This Seattle couple was priced out of their city's housing market, so they bought a farmhouse in Japan for $30K — here are their 2 big reasons for buying and moving abroad

The couple’s new home in Okayama cost them just $30,000, compared to expensive Seattle, where the typical home is valued at around $847,000, according to Zillow.

Leika — whose mother grew up in Japan — never would have imagined moving there permanently until Brandon shared his own experience in the quiet towns around the Okayama and Osaka area.

“Japan seemed like a slower pace of life,” said Brandon in the couple's interview with Business Insider. “It's easy to live here.”

The Hansens finalized their decision to relocate in the summer of 2023. Recently, as their move date was coming closer, Lekia and Brandon bid a final farewell to Seattle in their latest Youtube video. The couple documented the typical challenges of relocation, from Brandon’s Visa process to packing up their Seattle condo.

The Hansens made the decision to permanently move to Japan and there are two big reasons why.

And if you feel priced out of the U.S. housing market but still want to add real estate to your portfolio, here are a few options to consider.

1. Cheaper real estate

On the couple’s YouTube channel, Leika explains how they wanted to search for alternatives outside of the U.S. and they discovered “akiyas” — vacant or abandoned homes in Japan that were also incredibly cheap. The duo started browsing properties in January of 2023 before closing on their new home in June of that year and even posting a house tour on their YouTube channel in December.

In January 2023 when Leika and Brandon were first looking for a home, the median sale price in the U.S was $383,249. Fast forward to this year and prices are even higher, hitting $411,887 in February.

So if you, like the Hansens, are feeling priced out of the American dream but you don’t want to uproot your life and move abroad then consider investing in U.S real estate in other ways - without the burden of taking on an expensive mortgage or the perils of property management.

With [Ark7] you can invest in shares of single and multi-family rental units here in the U.S. without the burdens of buying and managing properties. You can start by browsing through their curation selection of properties , vetted for their income earning and appreciation potential.

Once you’ve found a property that best fits your needs, you can choose how many shares you’d like to purchase, and start investing with shares starting at around $20.

That being said, even if you are priced out of buying a home by high prices and mortgage rates, doesn’t mean you can’t invest in the value of other people’s homes

Cityfunds offers a way to invest in residential properties in top U.S cities – like Denver, Austin, Nashville and Miami. With Cityfunds, you can invest in a diversified portfolio of owner-occupied homes, securing a stake in the future value of these properties.

As the home values appreciates, so does the value of Cityfunds equity investment alongside the homeowners. You can start investing in the cities you love with Cityfunds for as little as $500.

Don’t forget: You aren’t limited to residential real estate either, especially if you are looking to make real estate a larger part of your portfolio.

​​Commercial real estate has long been touted as a wise investment for adding stability to your portfolio, outperforming the S&P 500 over a 25-year period. But commercial real estate has always been reserved for a few elite investors — until now.

First National Realty Partners allows accredited individual investors to access institutional-quality commercial real estate investments — without the leg work of finding deals yourself.

FNRP has developed relationships with the nation’s largest essential-needs brands, including Kroger, Walmart and Whole Foods, and provides insights into the best properties both on and off-market.

All you have to do to get started is fill in some information about yourself, your income and investment goals. Then FNRP’s team of experts manages every aspect of the investment process, so you can potentially just sit back and enjoy your quarterly distributions.

2. Retirement dreams

The YouTube couple also decided it was important for them to pursue their hobbies and interests — and get a jumpstart on their retirement goals, like buying farmland.

“I really want honeybees. I'm super passionate about pizza and having an outdoor pizza oven,” said Brandon. “These are things that we think of as retirement dreams.”