‘Really cheap’: Aus couple buys $16k Japan ski home

An Australian couple have scored a Japanese home for just $16,000 – less than two per cent of Australia’s median house price – but the eye-popping bargain comes with a big catch. In parts of regional Japan, homes are so cheap they’re almost being given away, as empty towns, ageing houses and costly repairs turn dream buys into major projects. Kate and Andrew Buchan, both 40, took the plunge on a property in Myoko Kogen, a ski region they believe is on the rise, after finding nearby Hakuba had become just as unaffordable as parts of Australia. For the couple, the buy was about more than just getting a foot on the property ladder overseas. They want to create a family retreat where their two young children can grow up with snow holidays and lasting memories. MORE NEWS ‘Got kids?’: Retiree sparks debate over plan to vet neighbours ‘Gone”: McLeod’s Daughters reboot ditches iconic detail ‘Hear next door take a piss’: Tradie’s shock housing truth Kate and Andrew Buchan, both 40, bought the property in Japan’s Myoko Kogen region. Source: Supplied “We started looking at property in Hakuba, which is where we met in 2013, but the cost of housing was outrageous, like, the same as Australia,” ...