Apartment/Mansion renters - What are you paying? Pics?

[matsuki]

[Samurai_Jerk]

[Taro Toporific]

Is there any key money, etc. for this place? If not it sounds like a pretty good deal for Tokyo.

Only 60,000 yen/m?!
Sounds fuckqueing gr-r-r-eat to me for Tokyo.

[wagyl]

Hmmn, ice rink gives away your station!

I've been out of the Tokyo market for five years now, but as you probably know, the Seibu lines area offers cheapish rents for the Tokyo region. Even so, a place the size you are suggesting, with a location that close to a station, for 80,000 yen sounds like something has to be wrong with the place. Otherwise, it is a good bargain.

Bargains do sometimes come up, but you don't usually get your hands on them via real estate agents. My experience, in a number of locations in the Seibu lines area between where you are and Kannana, was that anything under 60,000 generally meant "lets get down with the guys at the sento every day. Except on the day of the week the whole sento industry colludes in making a holiday." And I was always happy to be a long way away from the station.

[Iraira]

2LDK (one washitsu one youshitsu), 8 minutes from 3 stations (two different lines), 20 minute walk to Kabukicho, lots of stray cats in the 'hood. 140,000/mo, raped twice in deposit, raped twice in key money. No co-signer needed after first two year contract was over, as according to the landlord, I "always pay the rent on time".

[FG Lurker]

[GomiGirl]

I am in Yoyogi in a 120 sq m 2LDK. It is about 20+ years old and quite comfortable. Yes it is a big place but I always think that space is more important than being a brand new place.

The newer places are much smaller and I think a little soul-less.

Being right above a station does sound noisy. Is it a metro or a JR? Any boom gates nearby? The noise of them going off every 5 minutes would totally do my head in.

[tone]

whats the trick to finding non real estate agent deals for appts around tokyo?

[wagyl]

whats the trick to finding non real estate agent deals for appts around tokyo?

The trick is to network, to let everyone, and I mean everyone, know that you are looking for a rental bargain. People who have a bargain don't usually give them up, unless they have a change in circumstances which forces them to move. You have to be ready to take their place.

As a practical matter, most landlords find it easier to offer to let through an estate agent. Generally, the bargains have some reason that the estate agents don't want to be bothered with them. A common example is an apartment block scheduled to be demolished once the existing tenants leave. You can get a discount if you agree to quit at the landlords request, a right which I suspect you might not be legally able to give up, but if it suits the price and you are happy with it, it can be a benefit. They are not your normal run-of-the-mill place to start off with, usually old and end-of-life, but if you enjoy living in unusual spaces, it can be fun.

[matsuki]

Hmmn, ice rink gives away your station!

Yeah, no avoiding that but it's also the reason why I'm sticking near there. Fuck paying for parking for every game/practice etc. Higashi-Fushimi is also a semi-express stop so while it's not as bustling (except during figure skating shows!) as the nearby express stops, it's not too bad either.

I've been out of the Tokyo market for five years now, but as you probably know, the Seibu lines area offers cheapish rents for the Tokyo region. Even so, a place the size you are suggesting, with a location that close to a station, for 80,000 yen sounds like something has to be wrong with the place. Otherwise, it is a good bargain.

I had been watching it and it's been vacant for some time. They were asking for more before but slowly dropped the price. Nothing seemed wrong with it at all though, other than the potential for more noise from the station than I'm anticipating. (wasn't noisy and didn't shake at all when I was in there) It also has two AC units installed.

Bargains do sometimes come up, but you don't usually get your hands on them via real estate agents. My experience, in a number of locations in the Seibu lines area between where you are and Kannana, was that anything under 60,000 generally meant "lets get down with the guys at the sento every day. Except on the day of the week the whole sento industry colludes in making a holiday." And I was always happy to be a long way away from the station.

My former neighbor was paying 53,000 for an identical unit that had shittier flooring, a shittier AC unit and some other crap that wasn't too nice. I think it's just an old place and people aren't into the unit bath...hell, even I don't want to deal with it anymore. One of my teammates has a similar setup, minus the loft, for 40,000 very nearby.

Is there any key money, etc. for this place? If not it sounds like a pretty good deal for Tokyo. I don't if I'd want to be right over the station though. Sounds noisy.

They're asking for it but I'm basically offering to take the place if they'll get rid of the key money requirement. We'll see what they say tonight.

By the way, do you mean three 6 jo rooms plus a kitchen or including a kitchen?

One of them is the kitchen, it's actually pretty nice for J-standards.

I'm actually thinking of upgrading myself later this year or early next. I had to take a big step down after the market crashed but I'm finally starting to do OK again.

Pretty much the same here. I might have been able to talk my current place down to 55,000 /mo but that tiny ass unit bath isn't so fun for 2 people ]Get some heat resistant reflective material to put up against the window in the summer time. Will make a big difference in keeping the heat out.[/QUOTE]

Got two layers of it as well as a 2in thick layer of insulating foam up there...then I realized the whole fucking roof was heating up

I guess it depends on how far you are from the station and how well insulated (hah!) the building is. If you're close though it sounds like you'll have express trains roaring through from 5am to midnight every day which is likely to be pretty loud no matter how the building is set up. If the line is JR you might even get freight trains rumbling though at night, and on any line there will be occasional night trains, either for maintenance or just in prep for the next day.

Well, where I currently live isn't much further away. The only difference is my current place has a metal shutter...the place I checked out has a glass sliding door facing the station...though the room I would be sleeping in is on the opposite side of the building. It's a Seibu line so I don't think there are night/freight trains...least I've never seen or heard one before.

[matsuki]

Just got a ring from the fudoyasan and looks like I got the place. The owner wouldn't get rid of the reikin but cut in half, making it a bit more palatable. I can't seen to find anything nearby that size at that price so looks like it's time to jump through the hoops an figure out how what else I'm gonna need to make that place liveable. I'll post some pics later.

[wagyl]

reikin ... cut in half

Not that it really matters to you, but what this usually means in my experience is that the landlord caved and took it like a man, but the real estate agent stood firm on receiving his half share kickback for introducing you.

Anyway, congratulations on getting more space, so you can buy more furniture and limit your next moving options!:p

[FG Lurker]

My new office is a 15yo 113m2 apartment in eastern Osaka city, about a 10min walk from the closest station. Including monitored security and a parking space I pay...Well, I can't say exactly what I pay but it's more than 50,000yen and less than 100,000. No agent fees or reikin, just a one month fully refundable deposit.

[Iraira]

My new office is a 15yo 113m2 apartment in eastern Osaka city, about a 10min walk from the closest station. Including monitored security and a parking space I pay...Well, I can't say exactly what I pay but it's more than 50,000yen and less than 100,000. No agent fees or reikin, just a one month fully refundable deposit.

Sometimes I fukkin (channeling Coligny) hate Tokyo.

[FG Lurker]

Sometimes I fukkin (channeling Coligny) hate Tokyo.

This is a bit of a special deal through a connection. This place is worth easily 2x what I pay, especially with parking and security included. Oh, it includes water too, but I don't use a whole of that in an office.

As GG mentioned above, connections are worth their weight in gold when it comes to real estate deals.

[Coligny]

Sometimes I fukkin (channeling Coligny) hate Tokyo.

Didun't feel anything... musta've been Le sleeping...

Waiting to know how much of a bedside deal is that FGL office story...

Le penis... a currency on its own...

[Samurai_Jerk]

As GG mentioned above, connections are worth their weight in gold when it comes to real estate deals.

So true. I knew a landlord who rented out big apartments in Nakano-ku, Tokyo for low rent, no key money, no deposit and no real estate agent fee if she knew you or were introduced by someone she trusted. I fucking lost her contact info though and my alcohol-induced brain damage has also made me forget her name and the name of the person who introduced her to me.

[matsuki]

Not that it really matters to you, but what this usually means in my experience is that the landlord caved and took it like a man, but the real estate agent stood firm on receiving his half share kickback for introducing you.

What I figured as well...but considering all the discrimination in that market and the results of my hunting elsewhere, I still would have bent over for the full amount. Nothing even close to this as far as convenience, size, and whatnot.

Anyway, congratulations on getting more space, so you can buy more furniture and limit your next moving options!:p

Tell me about it, I'm debating on if I should sell off my gigantic sofa and glass table....but I swear that sofa has helped me get laid more than once. It's just going to be an insane squeeze into a smaller room.

[matsuki]

...and pics:









Nothing glamorous but it'll get the job done and finally will have enough room for a Costco shopping spree

[Coligny]

And you got plenty of electric plugs... Our first flat in Nagoya had 1 electric plug... and 2 gas plugs... for each room...

[matsuki]

And you got plenty of electric plugs... Our first flat in Nagoya had 1 electric plug... and 2 gas plugs... for each room...

Yeah...which brings me to my only worry...how the breakers are setup. My current place seems to have one for the A/C and one for EVERYTHING ELSE with two others that are unused

This place also has two gas plugs but I already have a nice ceramic heater and I just don't like the idea of gas heaters in these small rooms so they will probably never be used.

Should mention the fire escape for this building appears to be basically a tiny hatch on each balcony that lets you drop down to the next balcony...fat, handicapped and old people be damned? It can't be helped!

[Coligny]

Gas heating is absolutely awesome... the cats sleepz in front of it without any afterthought.
Much safer than kerosene (unless you really like that flight deck smell...)(nearly killed me twice BTW)(slow learner... I know...). Much faster than electric and maybe safer too if your installation is outdated, in Nagoya the electric panel was loudly buzzing under moderate load.

[FG Lurker]

I have a 75amp service at the office which is pretty amazing for a Japanese apartment.

The construction guys wanted to put a 60amp service into the house too. I told them no fucking way so we ended up with 100amp. They grumbled like crazy about it but they did it.

[matsuki]

Gas heating is absolutely awesome... the cats sleepz in front of it without any afterthought.
Much safer than kerosene (unless you really like that flight deck smell...)(nearly killed me twice BTW)(slow learner... I know...). Much faster than electric and maybe safer too if your installation is outdated, in Nagoya the electric panel was loudly buzzing under moderate load.

Well, the option for it is there...we'll see how cold it gets come winter. Kerosene...yeah, shit smells horrible and having to store it is no funny with pets/children.

[CrankyBastard]

Mmmmm, kerosine!

http://www.fuckedgaijin.com/forums/showthread.php?t=22411&highlight=kerosine+heater

[jamilv]

My short term rental (2 weeks). Not too bad if I was to rent long term price wise, but an arm and a bloody leg short term....I guess I cant complain since its so central (10min walk to Ueno station)

[Yokohammer]

My short term rental (2 weeks). Not too bad if I was to rent long term price wise, but an arm and a bloody leg short term....I guess I cant complain since its so central (10min walk to Ueno station)

Jeez ... is that the front door in the bottom pic?
Looks like it from the door-window relationship.
Don't come home too drunk at night or you'll die.

[IparryU]

Jeez ... is that the front door in the bottom pic?
Looks like it from the door-window relationship.
Don't come home too drunk at night or you'll die.

washing machine in the... kitchen/washroom?

[FG Lurker]

washing machine in the... kitchen/washroom?

Sure! You wouldn't want anything like a dishwasher there...

[2triky]

washing machine in the... kitchen/washroom?

Not so usual, I think. I have a friend who lives near Pimlico Station in London and his washing machine is also in the kitchen.