For foreigners who want to live in Japan, the first thing they must think about is finding a home.
How do you handle the complicated procedures in Japanese and prepare all the documents required to sign a rental contract?
You don’t even know the methods or rules for renting a house in Japan...
You might have an idea of where you want to live, but you’re unsure how convenient or attractive the area is...
This time, we’d like to introduce OAKHOUSE（オークハウス）, a foreign real estate brokerage company that can solve all these concerns for foreigners!
Finding a Home in Japan as a Foreigner
Actually, some of the J-CALP staff have also searched for a home in Japan as a foreigner.
At that time, we used a typical Japanese real estate brokerage, but it was really difficult to rent a place simply because we were foreigners. In Japan, when renting a house, you need to find either a "Japanese guarantor" or a "guarantor company." A "Japanese guarantor" refers to a guarantor who can prove they have a stable income.
As a result, it's difficult for friends from school to become guarantors, and it is necessary to provide the guarantor's proof of income. If you're a foreigner living in Japan for the first time and don't have family, friends, or acquaintances, it will be tough to find a Japanese guarantor.
On the other hand, if you choose a "guarantor company," the tenant pays the company to serve as the guarantor. In fact, many foreigners use this system. However, at that time, even though we said we wanted to choose a guarantor company, we were still told, "You absolutely need a Japanese guarantor." The landlord probably just didn't want to rent to foreigners.
At that time, we were already employed by a Japanese company and had a stable income. Despite that, we were treated this way, which felt extremely discriminatory.
Even so, we didn’t want to give up, so we asked the president of the company to be our guarantor. At the time, it was uncomfortable and felt awkward to ask a president we weren't yet close to for his proof of income. But the president readily agreed. To this day, we are still very grateful to that president.
This happened about 15 years ago, so things may have improved a little now. However, finding a home in Japan as a foreigner is still much more difficult than you might think.
Your Ally in Finding a Home in Japan!! OAKHOUSE
OAKHOUSE is the company that solves all these complicated and frustrating problems in one go.
For an initial fee of 50,000 yen, OAKHOUSE will support you through all the troublesome procedures, including house hunting, finding a guarantor, negotiating with the owner, and preparing Japanese documents.
OAKHOUSE is a real estate brokerage specializing in foreign clients, so they can smoothly handle the various issues that arise when foreigners sign a rental contract.
Additionally, there are multilingual staff available, so even those who are unsure about their Japanese communication skills can feel confident in finding their ideal home.
You can choose from share houses, apartments, mansions, and houses all across Japan!
If you want to decide on a place before coming to Japan, you can consult with the staff via chat or email and get house recommendations.
It’s very reassuring to have a home secured before you arrive in Japan!
*The J-CALP staff have also met with OAKHOUSE's team and had various conversations.
They were all incredibly kind and understood the difficulties that foreigners face when searching for a home in Japan. If only we had known about OAKHOUSE 15 years ago, we wouldn't have had such a hard time! That's why J-CALP confidently recommends OAKHOUSE!
They also organize a variety of events for socializing!
Another appealing aspect of OAKHOUSE is that they host various events for new tenants, especially those who have just arrived in Japan.
If you're looking to make new friends from different countries or exchange information, why not participate in these events?
Find your perfect home and start your life in Japan with comfort and ease!
OAKHOUSE website：
日本語
English
中文
＊For those who take lessons with J-CALP, we will provide a link code for a 10,000 yen discount point that can be used at OAKHOUSE!
At J-CALP, we offer Japanese lessons for those looking to study or work in Japan.
Our experienced and specialized Japanese teachers provide detailed guidance not only for EJU preparation and business Japanese instruction, but also for support with writing statements of purpose, essay writing, and interview preparation.
If you are considering studying or working in Japan, please feel free to contact us via the link below!
Inquiries can be made here
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