Originally Posted by
bocastephen
Has anyone here not living full time or a significant amount of time during the year in Japan done anything like this?
I friend does this. Lives in Japan about 4-5 months a year. Does house swapping on a regular basis.
Not sure of the numbers, but I am guessing he paid around ¥5-8million and then another 2-3million for renovation.
He says he gets over 2 million in value per year (overseas) through the swapping system.
His sister-in-law is here to manage the property though, which saves a lot in potential costs otherwise.
I could see having a mountain getaway to escape the heat of Kansai, though maintenance/management costs would probably such that it wouldn't make any money even if I could find short-term renters.
If you can really stay at the Tokyo Marriott for $125 then that will be hard to beat.