Who here is an expat and owns a place in a ski area in Japan?

[panhead_pete 27]

I'm giving serious thought to buying a small block of land in Hakuba and building a modest place. My current job would see me able to do at least 3x 3week blocks over the season with the goal in a couple of years of spending the winters there. In the short term when not there it would be available for rent and in the long term as a small B&B generating enough Yen to cover my expenses over the year without a mortgage.

 

Im quite keen to here views from anyone that has done this or something similar. This mining work is getting old and its getting time to live the dream.

[Tubby Beaver 209]

good luck mate, would love to be in a position to do the same. Dunno if you'll get many public responses though, people are careful about revealing themselves as to whether they have a vested interest in a particular place.

[best skier in hakuba 5]

I thought about doing it but decided against it. I don't think it's quite as easy and stress free as people might imagine. It seemed like a lot of work, basically more than I was prepared to do. I do know a few people who are finding it faily tough.

 

I do live here anyway though so that wasn't something that I needed to do to be here.

 

I would actually advise you to look somewhere else which is pre-rush (Hakuba isn't anymore) with cheaper prices etc.

 

[Go Native 70]

Building from scratch here can be pretty expensive. Might be better off finding a cheap established place and just do some reno's on the essentials like kitchen and bathroom (both of which are normally really crap in Japanese houses). I don't know anything about Hakuba though.

[Mike Pow 52]

Wanted to, but didn't have the money

 

I worked for a real estate company in Niseko Area for a while and the process is very easy on Hokkaido.

[best skier in hakuba 5]

When I said some friends were finding it fairly tough, I didn't mean getting a place, more being able to gain money from it.

[panhead_pete 27]

Thanks guys. Have had a little experience stiching real estate deals together and some of them have been problematic but its always just a process. From the advice I have to date its quite straight forward though and luckily have someone there having a bit of a look for me. As Im in Beijing every month I'll certainly pop over as the search narrows.

 

Fortuneatly Im not looking at this from a business perspective per say, more a semi retirement proposition where some holding income over the winter would pay my costs for the year, land tax etc including a season pass for me

 

Thanks for the input Go Native. I've been reviewing some building costs as you are quite right. Im trying to research some prefabricated dwellings built in a sustainable manner as being an environmental scientist thats important to me. Still struggling to ID real suppliers though so if anyone has some info I'd love to hear it.

 

There is already a wide variety of houses in Echoland from mega log homes to those made from shipping containers. Personally I love that idea and a combination of the bottom 3 pics is a good start to a design for me

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This concept really interests me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you are reading this and are there and dont want to comment publicly please feel free to PM. Obviously any discussion would remain strictly private.

 

Thanks for the input guys.

[spook 0]

All I would say is... don't buy anything with a flat roof. You'll spend all winter shoveling the thing instead of heading up the hill.

[IIIII 2]

Originally Posted By: panhead_pete

WTF is that?!!

[Yuki's Passion 1]

I have things Id rather send in a PM, but mine have been turned off by admin...

[panhead_pete 27]

Thanks Spook. Whole idea is to get turns in

 

IIII I was told it was a Swedish 70s style idea in self contained living

 

Anyone got any good building references etc for this type of environment? Ie roof angles etc.

[SnowJapan 178]

Originally Posted By: Creek Boy

...but mine have been turned off by admin...

No, they have not.

Why not email us directly about it rather than post something like that?

[best skier in hakuba 5]

Originally Posted By: IIIII

Originally Posted By: panhead_pete

WTF is that?!!

Good find that one!

Perhaps you could turn it into a kebab stand

[panhead_pete 27]

That was a lovely way to spend an afternoon actually, wandering the streets of Echoland, seeing so many different solutions to the accomadation question. I've had an interest in architecture and design for a while but Im sure the little old lady who watched me for a while thought I had an interest in Break and Enter

 

Wow just used google to look for "Container Homes" - wow some REALLY cool stuff out there..

[best skier in hakuba 5]

Interesting for sure though not really my bag.

 

I always enjoy walking around places I visit like that as well pete. Learn a lot.

[Tubby Beaver 209]

I like the log one....that's cool

[panhead_pete 27]

Originally Posted By: Tubby Beaver

I like the log one....that's cool

Apparently a kit home bought in from the US and assembled on site. Although I may be getting that one confused with another....

[TJ OZ 0]

Standard real estate blurb but true, position position, position however price will determine your ROI at the moment with what the market is willing to pay in rentals. 20% is attainable but maybe not on a high profile property. Hakuba is a big valley and majority of investment and development here is Japanese so ski in/out is not seen as the number one option. Misorano has seen a lot of buildings going up in the last few years as has Meitetsu which is considered as the upper end of town for the locals. There are still bargains around for those in the know. Hakuba will be driven by the Japanese market which is doing pretty well as far as I can see. Not many builders out of work around here.