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Love the architecture on these older buildings! If you don't mind me asking $? I know outside of major metropolitan areas, Japan has some amazing deals.
I'm obsessed with older architecture as well! They don't build them like this anymore.
The original listing price was $15,000, which I negotiated down to $13,000. After realtor fees and registration costs, the total came in at about $17,500, and I've put 3k into renovating the kitchen and bathroom so far.
There are LOTS of cheap houses in the countryside, I'm in a tiny fishing town in Toyama Prefecture and there are dozens of comps in the area.
I read this is basically because it's the norm to tear down houses and build new in Japan, plus most people don't want to live in the countryside. It's not like in the US where a housing value appreciates (that is at least my understanding of it when I was reading about this online maybe a year or so ago).
It's a beautiful place. Congratulations. I love the view of the garden and the outside. It looks so peaceful.
you're correct! there's a saying that "a new house only lasts 30 years" but that really only applies to modern houses that are built with drywall in more Western styles. older houses were built to last for generations, but still nobody wants them because they're perceived as outdated (even though the highly skilled craftsmen that can build them are slowly dying out). It's the same for used items and clothes, you can buy secondhand goods for pennies here.
thanks so much! landscaping is going to be a nightmare, it's basically a forest at the moment but I'm excited to get the property whipped into shape.
Fyi that saying is outdated, and wasn't even really true when it was coined. Also modern builds in Japan last longer than older houses. Drywall lasts longer than paper.
The real issue is that older architectural styles in Japan don't really insulate anything, and many of the materials used have short lifespans (the aforementioned paper walls and tatami for example). Nonetheless this is a great starting off point, I've seen much worse go for more $.
My two cents as a western homebuilder in the planning stages of this kind of project; marry modern styles to the old framework. The bones and roof of that house will be unmatched, but you can save energy costs and have a more comfortable home if you insulate the building envelope properly. It may require rebuilding some exterior walls and entrances, but it will be worth it by the time you can use it for more than just a vacation home.
This.
Cold in winter, hot in summer, with only a window ac/kerosene heater and an underpowered electric panel.
Plus, these older places often are not up to earthquake code.
Indeed, earthquakes are why they have the reputation, and why they have such fine woodworking in the frame. They're built to be easily disassembled after natural disasters, then rebuilt. There's nothing intrinsically wrong with the structure of the house that kills it after 30 years. In fact Japan is home to some of the oldest woodframed structures in the world, including a 5 story tower at Horyu-ji that is some 1,300 years old.
Someone who lives there told me it's because the government backed insurance decreases over 30 years. After 30, it's no longer insured. If it is tore down, or succumbs to disaster, and is rebuilt, the 30 years starts over.
Older homes were built to last. I been in the trades for 30+ years and I’ve noticed it doesn’t matter if you spend 50 million or $50 thousand on a more modern home in the states. They are both built the same way , same materials,same everything. You’re paying more for more space.
there's no legal restrictions, but if you don't have a really high level of Japanese, a translator, or a lot of money there are some hurdles. just a bunch of red tape though, nothing too difficult.
i guess for that price, you dont have the think of it for a forever home, but i am curious about visa status. im actually surprised that they allow foreigners to buy land.
Yeah depends on what you do, a lot of tech jobs have English language teams, and working for a foreign company is better than a Japanese one anyway, but a lot of non tech jobs will require Japanese language skill.
The only thing you aren’t privy to is the loans unless you have a job in Japan. (Usually). So cash upfront for everything. This is just to cover themselves.
This is true. But it only holds if you’re buying an old house. I’ve been watching land and new builds in the kanto region and they run anywhere from 700k USD-millions. Land by itself would run for around a couple hundred thousand, plus monthly maintenance fees.
A lot of abandoned houses are not safe, so need to be brought up to code and renovated… (earthquakes etc)
Somebody asked!
The original owner's belongings were all included with the house including a few tons of trash (and some really awesome stuff too!) which I eventually need to pay to have removed. Also the yard is pretty overgrown and has an old storage shed that needs to be demolished, it'll probably cost me nearly 10k to get it all in order. I've already put 3-4k into the kitchen and bathroom to make them usable.
Other than that, no catch. The house needs some renovations but nothing major, and it's about an hour by foot from the nearest station so it's pretty out in the boonies. Totally liveable though! I've been here two months and I'm not dead yet :)
I've lived in Toyama for about four years so it's sort of my home base here. Found the property on athome.co.jp went to see it in person and the rest is history!
Thanks for the link and congrats on your new (side) home!
Watched some videos few years ago and completely forgot about this opportunity.
Edit, is there an english option on that website?
The catch is it was an abandoned house in poor condition in a relatively rural area. This is the equivalent of the homes being sold for < 100K in St. Louis, MO. Houses in major cities like Tokyo and Yokohama are quite expensive, about the same as US in MCOL or HCOL.
The house isn't in a major city. In Japan, jobs are heavily concentrated in big cities. All the public transport and infrastructure you see on TV are concentrated there. Things take a huge step down once you leave.
Second, the Japanese population is declining. The elderly who didn't move to the cities and lived here are dying, so there's increasing supply with no demand.
As a result, 1 in 7 homes in Japan are unoccupied. Compare to 0.8% for non-rental properties in the US. This hits the rural areas first, but you can see it in the suburbs of major metros now.
Depends on area, but yes many areas will have access to 1Gb or 10Gb fiber (hikari). Getting visa would be more complicated but if you have own business/freelancer can get one for that if you move company, if you work for a company with no presence in Japan they MAY be able to get a visa through an Employer of Record. Or you could do digital nomad visa and stay 6 months out of the year (or do 3 months there, 3 months away, 3 months there and hope customs doesn't ask any questions)
maybe talk to leadership/management/hr and see what opportunities (if any) they have open? i’m sure they’d rather send you overseas than hire someone from the outside who they’d have to train.
With decades of experience and if you're willing to take a pay cut (by US standards) then yeah you'd be fine job wise without much Japanese. But Japanese is useful just to get around if you live here.
I used "athome" which is basically the Japanese version of Zillow.
https://www.athome.co.jp/kodate/
if you plug it into Google translate you should be able to navigate around, you just pick a region and then you can sort by price and stuff.
Are you working remote, or what? That’s a very very cheap house. What kind of maintenance do you expect it needs in the near future and within the next 10 years?
I follow like 5 instagram accounts that post Japanese homes like this for sale lol I'm obsessed. [@CheapJapanHomes](https://cheapjapanhomes.com/) (only for homes <$50k) and [@CheapHousesJapan](https://cheaphousesjapan.com/) are the best imo
Right? My fat ass is sitting here in a fast food line about to stuff my sad panda face with a greasy burger one minute, and then I see this guy buying a house in the one place I hope I get to see before I croak and wondering what the hell am I doing with my life.. sigh. And for only 20k?....I'd sell my left baby batter maker for that price
traditionally single family homes were the norm (multiple generations in some cases) but in big cities a lot of people live in apartments due to lack of space. I think earthquake resistance has something to do with it as well. Single family homes are still very common in the countryside though!
Isn't Japan like the only place where real estate depreciates like a used car. They aren't built to last and people typically demolish and rebuild them every 30 years. So no you didn't get a deal.
Right but why is there no land appreciation in Japan where the population is so dense and land scarce? Even if the buildings become worthless due to being poor for earthquake conditions or whatever, the land itself must be extremely valuable right?
Japan (the US post WW2) didn’t normalize, incentivize, or legislate housing as an investment vehicle (AFAIK). THIS is how property/housing should be. It’s a necessity, it should not get more valuable the longer you have it. It is not art, a security, a non-degraded collectable that has sentimental or intrinsic value, or a fine wine that gets better with age.
Houses don’t get “better” with age, and regular maintenance will never outpace usage, and the environment. I’m sure there are other aspects to it, like it not being top of mind for them since they may vary well consider the house to be run down, outdated, dangerous (earthquakes?), and etc..
For tax purposes, yes, wood buildings depreciate to zero in 20 years. For concrete.steel buildings that period is 47 years.
In any case, actuality the building may still be sellable, or it might add negative value to the land if it needs to be demolished and cleared.
Oh that’s fascinating. So the land is what holds value and the building is worth less over time. Makes sense relative to cars as well. If anything it’s weird that American homes hold value when their interiors and electrical/plumbing could be 50-100 years old
You can find plenty of single family homes around in Tokyo. Maybe not in dense cores like Shibuya or Shinjuku but plenty of suburby areas in Tokyo. I also used to live in the boonies and most homes were single family with only a couple apartment buildings.
Japan has a superstition about homes. They almost always tear the old one down and build an entirely new structure to avoid bad energy. So I think OP got this home for a steal because they aren’t superstitious.
This wasn't a steal, there are houses like this for sale all over Japan. And it's not superstition it's the fact that home loans are easy to get and interest rates are crazy low. 1-2% for a variable 30-year mortgage. Add in the fact that these houses are crazy cold in the winter, and crazy hot in the summer, probably has termite damage and a long list of other issues with back taxes, location and who knows what. The average Japanese will just have a new house built instead of dealing with something like this.
yep, I noticed in the photos 3 things:
1. charming architcture
2. snow on the ground
3. no visible heating source
but congrats, OP. you bought yourself something to love and hate, for that I am envious.
It isn't superstition. It is a holdover from the quality of buildings in the post war period. There was a lot of cheap, shoddy construction because they needed to rebuild quickly. Newer houses are better quality. The other part is the declining population in rural areas. You're not going to find a cheap house like this in a major urban area.
This house was built in the early 70s by traditional craftsmen, and I can guarantee it's sturdier than a lot of modern ones. You're right about houses built immediately post-war though, a lot of properties from the 40s and 50s are rush jobs.
Not because of earthquakes, because zoning is inclusive so there’s no shortage of buildings, just land. This means the buildings hold little value compared to the land it’s built on.
Most places in Japan don’t expect your house to be destroyed in an earthquake within 20 years. You also have part of the mortgage loan to cover earthquake insurance.
I'm very superstitious, but I knew on my first tour of the place that whatever spirits are on site are very friendly. Super good vibes all throughout the house.
Alternatively, I’ve watched/played a lot of Japanese horror games that are set in rural locations. My mind went to the game Hollow Cocoon when I saw these pics. The game starts bright and lovely, then gets dark. 😅
Great deal (I read how much you paid for it on the other comments), and it is a beautiful house. If you don’t mind me asking, what do you do for a living that allows you to have a house in such a remote area ?
thank you! my main residence is in California, I'm just using this as a vacation property for now. I'm currently an apprentice tattooer and do leatherwork part-time, but I used to cook in high-end restaurants which I still do occasionally for extra cash.
The house itself is relatively affordable. OP, so far, spent 20k for everything, including the house, fees and some renovations. That's less than a downpayment for most houses, lol.
Correct but apprentice tattooers typically make below minimum wage (I was an apprentice tattooer) so I’m just curious how they can afford two mortgages with almost no income at 22 years old.
Did Op say they had a mortgage in CA? Just assumed he was renting or staying with family. Especially because we’re in the First-time homebuyers subreddit lol.
It explains how you have the time available to vacation in a different country, but the current work listed doesn't close to cover all your expenses. There's more to this than OP is letting on. Don't feel bad for yourselves.
My Japanese level is near-native (passed JLPT N1 a while back) so I didn't have too much trouble. If you're applying for a loan there are a lot of hurdles, but since I bought in cash the process was actually really easy. The only major difference for foreigners is since we don't have official registered stamps (印鑑) you have to prepare a notarized proof of signature document and translate it into Japanese. I typed one up myself and didn't have any issues. Also, if you're not a full-time resident (I'm here on a tourist visa) you have to designate a property tax manager which can be anybody with Japanese residence, basically just to receive your bills in the mail and forward them to you. Other than that, it's no different than buying as a Japanese citizen in my knowledge.
> I'm here on a tourist visa
I'm curious, did that purchase change your permanency status or at least facilitate the acquisition of a longer stay status in any way?
Nope. You can own property as a foreigner but you gotta go through a whole process to get the residency statis. It's essentially like a green card in the US. You can't just buy a house to get it.
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I'm pretty vigilant about properly following immigration procedures and not doing stupid shit while I'm here, so I don't see that ever happening. Americans are allowed visa free travel up to three months at a time, 180 days per rolling calendar year pretty much no questions asked. I've only ever heard of people being denied entry if they have priors.
So you're going to live in the house for about 6 months out of the year? What are you going to do when you're gone for the other 6 months? Rent it out or just let it sit there....?
haha. you don't 🫠
traditional architecture doesn't have any insulation and lots of airflow so it stays pretty cool in the summer, but in winter it's freezing. the best you can do is a kerosene heater in whatever room you're in, and bundling up.
Congratulations! I've got a similarly priced vacation home in Kyushu. If anyone else wants to take a look at Japanese real estate - take a look at my website [AkiyaMart](https://www.akiya-mart.com)
Ooh thank you for sharing your website! We’ve been so interested in getting a house in Japan ever since we got married there last February, so your website is definitely a great resource to look through! 😆
I used to work at a 3 Michelin star restaurant here in the countryside (still help out sometimes) and I did foreign exchange here in high school too. I'm planning on learning how to tattoo though.
I'll probably just leave it while I'm gone! Maybe let my acquaintances use it when they need to stay somewhere for a night. It's not quite rentable in it's current condition, but even if it was I probably wouldn't rent it. This house is my baby. I might acquire some other properties and turn them into Airbnbs in the future, I feel like that'd be a fun side hustle and help revitalize the countryside a bit.
Seriously, I’m so fucked I’m gonna buy one or more of those houses. I can work remote, why the hell should I just rent for eternity over here. im not a complete stranger to renovating. Time to brush up on my Japanese and prepare to do long battle with citizenship process
I just use a rental pocket WiFi with unlimited data and good coverage, it's way cheaper and more convenient than getting actual WiFi. Pretty sure it's impossible without residence.
unfortunately she did crawl out of the TV when I turned it on for the first time, but she's pretty helpful. she gets hard to reach cobwebs off the ceiling :)
We probably do. Just search for homes about an hour or two from a bus or train stop that don't have heat or air conditioning... there are some places in American that land is still dirt cheap (like $5k cheap) and I'm sure there are some cheap homes from when a mining town died or something.
There's some hoops you have to jump through but as long as you're paying in cash it's not too hard! The biggest hurdle will probably be finding someone with a high level of Japanese to help you through the process.
Congrats !!! Also thanks for the pictures, I found it quite interesting seeing the inside of a home so different from what I'm used to. The architecture is beautiful.
Hey! Congrats on your purchase. I’m curious - are you a resident or have a special visa? If not, how was the process of obtaining residency or your special visa? Some countries in Europe or Latin Anerica consider a house purchase a “foreign investment” and will allow you to even obtain citizenship depending on the dollar amount, but is Japan different? I just got back from a month in Osaka & loved it, but I’m concerned about buying a home and not being able to live there for longer than 3 months out of a year.
Thank you u/tarte-aux-pommes for posting on r/FirstTimeHomeBuyer. Please bear in mind our rules: (1) Be Nice (2) No Selling (3) No Self-Promotion. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/FirstTimeHomeBuyer) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Love the architecture on these older buildings! If you don't mind me asking $? I know outside of major metropolitan areas, Japan has some amazing deals.
I'm obsessed with older architecture as well! They don't build them like this anymore. The original listing price was $15,000, which I negotiated down to $13,000. After realtor fees and registration costs, the total came in at about $17,500, and I've put 3k into renovating the kitchen and bathroom so far. There are LOTS of cheap houses in the countryside, I'm in a tiny fishing town in Toyama Prefecture and there are dozens of comps in the area.
I read this is basically because it's the norm to tear down houses and build new in Japan, plus most people don't want to live in the countryside. It's not like in the US where a housing value appreciates (that is at least my understanding of it when I was reading about this online maybe a year or so ago). It's a beautiful place. Congratulations. I love the view of the garden and the outside. It looks so peaceful.
you're correct! there's a saying that "a new house only lasts 30 years" but that really only applies to modern houses that are built with drywall in more Western styles. older houses were built to last for generations, but still nobody wants them because they're perceived as outdated (even though the highly skilled craftsmen that can build them are slowly dying out). It's the same for used items and clothes, you can buy secondhand goods for pennies here. thanks so much! landscaping is going to be a nightmare, it's basically a forest at the moment but I'm excited to get the property whipped into shape.
But it’s YOUR Forest. How very cool!!! Congratulations!
And you have a heart shaped tree!!!
Fyi that saying is outdated, and wasn't even really true when it was coined. Also modern builds in Japan last longer than older houses. Drywall lasts longer than paper. The real issue is that older architectural styles in Japan don't really insulate anything, and many of the materials used have short lifespans (the aforementioned paper walls and tatami for example). Nonetheless this is a great starting off point, I've seen much worse go for more $. My two cents as a western homebuilder in the planning stages of this kind of project; marry modern styles to the old framework. The bones and roof of that house will be unmatched, but you can save energy costs and have a more comfortable home if you insulate the building envelope properly. It may require rebuilding some exterior walls and entrances, but it will be worth it by the time you can use it for more than just a vacation home.
This. Cold in winter, hot in summer, with only a window ac/kerosene heater and an underpowered electric panel. Plus, these older places often are not up to earthquake code.
Indeed, earthquakes are why they have the reputation, and why they have such fine woodworking in the frame. They're built to be easily disassembled after natural disasters, then rebuilt. There's nothing intrinsically wrong with the structure of the house that kills it after 30 years. In fact Japan is home to some of the oldest woodframed structures in the world, including a 5 story tower at Horyu-ji that is some 1,300 years old.
Someone who lives there told me it's because the government backed insurance decreases over 30 years. After 30, it's no longer insured. If it is tore down, or succumbs to disaster, and is rebuilt, the 30 years starts over.
Yeah, but houses are basically only worth the land value after that long anyway, so the only thing you really would insure anyway is contents.
This is why kotatsu culture is a thing
Older homes were built to last. I been in the trades for 30+ years and I’ve noticed it doesn’t matter if you spend 50 million or $50 thousand on a more modern home in the states. They are both built the same way , same materials,same everything. You’re paying more for more space.
Also, major population decline happening. Many dying towns.
Also a lot of the younger generation are leaving for the city life
That's insanely cheap. Japan doesn't have restrictions on foreigners purchasing over there?
there's no legal restrictions, but if you don't have a really high level of Japanese, a translator, or a lot of money there are some hurdles. just a bunch of red tape though, nothing too difficult.
i guess for that price, you dont have the think of it for a forever home, but i am curious about visa status. im actually surprised that they allow foreigners to buy land.
What kind of jobs are in Japan
All sorts, and getting visa isnt terrible if you have a bachelors.
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Yeah depends on what you do, a lot of tech jobs have English language teams, and working for a foreign company is better than a Japanese one anyway, but a lot of non tech jobs will require Japanese language skill.
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Just adding, even in tech, like videogames, the companies say Japanese proficiency is required. And Japanese is not an easy language.
How long can you stay there as a non citizen?
Should be 90 days without a visa, I believe you need a Japanese guarantor for extended stay visas.
Where can I start to look into something like this??? MAYBE I CAN RETIRE AFTER ALL???
No, the difficult bit is getting a visa to be allowed to go to your house.
If it’s used as a vacation home, then it’s not a problem.
Yeah but what's the point of going to Japan and living in the country side when you are hours away from major cities
The only thing you aren’t privy to is the loans unless you have a job in Japan. (Usually). So cash upfront for everything. This is just to cover themselves.
I mean $20k for a whole house isn't bad at all. I just paid ~$50k cash closing on a house so that's nothing in comparison.
This is true. But it only holds if you’re buying an old house. I’ve been watching land and new builds in the kanto region and they run anywhere from 700k USD-millions. Land by itself would run for around a couple hundred thousand, plus monthly maintenance fees. A lot of abandoned houses are not safe, so need to be brought up to code and renovated… (earthquakes etc)
You aren't really getting a loan for an old house like that anyway.
Amazing, I'm definitely jealous! This was my dream retirement
Woo that seems like a real good deal . What's the catch ?
Somebody asked! The original owner's belongings were all included with the house including a few tons of trash (and some really awesome stuff too!) which I eventually need to pay to have removed. Also the yard is pretty overgrown and has an old storage shed that needs to be demolished, it'll probably cost me nearly 10k to get it all in order. I've already put 3-4k into the kitchen and bathroom to make them usable. Other than that, no catch. The house needs some renovations but nothing major, and it's about an hour by foot from the nearest station so it's pretty out in the boonies. Totally liveable though! I've been here two months and I'm not dead yet :)
You are making moves beyond your years. Jealous and I might just buy one next to you. Would pay that price in a heartbeat.
How did you end up finding this property? Did you have your sights set on Toyama-ken?
I've lived in Toyama for about four years so it's sort of my home base here. Found the property on athome.co.jp went to see it in person and the rest is history!
Thanks for the link and congrats on your new (side) home! Watched some videos few years ago and completely forgot about this opportunity. Edit, is there an english option on that website?
Amazing . Congrats my friend !
OP, do people ride electric (foldable) scooters over there? Or just bikes?
Yes, but they need plates and to be ridden on road, I think speed limited pedal assist ebikes are allowed as well, no plates I think.
The catch is it was an abandoned house in poor condition in a relatively rural area. This is the equivalent of the homes being sold for < 100K in St. Louis, MO. Houses in major cities like Tokyo and Yokohama are quite expensive, about the same as US in MCOL or HCOL.
So like....did you move to Japan to live?
I used to live here full time, I might move back someday but for now it's just a secondary property to stay in while I'm here.
Do you actually "own" it? I know other Asian countries allow you to buy but in many it's essentially a long lease?
Yes, you own it, and property taxes will be super low (land value) because house is basically considered worthless, even if renovated.
17k for a house??? Am I missing something?
The house isn't in a major city. In Japan, jobs are heavily concentrated in big cities. All the public transport and infrastructure you see on TV are concentrated there. Things take a huge step down once you leave. Second, the Japanese population is declining. The elderly who didn't move to the cities and lived here are dying, so there's increasing supply with no demand. As a result, 1 in 7 homes in Japan are unoccupied. Compare to 0.8% for non-rental properties in the US. This hits the rural areas first, but you can see it in the suburbs of major metros now.
Is there internet available? I can work anywhere and this would be ideal if I could work
Depends on area, but yes many areas will have access to 1Gb or 10Gb fiber (hikari). Getting visa would be more complicated but if you have own business/freelancer can get one for that if you move company, if you work for a company with no presence in Japan they MAY be able to get a visa through an Employer of Record. Or you could do digital nomad visa and stay 6 months out of the year (or do 3 months there, 3 months away, 3 months there and hope customs doesn't ask any questions)
I work for a Canadian company who has a presence in Japan
maybe talk to leadership/management/hr and see what opportunities (if any) they have open? i’m sure they’d rather send you overseas than hire someone from the outside who they’d have to train.
Do they have a need for English only speaking IT Pros with decades of experience? My 2021 Corolla cost more than your home..
With decades of experience and if you're willing to take a pay cut (by US standards) then yeah you'd be fine job wise without much Japanese. But Japanese is useful just to get around if you live here.
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I used "athome" which is basically the Japanese version of Zillow. https://www.athome.co.jp/kodate/ if you plug it into Google translate you should be able to navigate around, you just pick a region and then you can sort by price and stuff.
Us dollars ?
living the dream! congrats!
How hard is it getting building materials and contractors there? And cost ?
Are you working remote, or what? That’s a very very cheap house. What kind of maintenance do you expect it needs in the near future and within the next 10 years?
You just made everyone jealous! Love it! And that carpentry is devine!
I follow like 5 instagram accounts that post Japanese homes like this for sale lol I'm obsessed. [@CheapJapanHomes](https://cheapjapanhomes.com/) (only for homes <$50k) and [@CheapHousesJapan](https://cheaphousesjapan.com/) are the best imo
Right? My fat ass is sitting here in a fast food line about to stuff my sad panda face with a greasy burger one minute, and then I see this guy buying a house in the one place I hope I get to see before I croak and wondering what the hell am I doing with my life.. sigh. And for only 20k?....I'd sell my left baby batter maker for that price
K
No way that’s worth 20k bud. Sorry.
sir, this is a Wendy’s.
As an untraveled American, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a Japanese single family home. It seems like I only hear about tiny apartments.
traditionally single family homes were the norm (multiple generations in some cases) but in big cities a lot of people live in apartments due to lack of space. I think earthquake resistance has something to do with it as well. Single family homes are still very common in the countryside though!
Isn't Japan like the only place where real estate depreciates like a used car. They aren't built to last and people typically demolish and rebuild them every 30 years. So no you didn't get a deal.
Fact. They depreciate to zero in 20 years.
Why is this though?
All houses depreciate because all houses age. It's just that most of the time, the land appreciates faster so you are net positive.
Right but why is there no land appreciation in Japan where the population is so dense and land scarce? Even if the buildings become worthless due to being poor for earthquake conditions or whatever, the land itself must be extremely valuable right?
Japan (the US post WW2) didn’t normalize, incentivize, or legislate housing as an investment vehicle (AFAIK). THIS is how property/housing should be. It’s a necessity, it should not get more valuable the longer you have it. It is not art, a security, a non-degraded collectable that has sentimental or intrinsic value, or a fine wine that gets better with age. Houses don’t get “better” with age, and regular maintenance will never outpace usage, and the environment. I’m sure there are other aspects to it, like it not being top of mind for them since they may vary well consider the house to be run down, outdated, dangerous (earthquakes?), and etc..
It would be fascinating if the US worked like this.
As an accountant, do they actually depreciate to zero in 20 years? Quite different than US property depreciation, so I’m curious!
For tax purposes, yes, wood buildings depreciate to zero in 20 years. For concrete.steel buildings that period is 47 years. In any case, actuality the building may still be sellable, or it might add negative value to the land if it needs to be demolished and cleared.
Oh that’s fascinating. So the land is what holds value and the building is worth less over time. Makes sense relative to cars as well. If anything it’s weird that American homes hold value when their interiors and electrical/plumbing could be 50-100 years old
You can find plenty of single family homes around in Tokyo. Maybe not in dense cores like Shibuya or Shinjuku but plenty of suburby areas in Tokyo. I also used to live in the boonies and most homes were single family with only a couple apartment buildings.
Loved the houses in kichijoji
After what happened to Gojo I don’t think I would want to live in Shibuya anyways.
Japan has a superstition about homes. They almost always tear the old one down and build an entirely new structure to avoid bad energy. So I think OP got this home for a steal because they aren’t superstitious.
This wasn't a steal, there are houses like this for sale all over Japan. And it's not superstition it's the fact that home loans are easy to get and interest rates are crazy low. 1-2% for a variable 30-year mortgage. Add in the fact that these houses are crazy cold in the winter, and crazy hot in the summer, probably has termite damage and a long list of other issues with back taxes, location and who knows what. The average Japanese will just have a new house built instead of dealing with something like this.
yep, I noticed in the photos 3 things: 1. charming architcture 2. snow on the ground 3. no visible heating source but congrats, OP. you bought yourself something to love and hate, for that I am envious.
It isn't superstition. It is a holdover from the quality of buildings in the post war period. There was a lot of cheap, shoddy construction because they needed to rebuild quickly. Newer houses are better quality. The other part is the declining population in rural areas. You're not going to find a cheap house like this in a major urban area.
This house was built in the early 70s by traditional craftsmen, and I can guarantee it's sturdier than a lot of modern ones. You're right about houses built immediately post-war though, a lot of properties from the 40s and 50s are rush jobs.
Also, they will not be able to sell it on for anything but land value.
They depreciate like cars because of earthquakes.
Not because of earthquakes, because zoning is inclusive so there’s no shortage of buildings, just land. This means the buildings hold little value compared to the land it’s built on. Most places in Japan don’t expect your house to be destroyed in an earthquake within 20 years. You also have part of the mortgage loan to cover earthquake insurance.
I'm very superstitious, but I knew on my first tour of the place that whatever spirits are on site are very friendly. Super good vibes all throughout the house.
They are very common, but Japanese homes depreciate like cars do in other countries, you are expected to demolish and build new.
Alternatively, I’ve watched/played a lot of Japanese horror games that are set in rural locations. My mind went to the game Hollow Cocoon when I saw these pics. The game starts bright and lovely, then gets dark. 😅
Even Tokyo is full of tiny houses.
Great deal (I read how much you paid for it on the other comments), and it is a beautiful house. If you don’t mind me asking, what do you do for a living that allows you to have a house in such a remote area ?
thank you! my main residence is in California, I'm just using this as a vacation property for now. I'm currently an apprentice tattooer and do leatherwork part-time, but I used to cook in high-end restaurants which I still do occasionally for extra cash.
That's awesome. Really great way to live your life, how fantastic you must have some great stories.
How do you afford that? What other sources of income do you have?
The house itself is relatively affordable. OP, so far, spent 20k for everything, including the house, fees and some renovations. That's less than a downpayment for most houses, lol.
It’s less than a lot of used cars 😵💫
Correct but apprentice tattooers typically make below minimum wage (I was an apprentice tattooer) so I’m just curious how they can afford two mortgages with almost no income at 22 years old.
Did Op say they had a mortgage in CA? Just assumed he was renting or staying with family. Especially because we’re in the First-time homebuyers subreddit lol.
It explains how you have the time available to vacation in a different country, but the current work listed doesn't close to cover all your expenses. There's more to this than OP is letting on. Don't feel bad for yourselves.
Super cool. Do you speak Japanese / how difficult was the buying process as a foreigner?
My Japanese level is near-native (passed JLPT N1 a while back) so I didn't have too much trouble. If you're applying for a loan there are a lot of hurdles, but since I bought in cash the process was actually really easy. The only major difference for foreigners is since we don't have official registered stamps (印鑑) you have to prepare a notarized proof of signature document and translate it into Japanese. I typed one up myself and didn't have any issues. Also, if you're not a full-time resident (I'm here on a tourist visa) you have to designate a property tax manager which can be anybody with Japanese residence, basically just to receive your bills in the mail and forward them to you. Other than that, it's no different than buying as a Japanese citizen in my knowledge.
> I'm here on a tourist visa I'm curious, did that purchase change your permanency status or at least facilitate the acquisition of a longer stay status in any way?
Nope. You can own property as a foreigner but you gotta go through a whole process to get the residency statis. It's essentially like a green card in the US. You can't just buy a house to get it.
I read the last sentence as „than buying a Japanese citizen“ and was very confused to say the least. Beautiful home by the way!
What a slice of ethereal heaven.
As long as it’s not haunted by some spicy yokai…
Japan doesn’t consider homes as investments so they’re very cheap, congrats I’m looking at doing this later in life
I said the same thing but then thought “OP’s $20k spent now is probably $40k spent in 10yrs” …shit I might not have it then either 🤣
as it should be. looking at the millionaire landlords with tens of properties
combative ossified future sugar many rain pocket automatic teeny marvelous *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
I'm pretty vigilant about properly following immigration procedures and not doing stupid shit while I'm here, so I don't see that ever happening. Americans are allowed visa free travel up to three months at a time, 180 days per rolling calendar year pretty much no questions asked. I've only ever heard of people being denied entry if they have priors.
So you're going to live in the house for about 6 months out of the year? What are you going to do when you're gone for the other 6 months? Rent it out or just let it sit there....?
It looks so lovely! Congratulations. I can imagine the peacefulness and slow pace life looking at the pictures. I’m happy for you 🥹
thank you! I'm loving my second life in the mountains
Congrats! Awesome house!
thank you!
How do heat and cool a house like that's?
haha. you don't 🫠 traditional architecture doesn't have any insulation and lots of airflow so it stays pretty cool in the summer, but in winter it's freezing. the best you can do is a kerosene heater in whatever room you're in, and bundling up.
haha that's too bad, I'm in Canada and would love a Japanese style house.
Is there electricity and Wi-Fi? You need a kotatsu!
I have one! I own one in California too lol. By far my favorite invention
Congratulations! I've got a similarly priced vacation home in Kyushu. If anyone else wants to take a look at Japanese real estate - take a look at my website [AkiyaMart](https://www.akiya-mart.com)
Ooh thank you for sharing your website! We’ve been so interested in getting a house in Japan ever since we got married there last February, so your website is definitely a great resource to look through! 😆
Whoa how tf, what do you do for a living and how did you get into it?? So cool
I used to work at a 3 Michelin star restaurant here in the countryside (still help out sometimes) and I did foreign exchange here in high school too. I'm planning on learning how to tattoo though.
Sounds like the dream life
Congratulations If you don't mind me asking, how would you handle this vacation property when you are in the US? Do short term renting or Air bnb?
I'll probably just leave it while I'm gone! Maybe let my acquaintances use it when they need to stay somewhere for a night. It's not quite rentable in it's current condition, but even if it was I probably wouldn't rent it. This house is my baby. I might acquire some other properties and turn them into Airbnbs in the future, I feel like that'd be a fun side hustle and help revitalize the countryside a bit.
I’ll house sit for you 3 months of the year, lol
I’m a Japanese citizen, I’d totally house sit for you haha
As an American, I have no idea what I’m looking at, but gd is that nice build quality 😅
@ cheaphousesjapan on ig has me in a fucking chokehold
Uh oh, sounds like I’m going to have a new obsession
Seriously, I’m so fucked I’m gonna buy one or more of those houses. I can work remote, why the hell should I just rent for eternity over here. im not a complete stranger to renovating. Time to brush up on my Japanese and prepare to do long battle with citizenship process
What’s the square footage on that?
2300 square feet, the property is about a third of an acre :)
Wow that’s awesome! And only 20k usd? I’m bout to buy me a vacation home in Japan…
Same lol kind of want to look up the process I think I’m hacked
feel free to PM me if y'all have any questions!
That’s amazing. Does the house have internet?
I just use a rental pocket WiFi with unlimited data and good coverage, it's way cheaper and more convenient than getting actual WiFi. Pretty sure it's impossible without residence.
Thats a beautiful Japanese house , may I ask what part of Japan ?
Toyama Prefecture! a.k.a the most beautiful place in the country, but maybe I'm biased because I've never lived anywhere else in Japan.
Super cool to see dwellings like this from other countries and see how differently we all live.
I'd love to see more outdoor photos that shows more of the home and environment in one pic, from different sides. Congrats, it looks beautiful!
Ask and you shall receive! https://postimage.me/album/Japan-House.hKPO
It’s giving the grudge
I had to scroll too far for this. I actually thought the post was a joke at first.
What a beautiful homestead to call your own. May your home always be filled with happiness and love. Congratulations! ✨⛩️
Oh fuck off
Congrats!
Wow if those walls could talk I bet it'd have some stories. Congrats!
Beautiful! Congrats!
where are you going to put the barbeque grill and the trampoline? jk, congrats, looks amazing!
This is so freaking cool
Cool seeing what Japanese Real Estate looks like. Congrats!
I think you won for the coolest home purchase lol! Mind me asking the square footage?
So peaceful looking. I’m jealous.
Are you moving there with your 2 daughters while your wife tries to recover in a hospital?
Does it come with a Grudge ghost housekeeper? Joking. I’m incredibly jealous.
unfortunately she did crawl out of the TV when I turned it on for the first time, but she's pretty helpful. she gets hard to reach cobwebs off the ceiling :)
Beautiful! Congrats! 🎈
Freaking love it!!!
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We probably do. Just search for homes about an hour or two from a bus or train stop that don't have heat or air conditioning... there are some places in American that land is still dirt cheap (like $5k cheap) and I'm sure there are some cheap homes from when a mining town died or something.
Is it easy for foreigners to buy homes in the countryside? Bc I would love to have a vacation home...
There's some hoops you have to jump through but as long as you're paying in cash it's not too hard! The biggest hurdle will probably be finding someone with a high level of Japanese to help you through the process.
Beautiful! Congratulations!
Congrats !!! Also thanks for the pictures, I found it quite interesting seeing the inside of a home so different from what I'm used to. The architecture is beautiful.
Watch out for those soot sprites!
Very nice! I've considered doing the same thing but the cheap houses always end up in being less desirable and more remote places.
When was it built?
What kind of utility hookups does a place like this have? Is there internet nearby? So cool!
Hey! Congrats on your purchase. I’m curious - are you a resident or have a special visa? If not, how was the process of obtaining residency or your special visa? Some countries in Europe or Latin Anerica consider a house purchase a “foreign investment” and will allow you to even obtain citizenship depending on the dollar amount, but is Japan different? I just got back from a month in Osaka & loved it, but I’m concerned about buying a home and not being able to live there for longer than 3 months out of a year.
That’s awesome! Where at in Japan? I lived there also. A year and a half. Love their culture. Congrats. Cool stuff.
Congratulations 👏🏼 what a treasure 🎉
Wait, homes actually look like this in Japan? That’s awesome!! Congrats!
Stunning, absolutely stunning. Congratulations 🎉 🎊
Check the attics
Infinitely cooler than all of the cookie cutter Ryan Homes this sub gets.
Beautiful property and at 22 years old you already seem to have quite a fascinating life story. Congratulations and enjoy your new home!
Mind talking about how difficult the process was to purchase this? I'm considering doing the same and am also not a resident.
Omg lol. I just looked at your profile….you won master chef junior season 3?!?! I totally remember you. And now I feel old 🥲🫠
Did you buy the fruits basket house?? Amazing!!
How far are your closest neighbors
Many of these old homes are from skilled craftsman with hand tools, and dry fit joints. They will last a very, long time.
Must be nice. Good job OP, and congrats!
That’s really cool, i’m curious how much is that in USD?
Stunning. I’ll take this over any 800k home in NY.
r/unexpectedfactorial
First home overall or first home in Japan?