A millennial dad of 2 bought an abandoned home in Japan for $23,600. He says restoring it is easier than expected.

Wed, 09/20/2023 - 23:31

The renovated exterior of the akiya that McAskill bought. Although it was considered abandoned, the property was in relatively good shape. — The renovated exterior of the akiya that McAskill bought.
Eric McAskill

Eric McAskill bought an abandoned house, or akiya, in the Japanese countryside for $23,600.
He estimates he'll spend less than $15,000 restoring the two-story property on his own.
He says his neighbors have been welcoming to his family, and even stop by frequently to share their harvests.

Eric McAskill's lifelong dream was to buy and live in an abandoned home in Japan. But it wasn't until March 2021 — in the thick of the pandemic — that he finally took the plunge.

He had been living in Bali for a few years with his family at that point, and the pandemic gave them cabin fever due to closed borders.