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Master Shake
Joined: 03 Nov 2006
Posts: 1202
Location: Colorado, USA
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 Posted: Sun Mar 09, 2014 12:10 pm Post subject: Rental Options & Moving In Costs |
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I've accepted a teaching job in Tokyo and I received the following as a guide on moving in costs:
First month’s rent 80,000
Key money 80,000
Deposit 80,000
Fire insurance 20,000
Key change fee 21,000
Monthly maintenance fee 5,000
Agent fee 80,000
Total
366,000
I am guessing these figures will be higher in central Tokyo, but would you say these are in the ballpark?
Also, I heard that rental contracts are normally for 2 years, but is 1 year contract possible? My work contract is for 1 year.
Any tips on avoiding this dreaded key money? My employer will act as a guarantor if need be. |
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rtm
Joined: 13 Apr 2007
Posts: 1003
Location: US
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| Posted: Sun Mar 09, 2014 3:11 pm Post subject: Re: Rental Options & Moving In Costs |
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| Master Shake wrote: |
I am guessing these figures will be higher in central Tokyo, but would you say these are in the ballpark?
Also, I heard that rental contracts are normally for 2 years, but is 1 year contract possible? My work contract is for 1 year.
Any tips on avoiding this dreaded key money? My employer will act as a guarantor if need be. |
They will likely be higher if you are looking for something in central Tokyo. 80,000 might get you a small studio apartment, but I remember you saying your GF will be coming with you, so I'm guessing you'll want something a bit larger. For a 1LDK you might want to plan on around 100,000-120,000/mo for a fairly central area in Tokyo. That will also make some of the other fees go up, as they are based on the rent (i.e., 1 month's rent for deposit, 1 month's rent for key money). It could be a bit less or a bit more, of course.
Some places ask for 2 months' rent in reikin (key money) and/or shikikin (deposit), so watch out for that. In my experience, the only way to avoid key money is to find places that don't require it. On some property management / real estate company web sites, you can search specifically for places without key money / deposit.
Keep in mind other costs associated with moving in. Unless you are looking at furnished apartments, you'll likely also need to provide all appliances yourself (e.g., refrigerator, washing machine, microwave, stove, possibly hot water heater, and/or any other appliances you want). In some places, you also need to provide light fixtures yourself.
Moving into an apartment in Japan is expensive, which is why there's a phrase specifically for that in Japanese -- 引っ越し貧乏 -- literally "moving poor".
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ETA: There are, of course, some cheaper options such as renting a room in a guesthouse. However, these often involve small rooms and shared living room / kitchen and sometimes bathroom.
You can also try to negotiate a little bit to reduce some of the fees (e.g., agency fee). I read on here once about someone who negotiated down the key money, but I don't think that's likely, in general. Negotiating might be more difficult if you are out of country and don't speak Japanese reasonably well. But, of course you can try.
The farther out in the suburbs you go, the cheaper the rent will be. You could get something decent for 80,000 in a suburb. When you search for apartments, look for places that are close to a metro line that will get you to work without too many transfers.
Also keep in mind that not every place will rent to foreign people. I've never had an issue with that, but I've read many people post on here that lots of landlords in Tokyo won't rent to foreigners. Just something to keep in mind, and maybe something to confirm with the agent. |
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mitsui
Joined: 10 Jun 2007
Posts: 1562
Location: Kawasaki
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| Posted: Tue Mar 11, 2014 3:06 am Post subject: |
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Seems more like west Tokyo, unless it is just a 1 K.
The closer you live near a train station, the more likely key money has to be paid.
There are places in Tokyo where you don`t pay key money. Just look at gaijinpot. |
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Master Shake
Joined: 03 Nov 2006
Posts: 1202
Location: Colorado, USA
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| Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2014 9:24 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks for the advice.
Hot water heater and light fixtures may not be provided? Really? I'm going to be renting an apartment for a year, not buying my own condo...
How do the Japanese cope with such a silly lack of furnishings? Or do they just live with their parents until they're 25-30 and then buy their own apartments when they get married? This is what often happens here in Poland. |
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spiral78
Joined: 05 Apr 2004
Posts: 11534
Location: On a Short Leash
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| Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2014 9:32 pm Post subject: |
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| HEHEHEHEHEHE. You should try renting a place in the Netherlands. Rental flats almost NEVER have a stove or refrigerator, and sometimes don't even have a FLOOR - just the joists which need wood laid over them. |
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rtm
Joined: 13 Apr 2007
Posts: 1003
Location: US
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| Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2014 10:13 pm Post subject: |
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| Master Shake wrote: |
| Hot water heater and light fixtures may not be provided? Really? |
Yes, really. When I say "hot water heater", I mean a 湯沸かし器 (Yuwakashiki), like this. It's for the kitchen sink. Baths will have separate hot water heating units that are included. Other sinks usually don't have hot water.
Sometimes light fixtures are provided, but often they are not.
| Quote: |
| How do the Japanese cope with such a silly lack of furnishings? Or do they just live with their parents until they're 25-30 and then buy their own apartments when they get married? |
Basically, yes. They live with their parents until they are 25-30, then rent their own apartment, often when they get married. Or, sometimes they continue to live with the parents after getting married (i.e., multi-generational household), especially (but not always) in the case of the oldest son. |
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rtm
Joined: 13 Apr 2007
Posts: 1003
Location: US
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| Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2014 10:29 pm Post subject: |
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| spiral78 wrote: |
| Rental flats... sometimes don't even have a FLOOR - just the joists which need wood laid over them. |
I realize this is getting a bit off-topic, but, spiral, do they not include a floor so that the new resident can choose what kind of flooring they want? |
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