Meet man, just 38, owner of 200 houses, now earns crores in rent, his name is…., he is from…

In 2018, Hayato Kawamura established his own real-estate firm 'Merryhome', and has since purchased 200 abandoned houses, which generate over 140 million yen (nearly Rs 7.72 crore) in rental income for his company.

Given the fact that the human population is growing at an exponential rate, its often said that land, and by extension property or real-estate, is the most valuable resource on the planet. A Japanese man, Hayato Kawamura, realized this fact very early in his life, and started buying abandoned and deserted homes at dirt cheap prices in auctions, and now at 38, has built a lucrative real-estate empire, that earns crores in rent from these once-decayed properties.

Here’s his inspiring story.

Born and raised in Osaka, Japan, Hayato Kawamura, was fascinated with houses since his childhood and loved to gazing at Osaka’s diverse houses from a mountaintop observation deck. What began as a childhood fascination, turned into a business idea for young Hayato when he realised there are scores of abandoned houses in his city, that are often sold cheap.

During his school years, Hayato and his girlfriend loved to visit different properties, and although penniless at the time, the young man dreamed of establishing his own real-estate business at some point in his life.

After graduating from college, Hayato Kawamura, started working for a property rental firm, but soon quit the job after witnessing his boss get demoted following a conflict with senior management and because the salary was low.

“I realised promotions were not about ability, but whether your superior liked you. I wanted an income that would allow me to live without relying on my pay cheque,” the 38-year-old said, according to South China Morning Post (SCMP).

Owner of 200 houses

After quitting his job, Hayato embarked on his entrepreneurial journey and began saving money to become financially independent.  At the age of 23, Hayato bought a flat at an auction for 1.7 million yen (around Rs 10 lakh), and after earning around 340,000 yen (about Rs 2 lakh) in annual rent for six years, he sold the property for 4.3 million yen (Rs 24 lakh).

Realising the potential of earning a healthy profit from neglected properties, Hayato Kawamura began acquiring run-down houses in remote areas at cheap prices, some as low as 1 million yen (around Rs 5.5 lakh). Kawamura realised that these decayed properties presented an opportunity to cut down costs, and began purchasing dilapidated properties, including some littered with dead strays and ones with broken down or no roofs that leaked in rain.

In 2018, Hayato Kawamura established his own real-estate firm ‘Merryhome’, and has since purchased 200 abandoned houses, which generate over 140 million yen (nearly Rs 7.72 crore) in rental income for his company. “I never expected to get rich overnight. Real estate investment is a long-term game that requires patience and careful attention,” SCMP quoted him as saying.

Kawamura’s investments are funded through savings, loans, and the profits generated by his rental properties, according to the report.