Oak House's Remarkable Marketing Strategy Achieves Full Occupancy Before Opening

Oak House's Exceptional Early Success in New Properties

In a remarkable feat, Oak House, led by CEO Takeshi Yamanaka and headquartered in Toshima, Tokyo, has recently achieved full occupancy for three new residential properties ahead of their scheduled opening in 2025. The first of these properties is set to open in December 2024, which took two months to fill all units, while the other two properties secured full occupancy during construction, indicating an outstanding demand in the market.

A Focused Business Model

Founded in 1992, Oak House specializes in managing rental homes for foreign residents, establishing a robust business model that addresses international living needs in Japan. The company has recognized the structural challenges that foreign tenants face in the Japanese rental market, which include complexities related to key money, the necessity for a guarantor, the prevalence of unfurnished apartments, and difficulties in screening based on nationality.

In light of these issues, Oak House has introduced a customer-centric approach featuring a zero-deposit policy, no key money or brokerage fees, furnished apartments, and contracts as short as one month. This innovative strategy has not only disrupted traditional practices but also attracted a growing number of tenants.

A Digital and Direct Approach

The uniqueness of Oak House's market strategy is particularly noteworthy. Jun Nakagawa, a Board Member and Sales Manager, highlights that 80% of their tenant contracts are secured through their website, with the remaining 20% from corporate deals, showcasing a solid direct-to-consumer acquisition strategy. Nakagawa emphasizes the structure of their digital platform, stating, "We have dedicated staff for our digital operations and our inquiry system is developed in-house. Furthermore, we also have a multilingual contact center that provides English support, along with contracts available in English."

In the spring of this year, Oak House's corporate marketing strategy significantly contributed to quick occupancy in new properties. Hirohisa Ikeshita, who has led the corporate sales division for the past ten years, elaborated on how many large companies have identified a need for temporary housing for new employees undergoing training in Tokyo. "Our rental services are increasingly chosen as accommodation for groups of employees training together for several months, which has propelled our business in this niche market segment," he explains.

Sales activities began in December last year, and as a result of prompt proposals matching corporate housing needs as soon as the number of hires was confirmed, new properties were filled before their opening. For instance, while the December opening property was fully occupied by February, two newly opened houses near Hirai Station and Toda Station achieved a full occupancy milestone before their official launch.

Successful New Ventures

The new properties include an 89-room share house near Hirai Station, which is a mere 10-minute walk from the station, as well as a 76-room share house close to Toda Station, both of which reached full occupancy before their opening. Additionally, the Grand Minami-Gyotoku, which opened in December and features essential furnishings, private washbasins, and inviting community spaces, was also fully rented by mid-February, showcasing Oak House's exceptional performance ahead of the spring leasing season.

Moreover, effective strategic marketing efforts aimed at foreign prospective tenants have kept the occupancy rate of other properties at a high 99%.