JET Dreams: Buying a Second Home in Japan
It’s inevitable. JETs get together, they start talking about how much they love and miss Japan, and sooner or later someone says “Wouldn’t it be great to have a place in Japan?”
We all get dreamy-eyed and nod. And then we find ourselves scrolling through an akiya listing site with a 3LDK farmhouse that costs less than a used Corolla outside a town we’ve never heard of trying to think of other JETs or Japanese friends that have traditional Japanese woodworking skills so you can eventually inhabit this structure that you’ve now invested your heart in over the last 30 minutes.
It feels so far-fetched and impossible. But what if it wasn’t? What if you had someone- a fellow JET even!- to walk you through what this really looks like? This webinar is about the distance between that dream and your very own genkan, delivered to you on a silver platter from an expert in our very own JET community.
Jomo Mulholland (Kanagawa, 1994-1995) spent a lifetime in real estate post-JET and recently found himself living in Hokkaido, helping foreigners work through the process of owning property in Japan. He will be leading this 90-minute webinar with colleagues from Hokkaido Hobby Homes to help JETs understand the realities, the considerations, the options, the process and the maintenance of long-term home ownership in Japan.
So, bring your dreams, your questions (there will be a Q&A session) and maybe your partner or spouse, who probably thinks your joking. Unless they are also a JET.
When: (US) Fri, Oct 16, 2026, 8-9:30pm ET
(JP) Sat, Oct. 17, 2026, 9-10:30am JTWhere: Online (Zoom link sent upon registration)
Cost: USJETAA Members: FREE
General Public: $10
This workshop is presented in partnership with Hokkaido Hobby Homes, one of our wonderful SMB Corporate Sponsors.
Speakers / Presenters:
Jomo Mulholland (Kanagawa, 1994-95) is currently an international real estate sales agent at Hokkaido Hobby Homes in Otaru, Japan, where he helps global clients acquire and manage second homes and investment properties. With over three decades of international business experience, he previously served as Chief Operating Officer at The Martin Group, overseeing $47 million in investments across 40 early-stage ventures and real estate projects. His diverse career spans from government procurement, luxury hospitality experience at the Four Seasons Resort Maui and Saipan, corporate re-writing/translation in Tokyo, teaching on the JET Program (1994-95 Kanagawa), to White House intern. Jomo holds a bachelor's degree in Foreign Affairs and East Asia Studies from the University of Virginia, alongside international university studies in Japan and Indonesia.
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Mita-san is the founder of Sapporo-based interior coordination and lifestyle brand YOUBI DESIGN, is an interior coordinator, bilingual marketing professional, and magazine writer with over a decade of experience in design and international communication.
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Saka-san is a Japan-licensed real estate broker with 15+ years of experience in the Hokkaido market. With a Master’s degree in Architecture and Design, he specializes in urban investment properties and countryside akiya revitalization. Inspired by Hokkaido’s natural beauty, he provides trusted, transparent guidance to domestic and international clients looking for the right property.
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Jacob Rashidi is the founder and creative force behind Hokkaido Hobby Homes and a Japan-licensed real estate broker. He studied International Law and Public Economy at Kumamoto University’s Faculty of Law, he brings years of experience in Japan’s real estate market. Having lived in eight countries and traveled to over 60, he combines an international perspective with deep local knowledge to help clients find their place in Hokkaido.
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Suzuki-san is a construction and business professional with experience in construction, electrical engineering, telecommunications, real estate, and hospitality. He founded Sigma Net Co., Ltd. in 2006 and has since helped establish and manage around 20 companies. Holding Second-Class Architect and First-Class Electrician licenses, he brings broad technical expertise and international experience to his work in Hokkaido.
