For Nina, visiting Japan three or four times a year had made the appeal of having her own home increasingly clear. Based in California and travelling with her young son, she wanted somewhere her family could settle into whenever they returned.
After roughly a year of searching, she found a renovated apartment in Jiyugaoka with Tokyo Portfolio’s Alison. Choosing it took just one day of viewings together, following months of exploring neighbourhoods and working out what mattered most.
In Tokyo Portfolio’s first client story, Nina shares what drew her to Jiyugaoka, the challenges of buying from overseas, and the practical support that helped her prepare a second home from abroad.
Finding her neighbourhood
Nina discovered Jiyugaoka through her hairdresser, whom she visits whenever she is in Tokyo. She returned around eight times before buying, getting to know its cafés, restaurants, and local atmosphere.
Having spent considerable time in Europe, she was drawn to the neighbourhood’s European feel and slower pace. It offered the small-town atmosphere she wanted for her visits.
“I need to find a place that has really great coffee, that has this kind of small town feel and has really good restaurants,” she recalled telling Alison.
Those visits gave her a clear direction for the search. Although she had considered apartments elsewhere in Tokyo, Jiyugaoka was somewhere she already enjoyed spending time. Owning a home would let her stay in the neighbourhood and become more familiar with it on each visit.
Recognizing the right apartment
Nina wanted two bedrooms, high ceilings, and good natural light. Earlier viewings had helped her understand how much a sense of space mattered to her and her husband.
The apartment she eventually chose was already familiar. She had spotted the listing before, but it had been above her budget. A price reduction brought it within consideration, and its distinctive green kitchen sink made it instantly recognisable when Alison showed it to her.
Built in 1973, the building has a well-kept entrance and lobby, while the apartment itself is fully renovated. Its open kitchen and living area appealed to Nina, who had seen other properties where the kitchen felt separated from the rest of the home.
Windows on three sides, high ceilings, and a large balcony gave it the bright, spacious feeling she had been seeking. The station was also around five minutes away on foot.
“So the fact that this one had tall ceilings and then windows on 3 sides, it just really made a huge difference,” Nina explained.
Nina and Alison viewed three properties together on August 9. By the end of the day, Nina had chosen the apartment she had already been keeping an eye on.
Completing the purchase from overseas
Once Nina had chosen the property, she needed to understand the Japanese purchase documents and arrange the steps she could complete from abroad.
Nina did not speak Japanese and recalls Alison going through the paperwork with her, explaining the different parts of the contract. Nina and her husband each provided a Power of Attorney and notarised affidavits to support the overseas purchase arrangements.
They stayed in regular contact, mainly through WhatsApp, with documents shared by email. Having someone who could explain the paperwork and coordinate the next steps helped Nina proceed while overseas.
The purchase agreement was signed on August 28, and closing was completed on September 17.
Working through a payment difficulty
Moving money from overseas proved more worrying than Nina had expected. Her initial transfer was blocked by the Japanese receiving bank, delaying the contracting process. Nina recalls waiting around a month for the funds to be returned, without a firm indication of when they would become available again.
The uncertainty was particularly stressful because the money had been intended for the purchase. Exchange-rate movements added another concern, affecting the amount she needed to send to meet the required payment in yen.
Tokyo Portfolio provided a separate, fee-based arrangement to receive funds directly from Nina’s US bank account and arrange payment to the seller on her behalf. This enabled the purchase to move forward. The return of the original transfer remained a separate banking matter.
For Nina, the experience highlighted the value of investigating payment arrangements early, including transfer procedures, conversion costs, fees, and timing. The arrangement described here reflects her transaction, and requirements may differ for other buyers.
Preparing the home with help on the ground
Alison’s support continued with the practical work of getting the apartment ready. When Nina tried to set up utilities, language barriers and an non English-language website that did not provide the functions she needed made the process difficult to manage.
Alison helped arrange the gas service visit, get the water activated, and set up automatic billing. Having these tasks handled locally allowed Nina to continue preparing for her visit from abroad.
She had also selected an English-speaking interior designer after comparing proposals. Alison helped coordinate access for the designer, supporting the furnishing preparations while Nina was overseas.
These were the examples Nina returned to when reflecting on Alison’s support. She described the help as going “above and beyond,” particularly with utilities and coordinating access for the interior designer.
Making the apartment her own
Nina wanted a comfortable personal space with a Japandi hotel atmosphere, so arriving in Tokyo would still feel like the start of a holiday. She chose a designer who understood that vision and could help organise the work while she was away.
At the October 15 interview, furniture deliveries and installations were still being arranged. Nina hoped everything would be ready for her November arrival, when Alison would give her the keys in person.
The apartment would be a second home for her family, with no plans to rent it out. Nina was looking forward to spending longer periods in Tokyo with a place of her own.
Nina’s advice for other overseas buyers
Nina recommends getting to know neighbourhoods before narrowing the property search. Exploring beyond familiar tourist areas helped her identify where she would enjoy staying and gave Alison a clear starting point.
She also encourages buyers to think about what happens between visits. Alongside the purchase itself, Nina needed arrangements for ongoing payments, mail, and day-to-day matters. Having trusted people locally made those preparations easier to coordinate.
Understanding local routines matters too. From rubbish collection to neighbourhood customs, Nina recognised that owning a home meant becoming familiar with everyday life in the area.
With the purchase completed and preparations underway, Nina was looking forward to returning to Jiyugaoka and enjoying the home she had chosen.
What kind of neighborhood feels like home?
Picture an ordinary day in Tokyo. Would you prefer busy shopping streets, local cafés, or a quiet residential setting? Think about what you want within walking distance, then spend time in the area before arranging viewings.
If you’re considering a second home in Tokyo while living overseas, contact Tokyo Portfolio to discuss your priorities and the practical arrangements for your purchase.
