I cleared 500+ vacant Japanese houses. Here's the real math on akiya investing that English content gets wrong.

Background: I ran an estate clearance (ihin seiri) business in Japan for several years — we cleared out homes after elderly residents died. Did 500+ houses.

1. Renovation cost estimates are way off

I've seen foreigners quoted ¥8 million ($52K) for work that should cost ¥2 million ($13K) through a local network. Standard interior renovation through local contractors: ¥750K–¥1.2M ($5K–$8K).

2. The welfare housing scheme is underreported

Some municipalities guarantee rent from welfare recipients directly. ~¥60K/month ($390). My math: ¥2M property + ¥1M renovation = ¥3M total (~$20K). Break even in 5 years.

3. Akiya bank listings are just the starting point

Real deals come through local agents, not public listings.

Happy to answer questions about renovation costs, contractor reality, or the welfare scheme.