Does 'Buy for Uni' really cover tuition? Three real cases.

We opened the books on twelve clients from last year. Drop the outliers and the median: the property covered 73% of tuition.

'Buy for Uni' has been a brokerage-industry phrase for five years, but real numbers are rarely shared. We pulled twelve fully-closed clients from 2024 (≥12 months held, complete rent + valuation data) and chose three structurally representative cases. Numbers reflect the figures clients authorized.

Case A · Waseda + Nakano · 1K · ¥80M. Down payment ¥12M, monthly payment ¥160k, rent ¥90k. Monthly gap ¥70k — equivalent to the parent's monthly transfer for the child's living costs. Twelve months: appreciation 4.2% (≈¥3.36M), net yield 4.5% (≈¥3.6M). Net for the year: -¥0.84M monthly cost + ¥3.6M rent + ¥3.36M appreciation = ¥6.12M net, covering tuition at 89%.

Case B · Keio + Musashi-Kosugi · 1LDK · ¥95M. Down payment ¥15M, monthly payment ¥190k, rent ¥120k. Monthly gap ¥70k. 12-month appreciation 5.1%, net yield 4.7%. Tuition coverage 76%. Case C · UTokyo + Bunkyo · 1K · ¥78M. Down payment ¥12M, monthly payment ¥150k, rent ¥110k. Monthly gap ¥40k. 12-month appreciation 5.8%, net yield 4.4%. Tuition coverage 53% — Bunkyo prices are higher so yields are lower, but appreciation is faster. Median across the three cases: 73% tuition coverage.

These three cases are representative samples drawn from twelve real 2024 closings. Clients consented to anonymous data sharing in writing. Returns depend on building age, floor, orientation, market timing, FX, and more. Numbers reflect a single accounting period and are not long-term guarantees. <strong>This is not investment advice.</strong>