Job Discussion Forums

[Nismo]

To be honest, all of the co-op houses I have seen so far are real dumps. I can't say my apartment was the greatest, but I'd take it any day over a co-op. Leos Palace is great for a short term stay, like a working holiday. If you are going to live in the same place for at least a year, look elsewhere. There are plenty of real estate agencies in Japan, and there should be at least one person at the agency that can speak English. They will document your preferences and go over options with you. They have a rating system from A to Z, A being the cheaper side, Z being so rich you use money as a replacement for tissue.

As a student, I could afford up to G rated housing, H rated housing if I only ate onigiri a couple days of the month. (usually about a 10-15 minute walk from the station, or a bus trip)

[Mike L.]

[einsenundnullen]

[may be going]

sorry i posted a question about leo's before i saw this thread. obviously they would be charging higher fees if there's no deposit/key money. but with utiliites included doesn't that take about 15,000 a month off what you'd pay for a cheaper apt. anyway? i mean if you're paying 80,000 with utilities inc. isn't that like someone paying 65,000 without utiliites?

moreover, if you're new to japan, as i will be, how much will i have to fork out for all the stuff to set myself up like tv, fridge, washing machine etc etc?

and i see for a little extra they hook your internet and cable (cs) tv up for you. a few thousand extra a month i think.

i am by no means supporting them. i am still in australia so i'm just inquiring. but the extra you have to pay at leo's per month, wouldn't that still be less overall than getting your own apt. cheaper but then having to furnish it all from scratch and having to pay key money/deposot too plus all utilities?

i'm just curious if you tallied all things up which would come out in front. for convenience i'd have to say leo's wins hands down but i'd like to hear from people who know more about money and costs etc in japan.

[einsenundnullen]

Maybegoing,

Yeah, it makes it more reasonable if you take into account that utilities are taken out of the lump sum, but I don't pay 15,000 a month. Also, I don't think that telephone is one of the utilities; it's only electric, water, and gas (if their buildings use it). In August I paid 5000 for electric because I was using the a/c a lot. now it's about 3000. Gas, during the summer when I only used it for cooking (no water heater), was very low, about 1500 yen. Now, it's near 3000. So, you can see that eventhough LP takes care of your utilities, you're still paying a lot. But, sure, when you first come over, if your employer isn't setting up a place for you, it's a good idea. Just don't hesitate to move once you've got other stuff sorted out.

Chris

[Rorschach]

I currently live in a Leopalace apartment and I love it - much better than some of the apartments my other friends stay in. Granted, they are generally more expensive than the average Japanese apartment but there are a few things to consider. I currently pay 60550yen a month for my apartment and for the price I get broadband internet, cable TV (not a great selection but better than nothing), furniture and appliances (TV, washing machine, microwave oven) and water. I have a large loft separate from my living room so I never feel cramped and I have lots of space to store things in my built cupboards. On the downside the kitchen area is woefully small, you can't do any serious cooking because the hotplates are right next to washing sink. Also, the TV doesn't have stereo so I can't change the default language on the cable (easily fixed with a stereo VCR though).

On the utilities side of things I usually pay about 3500-4000yen during winter (I use a blanket instead of a heater) and about 6000yen during the summer (AC gets a long work out) for both gas and electricity. You have to pick your area with Leopalace. The closer you move into the city the more expensive it gets (prohibitively so). Leopalace does have a lot of "campain" apartments on the city fringes though that require no membership money, only the first month's rent, cleaning and insurance (how I got my current place). Leopalace is great option for those looking to build up some capital while looking for a better deal.

[Glenski]

[guest of Japan]

My J-wife and I got ours through a company called House Com. All communication was in Japanese. We needed a guarantor (mother in law), hankos, a big stack of cash, and proof of employment. We didn't pay key money. But we did pay a one month realtor fee, one month security, and two months rent. Additionally we paid for some disaster insurance.

They had no qualms renting to us, but they were pretty upfront about descrimination by apartment owners. They said there was zero chance of us getting one of the apartments nearest the station. They were especially honest in saying that me being a white American presented them far fewer challenges than people with non-western nationalities or a varied ethnicity.

[saloc]

When my wife and I rented a place we had pretty much the same experience as Guest of Japan. The agency (House Centre, I think it was called) had no problems renting to foreigners, but they did mention that some owners may refuse to do so. However, we had no problems, got a nice place and didn't have to pay any hidden costs - just key money and the agency fee. Nobody there spoke English as far as I could tell, but the whole process was much easier than I had expected.

[chaq]

Rorschach: what rating is your LP apartment? Your rent sounds really good.

[bettyx]

i just found out that i'm on a 12month contract, & need to give 90days notice - or else pay for the entire time left until the contract ends (which is just over 3 months)

how on earth can i get around this??!!

[Rorschach]

[mrjohndub]

Are Leopalace apartments supposed to be furnished? Mine didn't come furnished. If so, I'm pissed!

What sort of furniture did you all get provided to you by Leopalace?

[Rorschach]

How much do you pay in rent? My place is furnished in that it comes with a TV and stand, folding table, bed frame, fridge, curtains, washing machine and microwave oven. Plus a cable box I never use because the service is too expensive.

[mrjohndub]

I don't consider appliances and electronic diversions furnishings. As far as furniture, I have a chair, some bookshelves and a nightstand left by a previous teacher.