the owner, rather than leaving everything to the other party.
No matter how reliable the people you have are, the ultimate management responsibility lies with the landlord.
I believe it is important to utilize human connections with that understanding in mind.
Peers with the same goals become valuable sources of information
When you first start real estate investment, there are so many things you don’t know.
How do you handle registration?
How do you choose fire insurance?
How much will repair costs be?
How do you decide on rent?
What do you do when you can’t find a tenant?
Even if you search online, there is so much information that you can get lost.
In such cases, what if you could hear stories from people who are actually investing?
‘I made this kind of mistake.’
‘In that area, this condition was important.’
‘You should check this before purchasing.’
Stories from people who have actually experienced it are helpful.
Of course, a method that succeeded for someone else might not necessarily suit you.
Even so, you can sometimes gain perspectives you hadn’t noticed yourself.
In particular, having someone share their failed experiences is of great value.
If you only listen to success stories, real estate investment might seem easy.
However, in reality, unexpected things happen.
That is precisely why I believe having relationships where experienced people can talk frankly is important.
Connecting online information to real-life encounters
I hold cafe meetings and social gatherings in addition to sharing information online.
For example, the old detached house real estate investment cafe meeting held in Kyoto.
It is a place where people interested in 0-yen properties or low-priced detached houses gather to share their respective experiences and questions.
This time, I have also prepared a special plan to invite participants to a Maiko experience.
The reason I create such spaces is not just because I want to pass on knowledge about real estate investment.
It is because I believe there is great value in participants getting to know each other as well.
For example, someone struggling to find a property might be taught a new way of thinking by someone investing in a different region.
Someone troubled by repairs might listen to the stories of someone with DIY experience.
Someone who has not yet purchased a property might listen to the experiences of someone who is actually investing to sort out their anxieties.
If such interactions can take place, I believe there is meaning in having participated in the cafe meeting.
Of course, just participating does not mean you will find a good property.
What is important is to connect the knowledge and encounters gained there to subsequent actions.
Personal connections are not just for receiving information
Up to this point, I have introduced how human connections are useful for gathering information.
However, there is one way of thinking that I value.
That is not to end up just being on the receiving end of information.
For example, when I was looking for a property, someone shared information with me.
Later, when someone else is in trouble, I share what I know.
If I have had a bad experience with repairs, I give advice so they don’t make the same mistake.
A property that didn’t suit me might meet someone else’s criteria.
In such cases, I might be able to share information that is useful to them.
Networking is not a mechanism for one-sidedly receiving information.
It is a relationship for learning from and helping each other.
Don’t people naturally gather around those who value such relationships?
Conclusion | Try changing some of your property search time into time for meeting people
To those taking on the challenge of real estate investment, I have something I want to convey.
Of course, looking at property information is important.
Checking the numbers is also necessary.
On-site inspections are also indispensable.
However, there are things you cannot obtain through those alone.
That is meeting people.
Peers with the same goals.
Experienced landlords.
Real estate companies that know the local area.
Trustworthy professionals.
Connections with these kinds of people can be useful in unexpected ways.
And you, too, might be able to help someone else.
As I continued with vacant house investment, I began to feel that there is great value not only in the properties themselves but also in the connections with people.
I would like those who are about to start real estate investment to please keep this in mind.
Cultivating good human relationships is just as important as finding good properties.
Why not spend a small portion of the time you spend looking at property websites today talking to someone instead?
From there, you might see a new world you never knew existed.
📩 Information on our Official LINE
For those looking for 0-yen properties or cheap vacant houses, and for those who want to start real estate investment, I share information via my official LINE.
I provide information on 0-yen properties, know-how for vacant house real estate investment, and details about cafe meetings and social gatherings where we can meet in person and more.
Furthermore, I am currently giving away 3 real estate-related e-books for free!
Instead of worrying alone, why not increase your information and circle of friends, and take a new step forward?
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