INTERNATIONAL PROPERTY INVESTING BASICS (PART 1) ZIV MAGEN
If, on the other hand, you're a geeky, pencil pushing, "put it
down in writing", tax-paying, spread-sheet analyzing, bowtie sporting smart ass (like me), these north European
countries will feel like heaven to you. Whereas, the hot
and
steamy
lands
of
the
south
European
and
Mediterranean-bordering countries of the continent would
probably drive you to a nervous breakdown or financial
ruin. In my case, as a mostly Asia-Pacific oriented
property investor, the exact same applies. I'd go for
Singapore, Hong-Kong, Australia and New-Zealand any day of the week. Countries where realtors are bound
by strict licensing and regulation requirements, where governments act clearly, decisively and transparently
and where haggling, deal-mining, discounting and joint venturing - which certainly exist, as they do anywhere
in the world - are backed by a legal paper trail leading all the way to Mars and back. In similar fashion, I'd
steer as clear as I possibly can of China, India, Indonesia or Pakistan, to name but a few. I'm simply not that
type of person. I get goose bumps when I hear the words "let's shake on it" or "leave it to me". I shiver at the
suggestion of "let's keep this between us". I develop a rash when someone advises me that "they know
someone who can make the problem go away". It's just the way I am, for better and worse.
This is also why Japan, of all the countries in the Asia-Pacific region, and probably the world, appeals to me so
much. Not only is it strictly regulated, fully documented, completely compliant and severely monitored by
government agencies and professional organizations - it's also possessed by the harshest, most unforgiving,
toughest type of enforcement possible - cultural tradition. And while, of course, power corrupts, and absolute
power corrupts absolutely, regardless of country, traditional and cultural frameworks - the vast majority of us
property investors, let's face it, are not Trumps, Buffets, Sadam Husseins or Gengis Khans. We're the just
above average, slightly savvy, slightly affluent, more than slightly innovative "average Joes" of the world, and
we deal with the likes of ourselves. And in Japan, the average Joes (or "Mr. and Mrs. Watanabe", as we're
known here), are the most honest, straight forward, polite and conflict averse individuals one can find
anywhere on this planet.
So, if you're a smooth talking, back room dealing, from-the-hip-shooting type, you may want to skip this
particular series of articles. Japan just isn't the place for you. In fact, if you'll try that approach here you'll
quickly find yourself isolated, shunned and generally avoided like the plague. If, however, you're the type of
person who finds a deep bow, a code of honor, religious attention to each and every minute detail and mutual
respect as appealing as I do, you may want to stick around. You might have just hit the jackpot in the land of
the rising sun, which also happens to be the world's third largest economy, and Asia-Pacific's largest realestate investment market.