October 3, 2026 What I Tell Foreign Families About Buying a Home in October
October 3, 2026 What I Tell Foreign Families About Buying a Home in October
■ The question I hear most from foreign families in October
In my role helping foreign clients understand the property purchase process here in Japan, October tends to bring a particular kind of question. It usually sounds something like this: "We want to buy a home and settle in before the new year where do we even start?"
The honest answer is: you start with two calendars, not one.
■ Japan runs on a school year that surprises many families
One thing that catches many foreign families off guard when they first arrive in Japan is that the school year here begins in spring not in September as it does in many other countries. Nursery schools, kindergartens, elementary schools: they all follow this same spring-start rhythm.
What this means in practical terms is that if your family is hoping to have a child enrolled somewhere from the spring, the application process typically needs to happen well before that often in the autumn of the previous year. The exact timing varies depending on the municipality, so checking with the local office early is always the right move.
■ So by the time a family comes to me in October, two things are already in motion
When a foreign client reaches out to us in October saying they want to buy a home, I always try to understand the full picture of their timeline. Are there children whose school enrollment is part of the plan? If so, the property search and the childcare application process may need to move at the same time not one after the other.
This is something that many families, not just foreign ones, realize later than they expected. The property purchase process itself takes roughly two and a half months from starting to look at homes to receiving the keys. That timeline and the window for nursery or school applications can overlap in ways that are easy to miss if you're focused on just one of them.
■ What I try to do in these conversations
My job is to make sure the process feels less like a maze and more like a clear set of steps. For foreign families especially, there is often an extra layer of language and paperwork that can slow things down if it comes as a surprise. When I know a client is thinking about both a home and their children's enrollment, I try to help them see both timelines side by side early on — rather than discovering the overlap when the window is already closing.
If you are a global family considering a move to the Osaka area and wondering how to get started, please do not hesitate to reach out. Questions at this stage cost nothing and can save a great deal of time later.
■ Get in touch
Whether you are just beginning to explore your options or already deep in the search, I am here to help you navigate the process in English. Let's talk.
Phone: 072-489-5661
— Anna
Anhome (Follow-Up Inc.)
