From one vending machine to Real Estate Empire |Japan Elite|Entrepreneur,Investor&Real Estate Expert
Summary
TLDRThe speaker recounts their journey from an initial focus on jidam (vending machines) to a successful real estate venture in Japan. Starting with 17 rooms in Saitama, they rapidly expanded to 45, implementing strategies like no rent increases and free Wi-Fi to retain tenants and maximize profits. Despite challenges, they found success, especially during COVID-19, by minimizing renovation costs and leveraging their network for reduced service fees. The narrative highlights the importance of trust, calculated risks, and adapting business models for long-term gains in the property market.
Takeaways
- ๐ The speaker's initial venture was in jidam (vending machines), not real estate, but they transitioned into real estate after a suggestion from a senior executive in a fan company.
- ๐ข The first real estate project started with 17 rooms in a Japanese condominium in Saitama, which was a typical Japanese place with Japanese contracts and practices.
- ๐ The speaker quickly expanded to 45 rooms within the same year, including properties in Shinjuku and Kawasaki, with aggressive strategies and trust in the advice given.
- ๐ก A realization that profit requires hard work led to the decision to manage properties more directly, including firing kandas (management companies) and bringing in their own at a lower cost.
- ๐ค The importance of networking was highlighted, with a personal network from insurance, renovation, and advertising agencies helping to reduce costs and increase profits.
- ๐ The speaker's policy of not raising rents and offering free Wi-Fi to long-term tenants was mentioned as a strategy to retain tenants and maximize profits.
- ๐ The COVID-19 pandemic was seen as an opportunity due to reduced renovation costs and the ability to maintain or even reduce operational costs.
- ๐ The speaker's favorite property was highlighted, purchased in 2016 for its location, garden view, and open view, which attracted tenants and provided stability.
- ๐ผ The story of starting with jidam and then transitioning to real estate was initiated by a godfather figure who suggested starting with jidam first, leading to the purchase of the entire building.
- ๐ The capital gain from long-term property ownership was emphasized, with the speaker explaining how paying off a loan can lead to significant capital gains over time.
- ๐ค The speaker reflects on the decision-making process when purchasing properties, mentioning that actual profits were larger than initially anticipated due to a lack of detailed calculations.
Q & A
What was the initial focus of the speaker's business journey?
-The speaker initially focused on jidam (vending machines), not real estate, as they wanted to but found it unprofitable and it went into litigation.
How did the speaker get involved in real estate?
-The speaker got involved in real estate after a senior executive from a large fan company suggested they try it, which led to the speaker starting with a building in Saitama with 17 rooms.
What was the speaker's approach to managing the properties they acquired?
-The speaker decided to fire the kandas (management companies) and bring in their own kandasha to manage the properties at a minimum cost, ensuring the profit was theirs.
How did the speaker's network help in their real estate business?
-The speaker's network from insurance, renovation, and advertising agencies helped by charging less and doing good work, which contributed to profit maximization and cash flow management.
What policy did the speaker implement regarding rent increases for their tenants?
-The speaker implemented a policy of not raising rents for their tenants, maintaining the same rent for eight years and even offering freebies as part of their strategy.
How did the COVID-19 pandemic affect the speaker's real estate business?
-The speaker found the COVID-19 pandemic to be the best time for their business because renovation costs were very low, which helped in maximizing profits.
What was the speaker's strategy for adding value to their properties?
-The speaker's strategy included adding free Wi-Fi to all buildings and reducing operational costs by getting their own maintenance companies, which helped in retaining tenants and maximizing profits.
How did the speaker's experience with the first property in Saitama lead to further opportunities?
-After the initial success with the Saitama property, the speaker was quickly offered the opportunity to acquire more buildings in Shinjuku and Kawasaki, increasing their portfolio to 45 rooms.
What was the speaker's advice for people considering investing in real estate?
-The speaker advised that investing in good quality apartments is a good idea, as they can command a premium in the market, especially for properties near stations and in high-demand areas.
How did the speaker's involvement with BNI lead to their first real estate opportunity?
-The speaker met their 'godfather' at a BNI meeting, a business networking group, who offered them a jidam (vending machine) opportunity, which eventually led to the speaker buying the entire building.
What was the speaker's experience with the jidam business model?
-The speaker found the jidam business model interesting as it required no investment and provided a small but consistent monthly revenue, which sparked their interest in the property where the jidam was located.
Outlines
๐ข Real Estate Journey and Business Strategy
The speaker discusses their initial foray into the real estate business, which began with a focus on jidam (a type of Japanese vending machine) rather than real estate. Despite initial failures and litigation, they were encouraged by a senior executive to venture into real estate. Starting with a 17-room condominium in Saitama, the speaker rapidly expanded to 45 properties within a year, leveraging trust and aggressive business tactics. They later implemented cost-effective strategies, such as hiring their own maintenance staff and reducing operational costs, to maximize profits. The speaker also highlights their policy of not raising rents and offering free Wi-Fi to enhance tenant retention and satisfaction.
๐ฟ Favorite Property and Its Appeal
The speaker describes a property purchased in 2016, emphasizing its location, garden view, and terrace flats as key selling points. They mention the property's appeal to tenants who appreciate the view and the parking facilities. The speaker also discusses the initial start with a single room, which led to the acquisition of the entire building, highlighting the role of their godfather in suggesting the venture. The property's spaciousness and flexibility in use are noted, along with the speaker's confidence in the investment due to the trust in their advisor.
๐ฐ Profitability and Long-Term Strategy in Real Estate
The speaker reflects on the profitability of real estate, suggesting it's more lucrative than other investments. They discuss their approach to property management, including not raising rents and offering free Wi-Fi as incentives for tenants to stay. The speaker also explains their strategy of providing added benefits to long-term tenants to ensure retention and profitability. They mention the importance of sales expertise and the confidence it instilled in their investment decisions, as well as the significant capital gains they've achieved over time.
๐ Property Management and Cost Minimization
The speaker details their approach to property management, emphasizing minimizing costs by hiring people directly and avoiding typical Japanese agencies. They discuss the benefits of reinforced concrete in ensuring the longevity of their properties and the potential for capital gain through long-term ownership. The speaker also mentions the importance of cash flow and capital gain, and how they've managed to maximize profits while maintaining the quality of their properties.
๐ Market Opportunities and Investment Insights
The speaker shares their experience as a pioneer among Indians in the Japanese property market, discussing the liberal loan conditions during 2014-2017 that facilitated their investments. They highlight the shift to stricter regulations and higher down payments in recent years but still recommend investing in high-quality apartments for the potential premium they can command. The speaker also touches on the preferences of Indian corporates for good locations and the importance of proximity to stations for vegetarian tenants.
๐ค Business Networking and Trust Building
The speaker recounts how they met their business mentor through BNI, a business networking community, and built a relationship based on trust. They describe the offer of a jidam business opportunity with zero down payment and the minimal but positive returns it provided. The speaker also explains the business model behind the jidam, where they became the owner with no operational involvement, and the subsequent introduction to a room and eventually the entire building in the same property, which they were able to purchase with no down payment.
๐๏ธ Property Occupancy and Tenant Preferences
The speaker discusses the occupancy of their properties, noting the initial period of empty rooms and financial losses. They highlight the property's appeal to Japanese tenants who prefer long-term stays and the property's location, visibility, and space as factors contributing to its desirability. The speaker also mentions the property's seclusion and the preference of Japanese residents, indicating a positive long-term outlook for the property.
Mindmap
Keywords
๐กJidam
๐กReal Estate
๐กLitigation
๐กCEO
๐กProfit
๐กKandas
๐กRenovation
๐กCOVID-19
๐กWi-Fi
๐กMaintenance Companies
๐กCapital Gain
Highlights
The speaker's initial foray into jidam (vending machines) business before transitioning to real estate.
Real estate was not initially the speaker's focus due to previous unprofitable experiences with litigation.
A senior executive's advice led to the speaker's entry into the real estate market.
Starting with 17 rooms in a Japanese condominium in Saitama, the speaker's real estate journey began.
Rapid expansion to 45 properties within the same year due to aggressive business strategies.
The importance of trust in business decisions, as exemplified by the speaker's leap into real estate.
The realization that profitability requires hard work and strategic management.
Initiating cost-cutting measures by firing kandas (management companies) and bringing in more cost-effective alternatives.
Utilizing personal networks for renovation, advertising, and insurance to reduce costs and increase profit margins.
Maintaining a no-rent-increase policy for tenants over eight years to build trust and tenant retention.
Offering free Wi-Fi as an added benefit to encourage long-term tenancy and positive relationships with tenants.
Establishing a maintenance company to reduce operational costs and maximize profits.
The speaker's experience with property investment during the COVID-19 pandemic, viewing it as an opportune time for minimal renovation costs.
The acquisition of a property in 2016 with a garden view and terrace flats, contributing to tenant satisfaction and retention.
The speaker's belief in the long-term viability of their properties, estimating a lifespan of nearly 100 years.
The financial strategy of capital gain through property investment, emphasizing the benefits of long-term ownership.
The speaker's unique approach to property management, avoiding typical Japanese agencies and managing directly to minimize costs.
The story of how the speaker's first property deal came about through a business community and a trusted connection.
The concept of zero-down-payment property investment and the associated minimal returns.
The evolution from managing jidam to owning and managing an entire building, showcasing the speaker's business growth.
The importance of location and property quality in attracting tenants and maintaining high demand.
Transcripts
so uh so you were talking about uh then
you plunged into this first jid haki
business and then into real estate maybe
in short if you can talk your journey
from that first zidi to your current
project which is already done and what
is in pipeline yes sure and in total
also how many rooms and all yes
absolutely so um so as I said the
initial start was with the jidam and
jidam was my focus my real estate was
never my focus there although I always
wanted to
but I failed it was not profitable at
all it went into
litigation real estate is not
my but somewhere when actually
said you try um and he was at a very
senior he was in fact the CEO of a very
large Fan company at that time so I said
ch
and then that's how we started
that there were 17 rooms in that
building in saitama in Minami uraa that
is where I started which is a completely
Japanese condominium and uh typical
Japanese place where Japanese
contracts everything then I got the
immediately I got the Shinjuku building
opportunity then Kawasaki Mei and then
this number became 45 so suddenly within
the same year itself I jumped in quickly
becauseas was very very aggressive he
said and I actually experienced
this
in and that was fantastic
building so then I jumped on quite fast
then yes but it was you know somewhere
what trust that whatever uyama s says I
will never fail so trust so I jumped
into it quickly
then so ultimately tax
how am I going to
actually uh endash profit out of this
and then eventually I realized that this
is not the way uh I want to run if I
want profit I have to work hard for it
so one day I decided almost after a year
or so that I
decided then I started actually I
started firing the kandas simply
and decided that I will bring my own
kandasha who will do it at a minimum
cost for me and ensure that the profit
is mine so de you know the network of
all people from insurance
renovation uh advertising agencies and
these were all my people uh my network
people Network that came into place who
started charging me less and do good
work uh say profit encashment
cash
flow um and that's how it started so
these were all almost 45 to 50 rooms
then at that time then uh later
on eventually now even and I'll tell you
especially during the covid times I have
seen best the covid was the best time
ever in fact because
Co so my no renovation cost very little
renovation cost I would say costs were
very minimum the couple of rules that I
had standardized was first I'm not going
to trouble people by adding
rents so throughout eight years I have
never raised even a single rent by even
a single Yen so that has been the policy
in fact I've been giving free bees to
people contra
and all that also so and then we started
Wi-Fi adding W free Wi-Fi in all the
buildings for
maintenance then I got my own
maintenance companies who reduced
slashed down the prices heavily bringing
in the operational cost lowering the
operational cost thereby maximizing the
profits so Rahul uh let's go and visit
uh what you have been talking about your
Sait property uh it would be love to see
it in person sure so let's go there sure
one to
and so this place basically we bought we
bought it in
2016 and uh cof
C because of its
location Riv
garden garden View or open
view most of the rooms are Terrace Flats
as you can see parking underground
parking but actually once they come and
start staying here uh based on The View
and all uh they generally like to stay
here so uh C stabilized I can say
generally because
how manys
here so these are all 2 LDK plus L and L
and they have very nice nice view view
and uh
yes that's an added benefit great great
thank so the entire story started from
here this is one my most favorite
J as they say the autoing
machine
room then we this is where I started and
uh
then entire building and then it was a
good start all I can say very well J
so was random actually
so I would say because uh it was all
about
uh it's it's all about my godfather ouan
who actually suggested why why don't you
start with the Jank first yeah right and
he
said so this is the janki that I started
and then he said
actually so they were actually the owner
owned both the building as well as the J
so he
said why not we start with janki first
and then room and then gradually then
they came with this offer that the
entire building can be purchased I went
ahead with the great great nice thanks
for
quite enough quite spacious enough in
fact most of the
time
bikes us it can be used in quite
different ways
last time I came
yeah unus we could have used it or
something
parkings normally AB uh investors
and you are talking about how many units
here 17 17
units mindset right mindset of course
believing in someone like you talked
about uh the person you rely on for the
property checking and
all you saying something to yourself
which is actually allowing you to take
that
right honestly the simple logic
is okay
okay the is
wow honestly all starts from there and
drawbacks so that is something that you
know somewhere you have to take that
leap of
faith so if you do the math sometimes
you come to a conclusion
that actually so most of the time people
say
that expence
it's way profitable than anything so in
fact I would recommend people
that and then but
again why why why is it for me right uh
so I always think
thatl it is already late for you so
online it's already lit it's up in the
market
and then challenges definitely so it all
depends on you whether you want to
change the model or something for
inst so now that is where the catch
was he was not able to sell
now straight away
no initial depit nothing just coming and
start
stay I don't remember ever I had to
worry about this these
rooms very strict that for instance
there will there will be no upgrades in
any of the rents in any of my buildings
a bar be it co or anything I've never
raised any rent at all that's the first
rule second uh I've given free Wi-Fi and
all the other well you can also
positively call it as a addtion the
positive addictions for to people so
that they want to stay with you these
are positive benefits that they in
addition so so for instance I have given
Wi-Fi not to everyone but to people who
have completed four years it's a long
time I right then gradually they start
getting those added benefits as well
because you know that you are actually
making profit a decent profit then it's
important that you make
because so that is a bit uh expensive
and that is where your profits actually
go down so you just have to maintain uh
long-term uh so that you have uh
retained uh decent profits that you can
utilize later on for any repair work or
damage that is required great great I
think you you talked about a very
important Point uh it was like a sales
problem for him and your sales expertise
actually helped him help actually also
that might be the reason why you were
confident I think confidence or I think
question you you normally would do some
rough calculations also right at the
time of
buying so I just want to know what was
that percentage in your mind when you
took this decision and when you see this
reality is there a difference if there
is Cy in fact I would
say cations
completely uh in fact uh the profit I
had not even imagin came out honestly
they were much larger than what I
thought
well yeah that is lack of my calculation
style as well
butal calulations so the capital gain
that you have gained for in terms of
long term is way way large this property
generally these kind of properties
generally come at a commercial interest
rate of two to 2 4% so even if you take
an average of 3% right that means for 35
years you are actually paying somewhere
around 75 70% of capital versus 30% of
Interest right so 70% of capital gain
you are making every
month out of that Emi that you pay right
so your real expens is only 30% of that
interest plus whatever building
management cost which uh I don't go with
the typical Japanese uh companies like
agencies and all kandria I basically uh
have been doing these recently On My Own
by hiring people directly so that the
costs are completely minimized so the
Prof profit is completely maximized and
that way now you see that the cash flow
as well as the capital gain eventually
goes
up reinforc concrete so in re reinforced
concrete this is what this is 42 43 year
old building but I I guess this will be
there for Next almost 100 Years of it
life right so you can sell it at any
time uh even if you have got
what so for last 8 years uh uh you make
around 15% of capital gain just by
paying the Emi so even if you have are
selling this at no profit no loss you've
made a decent 15% uh margin just by
retaining the place absolutely forget
about the cash flow that is separate
right that is completely different and
uh over a period of time you see that
the cash flow is also quite decent
here rul like um from Indian point of
view is it good to consider like you you
are the first one who started this kind
of within Indian CZ honestly but it's 8
years ago I have never heard about any
Indian doing that because 8 years tenure
if you consider maybe maybe I have no
clue first Indian who started uh this
kind of a property business
Yeah well yeah yeah yes that is how it
started uh but until then I've never
heard about anyone doing doing this and
initially I
thought start but very quickly I got
this entire building and that time but
those were a little bit lucky times as
well I would say that uh the banks were
more liberal at that time so 2014 say 17
T the banks were quite liberal in giving
uh free loans as well M so very low down
payment and not even 10% of down payment
was
required now they have become more
stricter uh um going to regulations and
all after
2017 laws
change and uh now some you for a good
property you have to pay somewhere
around 25% or 30% okay cash okay down
payment uh against 70%
loan um but then I would recommend that
yes uh having a good quality uh
[Music]
apartment right I would recommend
that right right
2,000 to maybe 30,000 then do it do it
why because you will definitely get the
premium against
it I've seen so many cases where people
say uh I'm ready to pay
uh otherwise it was like pan 150,000 Yen
where people are uh people were
expecting I even I have have one room
very near to nishikasai station where I
was expecting 150,000 Yen as a rent and
then someone came in who was in real
need and that was a corporate they said
we are ready to pay 250,000 also so
there are times where people are ready
to pay whatever uh it is all a demand
and Supply game and at the end people
always want a good property at very near
to station and whenever ever it comes to
Indian corporates or even corporates
large corporates where Indians are
working either at senior levels and all
they prefer good location
and and interestingly I have also seen
that people come these vegetarian and
all limitations also right they always
prefer to stay very near to nishai
station right right vegetarian so that
is also there you know so there there's
a tremendous demand uh where people
deliberately say that with they come
with a specific demand to stay very near
to nishikasai station uh or even
funabori at times so that is also an
added
benefit uh just one more question on
like how how was this how was the deal
for this property brought to you like if
you want to reflect yeah yeah yeah it's
very uh how should I put nostalgic
nostalgic thing for me
um so I I used to go for a uh uh in a in
a uh business Community called as
BNI um and that is where I met uh my
godfather AMA son uh he was also part of
this BNI which is a um which is a
business group meet uh meeting
place okay and uh this is where we used
to meet every Friday early morning and
one day he said I have a jamai key if
you want to start with and this this is
like friendly you you became good uh uh
friends with each other at the same time
while you doing business there's a trust
that is built and then there's a common
trust called as BNI right when when you
go at it's very similar to going to
school where you become friends because
you know that school is the common link
between us and it's similar here and
that is where you you know you start
helping each other to do business so I I
was helping him do something he was
helping me do something and in return He
said uh why not I have a jidam bik and I
was a I was always fond of buying a Jami
and uh that is where he said uh why not
start with a jamik I said I don't have a
money I have money that much he said you
don't need to uh it comes with a zero
down payment I said that's a fantastic
idea so where's the catch what's the
catch so he said there's no catch
actually the only thing is that in when
you don't invest anything your return
returns are also very minimum so I said
okay but am I going to be positive he
said fairly positive throughout but very
very minimum in uh returns so how much
3,000 to 5,000 yen at an average you
will earn but forever for long term mhm
without with zero investment I said yes
then I'm doing it imagine 3,000 or 5,000
whatever money comes with zero
investment you not involving anywhere in
the entire process so it is completely
managed by that company right neither
buying neither installing neither
running it neither uh refilling those uh
things I'm no nowhere in World apart
from receiving the profit but can I ask
like how does that business model work
then like what do you own then so then
I'm the owner the owner on everything
yes that is the thing why because
everyone wants to reduce their risk so
what if so the the game is what why is
some someone basically giving something
you to you at free of cost yeah it's
only because you you're taking the risk
of owning it it right so the risk of
ownership is yours so anything happens
to it I'm responsible if if there is a
loss I am responsible then I may have to
pay but in the last 100 months never I
have been in a situation where I had to
pay in fact yes sometimes only in Winter
times maybe at times 2, 2,500 but you
know every small game that comes no
effort and no investment is always
welcome but the trying to understand the
setup and also the economics behind it
so you kind of become the owner of that
J uh every operation like electricity
refilling the company is doing correct
and they are just giving you back this
monthly Revenue correct right yes so
it's like so yeah so initially I never
thought about the buildings I only
thought about J I said wow this is this
is a nice thing because the first two
months I saw uh money coming in I said
it's interesting and that's how it works
okay so where is another J but then he
said I'm actually not I was not actually
wanting to sell the J I'm a fan company
I said wow okay so then what what are
you trying to sell then they said ji was
just one uh this thing uh but there's a
room available in the same building
where the Judi is
located and that that is where uh I said
okay I'm interested I'll probably see
the room uh the room also came with the
same idea same uh plan same process and
then he said in fact the owner is trying
to sell the entire building I said any
down payment required I said not really
I said
interested then we started but the
building decisions used to happen in
hours so by the time I would say yes the
building was already gone so I had to so
it was like that uh timing when people
it was that uh 2014 2017 timing was were
really nice but then eventually the
banks uh stopped uh giving it at 100% uh
down uh loan then the other two
buildings I had to actually start with
um uh a bit of down payments yeah but
for this one if to to conclude there was
no down payment and but of course it was
a 35 year regular loan right but then
obviously in the initial days I saw uh
you know whenever people used to leave
and in in fact the initial few days
where when there was fire rooms empty
right uh that that was the time when I
was not making money so in fact it was
loss of so uh I had to pay the Emi half
of the Emi from my pocket but then
eventually in next couple of months
itself I I started finding rooms because
the the property itself is sellable
right if you see from its location
perspective uh the uh the visibility
perspective
right the space perspective if you see
it's kind kind of secluded at the same
time right so Japanese people generally
prefer here you won't generally have
very few couple of vietnames I guess but
most of them are Japanese people so they
generally stay a longterm
here that's really good thank you
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