From a Road Trip to Homeownership: Yelena and Brian's Journey

Yelena and Brian were one of my very first clients, and their journey remains one of the most memorable experiences I've had since starting this business.

When Yelena first contacted me, she told me she was looking for someone she could trust. There were other service providers available, but she felt more comfortable working with a native Japanese woman who could help guide her through the process.

Their dream was simple: travel across Japan, view different properties, and find a place they could call their own.

Our journey began with searching for properties, gathering information, and arranging viewings. In total, I organized 13 property viewings throughout their trip—and they visited every single one of them!

It was such a fun experience to be part of.

After each viewing, Yelena would send me her thoughts and impressions about the house. Some properties looked promising online but felt completely different in person. Others surprised her in ways she didn't expect.

Yelena's Thoughts After Viewing One of the Houses

Watching her narrow down the options and discover what truly mattered to her was one of my favorite parts of the process.

Eventually, she found the house she wanted to purchase and asked me to move forward with the transaction.

At that point, we thought the difficult part was over.

Well, we were wrong.

The first challenge involved the international transfer of funds.

The local real estate agent had limited experience working with overseas buyers and was unsure how to handle the transaction. To keep everything moving forward, I agreed to receive Yelena's funds and transfer them to the seller's agent.

However, Japanese banks have become increasingly strict regarding international transactions due to anti-money laundering regulations.

My bank requested a significant amount of documentation to verify the source and purpose of the funds. What we expected to be a simple transfer turned into a process that took nearly two weeks.

Since then, I have recommended that my clients use Wise whenever possible. In most cases, it makes international transfers much smoother and avoids many of the issues we encountered.

The second challenge came when we needed to appoint a judicial scrivener.

Because Yelena was a non-resident buyer, finding a scrivener willing and experienced enough to handle the transaction was not easy. It took time and many phone calls, but eventually I found the right professional to assist with the purchase.

Finally, settlement day arrived.

The buyers, sellers, seller's agent, and both judicial scriveners gathered to complete the transaction.

Yelena and Brian got the keys to their new home

Originally, I had planned to provide support remotely. However, when I learned that the seller was eager to meet everyone involved, I decided to attend in person.

Looking back, I'm glad I did.

There were a few tense moments as everyone worked through the final paperwork and procedures, but by the end of the day the transaction was successfully completed.

A Lovely Thank-You Letter from Yelena, Brian, Rick&Morty

Yelena and Brian officially became homeowners in Japan.

She created a short video about this journey. Feel free to check it out !

Yelena and Brian's lovely home in Japan

This kind of stories remind me that buying property in Japan isn't always just about finding the right house. Sometimes it's about solving unexpected problems, connecting the right people, and helping clients navigate situations they've never encountered before.

Thank you, Yelena and Brian, for trusting me to be part of your journey.

It was a pleasure working with you.

I hope your home brings you many wonderful memories for years to come.

Regards,

Haruka from Akiya Supporter