It can be quite daunting to search for a new home in a foreign place — navigating not only different standards, but in a different language too. Luckily, Tokyo has several real estate agents and listing sites that cater to foreign residents. Below are our top picks for trustworthy Japanese sites and listing sites specifically for expats.

English-language real estate listing sites for Tokyo

Only a few sites offer full search functions in English, as it is quite a small market in Tokyo. The most comprehensive site of all is realestate.co.jp, which offers the most detailed filters for both rent and buy listings. In addition to standard properties, they list furnished and short-term rentals, making it a great starting point for your search.

Housing Japan and Plaza Homes are real estate agents that specialise in servicing expats and international investors. They both offer filter options (but not many) and are geared toward luxury properties (i.e. they don’t even bother with rental properties below JPY 150,000 per month).

Japanese-language real estate listing sites

Your Google search for a real estate listing site in Japanese will likely return Suumo and Homes as the top results. These sites are, unfortunately, laden with properties that have already sold or been rented out — agents leave expired listings of too-good-to-be-true properties up as bait for potential new clients.

If you want to search in Japanese, we recommend you use at home. The database backend of this site is connected to REINS, an official Japanese property database that licensed realtors have access to. Therefore, the results on at home are actually still on the market.

If you are looking to rent, another site you should consider is Urban Renaissance (UR). Renting in Japan usually requires a down payment of around 3–4 months rent on top of your actual rent. These fees are composed of agency fees, the infamous key money, deposit, and possibly guarantor company fees. UR is a government-backed agency that manages around 750,000 properties across Japan with prices pegged to the markets. The buildings are generally recently renovated to high standards and available to both Japanese and foreign renters with no need to pay key money, agency or other fees. Only a deposit is required, which can be more than one month's rent worth though depending on the property. However, it will be returned to you in full if you leave the property in an undamaged state.

UR rents are also often lower than those by private landlords in the same area. The only caveat is that the apartments are available on a first-come, first-served basis or by lottery for newly opened complexes. As a semi-public service, it is naturally in Japanese. Agencies like Whitestone offer foreigners full support with the UR process. While this adds to the initial fees, it might be worth considering if you are looking for a place to stay for at least 2 years and don’t speak any Japanese. For those that do speak Japanese, a visit to the UR office in person is the best way to find out what properties are currently available.

By Mareike Dornhege

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