I have acquired and operated real estate in several cities, but Japan was a new market for me.

Rather than making a quick decision, I wanted to verify every important factor: whether the asking price was reasonable, whether the rental income was stable, who the existing tenant was and how much financing might be available.

After comparing several opportunities, I selected an apartment at Park Homes Toyosu The Residence.

Completed in 2016, the property was a two-bedroom apartment of approximately 61 square metres. The original asking price was ¥125 million. Following negotiations, the team secured a ¥5 million reduction, and I purchased the property for ¥120 million.

The existing tenant was one of my main considerations.

With an overseas investment, buying an attractive apartment is only part of the equation. If the unit is already occupied, the tenant’s profile and the terms of the lease are equally important.

I therefore asked the team to review the full tenancy documentation and verify the tenant’s circumstances.

The apartment was occupied under a corporate lease with Nomura Securities. During the most recent renewal, the monthly rent had also increased from ¥255,000 to ¥290,000. That provided a meaningful level of reassurance regarding both tenant quality and income stability.

The team also arranged financing through a Japanese financial institution. At the outset, I was unsure how much leverage would be available to an overseas investor. After the assessment process, the bank approved a loan of approximately ¥55 million, with an indicative interest rate of around 2% at the time.

Throughout the transaction, the Japanese sale and purchase agreement and important-matters disclosure were explained to me in English. The team coordinated the electronic contract, banking schedule, judicial scrivener, registration and fire insurance step by step.

I travel frequently for business, which made it difficult to fit the transaction around fixed dates in Japan. The team coordinated the bank and judicial-scrivener appointments around the dates on which I could be in Tokyo, making the process considerably easier.

The balance payment was completed without issue, followed by the successful transfer of title.

Overseas property is not an investment that can be made simply because someone says, “This is a good asset.”

I needed to understand whether the price was fair, whether the tenant and rental income were dependable, whether financing was realistically available and whether the contracts contained any concerns.

I was cautious at first because I did not know the Japanese market well. Once each point had been checked and clearly explained, the decision became much more straightforward.

Today, I own a tower residence in Toyosu using financing from a Japanese bank.