S'pore couple says they want to buy 7th property in Japan after they 'just closed' their '6th property in S'pore' - Mothership.sg

A local couple, who were introduced as real estate investors, are looking to expand their portfolio by acquiring property in Japan.

They said in a street interview video that they have invested in six properties in Singapore.

During the 1-minute exchange with Japanese TikToker @shumatsuopost, the pair explained their reasoning for choosing Japan as their next location to scoop up real estate.

@shumatsuopost Why This Singaporean Couple is Buying a House in Japan 🏠 #japan #realestateinvesting #singapore #foreigner #shumatsuopost ♬ original sound - Shu Matsuo Post

The content creator and interviewer characterised himself as an "educator and real estate investor based in Japan".

He also said he aims to "teach others how to invest in real estate" and build a rental portfolio in Japan.

Many of his videos on his YouTube channel feature investing in Japanese properties and purchasing Japanese properties.

6 going on 7

In a video posted by the content creator on Dec. 10, the couple were introduced as Ben and YY Yang from Singapore.

"We just closed our sixth property in Singapore," Ben shared, without elaborating on how he finances them or revealing his degree of ownership.

But he added that he and his partner were looking to invest in their next property in Japan.

The host's follow-up question was probably one that was on most people's minds: Aren't properties really expensive in Singapore?

"Yes, comparatively to the rest of the countries, especially Southeast Asia," Ben said, nodding.

However, he continued, the local real estate market is "one of the best" one can invest in.

Japan has 4 seasons

Weather was "one of the biggest draws" for the duo.

"In Singapore, we don't get to experience four seasons... it's summer all year round," explained Ben, echoing one of many Singaporeans' greatest gripes about local weather.

Another factor that made them fall in love with Japan was the country's culture, which Ben dubbed as "awesome".

"This is a country that we really feel we can spend a lot of time in," he said.

He expressed that it was their dream to have a second home in Japan, not to mention that they could also rake in some additional income by renting out the property.

For the uninitiated, buying more than one residential property in Singapore will incur Additional Buyer’s Stamp Duty (ABSD), which was raised in late April 2023.

Buying a piece of property in Japan typically requires both time and money, as well as being part of the community renewal process, as one Singaporean explained previously.

Singapore properties come at premium price

Singapore's property market mostly consists of public housing flats, where more than 80 per cent reside in these properties.

The recent trend showed HDB resale flat prices going up, with the resale volume in August 2023 climbing by 6.4 per cent, according to the Singapore Real Estate Exchange (SRX) Property Price Index.

The public and private housing market tends to move in tandem.

In August 2023, a record number of 54 public housing flats were sold for at least S$1 million.

This was the highest volume to date, according to data reported by the SRX and the Housing and Development Board (HDB).

A five-room unit at The Pinnacle@Duxton, closed at S$1.48 million, was the most expensive resale flat sold.

Top images via @shumatsuopost/TikTok and Unsplash