For many people simply heading to the best ski resorts in the world each winter isn’t enough and their love of the snow, the community and the mountains leads them to invest in property. If you are looking at putting your hard-earned cash into a Japanese ski resort, then here are some tips from Chris, the CEO of Uchi.
1. Search on Uchi
Uchi’s purpose is very simple – it was built to make searching for real estate opportunities in Japan as easy as possible. Uchi pulls listings from multiple real estate agents and developments from all across the country and put them in one easy-to-use and lightning-fast site so users can find their perfect home in Japan!
Once you have found a property or piece of land you are interested in, Uchi connects you directly to the agent listing it, so you can get straight into finding out all the details you want. Click here to start your search today!
Uchi was built so that people could find their perfect home in Japan – ski resort properties among them. Image: Uchi
2. Speak to multiple agents
You can contact multiple agents about multiple properties and we suggest you do so. This is an important purchase and our advice is that you firstly must feel 100% comfortable with the agent who will be representing your interests. All agents listed on Uchi are licensed and have a long history of operating in the best Japanese ski resorts, serving both locals and international investors.
3. Consider your non-negotiables
If you’re 100% set on being ski-in ski-out, use the site to filter those properties and then carry on your search. What is important to you and your family? Common searches include: onsen, number of bedrooms, price (of course!), amenities and location. All these can be used to narrow down your search on Uchi and our innovative search tech allows you to put whatever you want into the search bar, so don’t be shy!
Many investors enjoy the idea of being part of a hotel that provides a level of service and amenities like onsen, ski concierge, or gym. Image: Uchi
4. Land, home or hotel?
In Japan you have exactly the same rights as an investor as locals do, so you have free choice over whether to buy a house, an apartment in a hotel or even your own plot of land to build on in the future. Uchi has listings in many of the most well-known developments, both completed and under construction and many investors enjoy the idea of being part of a hotel that provides a level of service and many common amenities like onsen, ski concierge, front desk service, spas or a gym. If you’d prefer your own space, look for a house or a piece of land. Most houses come with the appropriate licenses to allow you to rent them out under a management company if you wish and there are plenty of reliable bilingual project managers if you decide to build your own dream home.
5. Location, location, location!
Uchi has listings from all the main Japanese ski resorts but we also have resort reviews to give a little more insight into what makes them special. Niseko, Rusutsu, Furano, Nozawa Onsen, Hakuba and other resorts feature among the 500+ ski properties listed on Uchi. Pick your favourite resort and search through all the properties there.
Rusutsu, Furano, Nozawa Onsen, Hakuba and other resorts feature among the 500+ ski properties listed on Uchi. Image: Uchi
6. Money, money, money!
Think about your budget and filter accordingly, but keep in mind why you are making this investment. Is it for rental returns, long-term capital appreciation or to spend time with your family and friends… or a mix of all three? Resorts and hotels that are more popular with guests tend to deliver higher returns but may stretch the budget a bit more. Our advice at Uchi is to think carefully about where you want to stay and how you want to use the property yourself. Once you have that clear in your mind, the real estate agents will be able to give you history of financial returns and also advice on sales trends.
7. Covid…
Like all tourist areas around the world, Japanese ski resorts have been hard hit by the pandemic but things are looking up. Once Japan’s borders reopen tourists will come flooding back to the hallowed ski fields often referred to as not only the best in Asia but in the whole world. On top of that, the 18 month hiatus for international tourism has helped bring Japanese tourism back. This interest from domestic visitors not only helps winter occupancy but also drives more summer visitation too.
On top of this, there are some great deals to be had as the real estate market has slowed with the drop in international tourism. Everyone expects the market to rebound strongly and prices to appreciate again once tourism returns. Our advice is not to wait!
Search all Uchi properties now at uchijapan.com/properties
You Might Also Like
