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Property market in Japan is strange but I still find it much better than where I live now (Singapore). When I stayed in Tokyo all buildings I've looked at were

Property market in Japan is strange but I still find it much better than where I live now (Singapore). When I stayed in Tokyo all buildings I've looked at were owned by big corporations. The upside was that rent was quite reasonable. Also one can always make an offer. Those companies don't go for a bidding war. The property will go to the first person that makes an offer provided that both the person and the offer are 'acceptable', rather than the highest bidder. The rental process can be quite complicated though. I can't even begin to imagine how to rent a flat directly without getting everything arranged through the company that hired you. If I tried to rent by myself I have a feeling that I would be refused even if I offered to pay the whole lease (1 year or 2 years) upfront... And while rent itself is not bad there are some crazy cost to deal with. Moving from company A to company B and changing the name on the lease? That's monthly rent gone! And there's the "key money" (1 month rent as a fixed fee when signing the lease). Fortunately one can often find "no key money deals". I will be moving back to Japan soon so fingers crossed. Hopefully I'll manage to work something out.

robzyb 12y ago
> The rental process can be quite complicated though. I can't even begin to imagine how to rent a flat directly without getting everything arranged through the company that hired you. By finding a real estate agent that has experience with foreigners. They will know which companies are happy renting to foreigners, and also guide you through the process. And heck, if you're going to be paying agent fees (which in Tokyo, you probably are) you may as well get some value for the fees. If anyone wants a recommendation for a real estate agent, email me at my HN username at gmail.
vetler 12y ago
What's it like in Singapore?
- GreaterFool 12y ago
  The rental prices in Singapore are very high. If I wanted to rent a studio flat close to where I work I would have to pay S$3500+ and it wouldn't be easy to find. To live alone it is very expensive; sharing is a bit better and that's what I opted for. A lot of Tokyo apartments are small and well designed and the quality of materials is fantastic. They are also very well maintained. Apartments in older buildings still look great. And the prices are reasonable. Varying the size / distance to the centre / condition of the building gives you a wide spectrum. Something should fit your pocket. In Singapore the options are much more limited. I'd rather take a well designed 20-30m^2 studio than overpay for 50m^2; for me that's a waste of space. I don't need a small and mostly useless condo gym; I'd rather pay for a proper gym membership. Swimming pool might seem nice initially but think about how much you pay for it in rent (whether you use it or not). Unfortunately all condos have "amenities". And that "added value" isn't free. There's also a crazy "double agent" system in place in Singapore. When you see an ad online it is not uncommon that it has been placed by "agent" that has nothing to do with the landlord. They insert themselves between you and the landlord's agent. So you call them up and it turns out they might not even know on which floor the apartment is on! (happened to me more than once). Because the other agent didn't tell them... And as you might expect both agents expect to be paid. This is usually 1 month per year of lease, even on your re-contract. You're supposed to pay your agent off and the landlord is supposed to pay their agent off. Another weird thing is that you'll never see the photos of the apartments online. Most of the time the photos are just generic filler. The agents post their own mugshots though (crazy, right?). Finding a flat in Singapore wasn't a pleasant experience.

robzyb 12y ago

> The rental process can be quite complicated though. I can't even begin to imagine how to rent a flat directly without getting everything arranged through the company that hired you. By finding a real estate agent that has experience with foreigners. They will know which companies are happy renting to foreigners, and also guide you through the process. And heck, if you're going to be paying agent fees (which in Tokyo, you probably are) you may as well get some value for the fees. If anyone wants a recommendation for a real estate agent, email me at my HN username at gmail.

vetler 12y ago

What's it like in Singapore?

GreaterFool 12y ago
The rental prices in Singapore are very high. If I wanted to rent a studio flat close to where I work I would have to pay S$3500+ and it wouldn't be easy to find. To live alone it is very expensive; sharing is a bit better and that's what I opted for. A lot of Tokyo apartments are small and well designed and the quality of materials is fantastic. They are also very well maintained. Apartments in older buildings still look great. And the prices are reasonable. Varying the size / distance to the centre / condition of the building gives you a wide spectrum. Something should fit your pocket. In Singapore the options are much more limited. I'd rather take a well designed 20-30m^2 studio than overpay for 50m^2; for me that's a waste of space. I don't need a small and mostly useless condo gym; I'd rather pay for a proper gym membership. Swimming pool might seem nice initially but think about how much you pay for it in rent (whether you use it or not). Unfortunately all condos have "amenities". And that "added value" isn't free. There's also a crazy "double agent" system in place in Singapore. When you see an ad online it is not uncommon that it has been placed by "agent" that has nothing to do with the landlord. They insert themselves between you and the landlord's agent. So you call them up and it turns out they might not even know on which floor the apartment is on! (happened to me more than once). Because the other agent didn't tell them... And as you might expect both agents expect to be paid. This is usually 1 month per year of lease, even on your re-contract. You're supposed to pay your agent off and the landlord is supposed to pay their agent off. Another weird thing is that you'll never see the photos of the apartments online. Most of the time the photos are just generic filler. The agents post their own mugshots though (crazy, right?). Finding a flat in Singapore wasn't a pleasant experience.