You will get into the housing rental process in Japan. And thus you will have to take into account certain elements in order to ensure the best rental possible. Think before you start:

– If you rent, be aware that the lease is for two years, renewable. These are the rules in traditional real estate agencies. So you must be sure to be present in the same city for this period, because any break before the end of the lease will incur additional fees.

– A rental of an accommodation implies that you have the ability to pay the fee, which I speak about above, but also the ability to equip your apartment (bed, refrigerator, table, …). So think about it before you start and get a budget.

– In addition to the rent, you will have to pay for the electricity, gas, water, Internet…. So do not take only the rent into account, but also all these costs.

– Take into account the transportation costs between your home and your place of work or study. Sometimes, renting a place can be attractive because the rent is low but transport will be much more expensive.

Criteria for Selection

– Prefer a home built after 1982. In fact, the last major earthquake standards dating from 1981. Note that more the building is new and more it will be, in theory, likely to withstand an earthquake.

– Know that more the housing is old and more the rent will be low. But more the housing is old and more the owner is likely to be old. Older is the owner and more likely you will have chance to be denied the rental, because you are a foreigner. It is a fact, refuse to rent to foreigners is common things in Japan.

– The style of the rooms is very important. Consider choosing between ? ? (Youshitsu) or ? ? (washitsu). Remember that ? ? (washitsu) are tatami rooms. In these room you can not put heavy furniture and have to be careful not to damage it.

– Do not hesitate to leave a little further of the city or area you want to focus on. Sometimes a little more station can make save you a few thousand yen per month. So widen your field of research

– Get an idea of offers of real estate market, prices and surfaces. You can use the Suumo website, estate agency, which will give you a concrete idea of order. This agency also has applications for smartphone, which can be useful to check the deals from anywhere and get a better idea.

House Inspection

– During the visit test everything: water, electricity, gas, windows, doors, …. Leave nothing to chance to avoid unpleasant surprises.

– Observe the location of housing in relation to public transport, shops, …

– Pay attention to what might be missing: air conditioning, lamps, … This will mean that you have to buy them yourself.

Administrative and Moving

– Do not hesitate to negotiate, if you feel that there is the possibility. For example, your choice falls on the apartment number 2. But there is no air conditioner. You have to let them understand that this is something that bothered you. The owner has agreed to buy one. It will help you save about 100,000 yen. You can sometimes negotiate a gift to the owner or the deposit. In general, the real estate agency will let you know when this is the case.

– Do not miss the telephone interview with the guarantor agency. In fact, it is it who will validate whether or not your case. Give them your bank statements and income. More you have financial resources and the less you will pay. For example, the initial rate for the guarantor agency is 75,000 Yen, but since they liked your record, you pay “only” 53,200 yen. A saving of 21,800 Yen. During the interview so remember to reassure them about the fact that you are a serious person.

– When you move in, take photos as inventory because you do not necessarily do it with the owner. These photos will show the state of the housing upon moving in.

– Get in good terms with your new neighbors and make the moving gift. In general, the Japanese offer a towel or soap to their new neighbors, in order to start their new relationships. If you feel up to it, do it.

– Speak Japanese can help. In fact, you should speak with a real estate agent or even the owner and it will be only in Japanese. To speak it will be a great advantage. It is worth noting that many owners prefer university students to students in Japanese Language school. They assume that if you’re in the university is that you already speak Japanese, so if you are in the process of learning, the relationship will be more difficult.