Kanagawa Rental Agency Recommendations

[Coffeedaisuki]

For what it's worth, I used エイブル to find the mansion I'm currently renting. I'm foreigner, obviously, and live with a Japanese person, but the contract is under my name.

Our mansion is also pet-friendly (which might be why it's also gaijin-friendly? )

I believe エイブル is a little bit everywhere. Of course, I had to go through the humiliating part where they called landlords in front of me to then let me know that it was ダメ. But well, in the end, they did find me a place I like very much.

Thanks for the website. I actually hadn't seen this one before!

[Coffeedaisuki]

I agree, this is the path of least resistance. My wife kept her maiden name, so it was smooth sailing.

Never a question or concern after moving in, even with a western name on the mailbox.

Yes, the name thing is a giveaway and automatically brings questions. My wife is asked almost everytime if she is Japanese, whether she reaches out via email or phone. That invites other questions about me. The one real estate guy who didn't ask, assumed it. During one of their phone conversations, he started asking her about her permanent residency. She had to correct him and tell him she was Japanese.

We have been married for 15 years and have lived in Japan off and on during that time. I didn't notice it until recently the name thing or even how often foreign husbands take their wives names in Japan. I'm beginning to understand why.

Unfortunately, due to our financial situation (not bad, just not what is common in Japan). I have to include my money. That makes this not ideal. One of the realtors hasn't followed up with her in like 3 days.

If you're renting, there is no reason you cannot use your wives bank account, right?

How about your wives family, can they lend a hand?

An acquaintance, whose wife took his foreign name, went in with her mother. This seemed to help a lot, they didn't mention the husband once...

The specific financial issue isn't a bank account really. It is that she is quitting her job to move. They are hesitant to do a contract with her when she is quitting her job. We are moving from far away (different part of Japan) so they always ask about her job. My wife has little family, and the one member she could ask is retired (no job) and doesn't have a great financial history.

So, they turn to me, but I get paid in dollars through the U.S. Essentially, I'm the one with the greatest financial stability, but then the real estate agents start to talk about how difficult this will be to us (foreign husband, need 3 rooms, have dog, Japanese spouse is quitting her job).

I imagine they are probably telling the owners similar things. So I'm hoping to find a real estate agency that maybe specializes in properties more open to foreigners or at least can speak about us in a positive light to owners of prospective properties.

[Isodora]

Did you try KEN Corporation? There is a Tokyo and a Yokohama Branch, and they also offer various properties in Kanagawa outside Yokohama. While they mainly focus on Expats and only show the very upscale properties online, we rented a perfectly normally priced apartment in a non-expat location through them many many years ago. All their employees are bi-lingual and they should be very familiar with your specific situation.

Good luck!

[Coffeedaisuki]

Did you try KEN Corporation? There is a Tokyo and a Yokohama Branch, and they also offer various properties in Kanagawa outside Yokohama. While they mainly focus on Expats and only show the very upscale properties online, we rented a perfectly normally priced apartment in a non-expat location through them many many years ago. All their employees are bi-lingual and they should be very familiar with your specific situation.

Good luck!

Thank you for this! I saw an advertisement for them, but I have not had a chance to reach out. I appreciate the recommendation.