Job Discussion Forums

[Another Guy]

Hi again everyone

I've been considering working for interac but the most distressing part of their offer is the lack of arranged housing.

I've been looking at leopalace as a potential option but all but the cheapest of rooms (which I may not necessarily be able to obtain with my placement) are out of my price range of paying no more then 70000 yen per month.

Now I'm not very picky about the size of my room, as long as I don't have to share a bathroom like a gaijin house and my room is as bug free as possible I'm a happy camper.

So for a person who's only looking to stay for a year, doesn't want to pay key money or have roommates. Is it even possible to find arrangements cheaper then leopalace that allow for internet access?

I realize that's a pretty long list of demands so I just want to know if not working for an eikaiwa is going to mean at least 50% more in rent.

P.S. I did try to search but I couldn't find much about private housing

[markle]

The key is location.
If you are in any of the major cities, 70 000 sounds pretty good.

I think it is possible but difficult. Internet access is usually a separate issue.

[JimDunlop2]

Yeah, living in a major city definitely has the price of rent as a major disadvantage.

Comparatively speaking, I live in a city of about 200,000 people and approx. 3 hours (by car) from Tokyo... I live within a 10-minute walk from downtown (and the main train station)... There are apartments next door to me for 30,000 (for a two-story "3K" unit).

The only problem is -- finding a lucrative job in the city where I live... There's not much to be had.... Doesn't do a person much good to have a place to live but not be able to pay for it. I DO know, however, that even at this distance, there are a fair number of people who actually commute to/from Tokyo if not each day, several times a week.

[southofreality]

Interac doesn't arrange housing anymore? They used to have a person who helped incoming ALTs find cheap housing. Yeah, you have to pay some up-front costs, but you might not have to pay key money. When I worked for them, I just paid a deposit plus the first month's rent. I got about 70% of that deposit back when I moved out of the apartment. Of course, your experience may be different.

But, if you're just going to be here for one year, and you don't necessarily have your heart set on being an ALT, go with one of the big 4 eikaiwa companies. At least you won't have to worry about the housing issue.

[chirp]

To the OP,

Where is your placement? Are you in Japan now? I might understand Interac not helping you if you are already here. If you outside of Japan, umm, I have friends who started with Interac in April and had accommodation "choices" presented to them.

As for Leopalace, again - in what city?? Be careful, internet does not come with all Leopalace apartments.

[Glenski]

Interac's web site says they serve as apartment guarantor and help you to find a suitable place. Those are the next best things to having a warm furnished place ready for you, so don't complain too loudly.

Most places will require key money, so again, don't complain. Just hope that Interac can help you to find a rare one that doesn't ask for it. Ask around, too. Perhaps other foreigners in the area know of a good realtor.

If 70,000 is the limit of your price range, that's about what most NOVA teachers pay to share an apartment (including utilities). You are pretty much in the middle of average price ranges. Closer to the city center you won't get much. Even in the suburbs that price won't get you much, so be happy if it's near a train/subway line and is relatively clean. You're going to have to furnish it from scratch all by yourself, as you probably know, so get one that's low maintenance. Find the secondhand and recycle shops, and get ready for dumpster diving.

Want Internet access? All you need is a phone line, and you can rent that instead of buying it. Cheaper.

LeoPalace gets raves, but people often forget that you have to pay for the entire length of your stay up front, be that a month, 6 months, or a year. Plus cleaning deposit. So, LP is not exactly a dream come true just because it's furnished and doesn't require a guarantor.

[kitano]

70 000 should be tons if you want a normal Japanese apartment. Why don't you try the agencies like Mini Mini or Able or whatever is in your area? If you don't speak any Japanese you might need a friend but try a couple agencies and one of the agents will be cool and will give you good information. They have tons of listings with a huge variety of conditions. If your company is willing to act as a guarantor it should be smooth sailing.

[Another Guy]