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Features: "Hunting for an Apartment - page 2" |
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Hunting for an Apartment - page 2
By: Staff
First decide what kind of apartment you are looking for and where you want to live. Certain areas have more of one type of apartment than another.
Higashi-ku, Yoshizuka, Kashii, Hakozaki and Maidashi are all student areas and have a relatively high | |
FIRST IMPRESSIONS ARE CRUCIAL IN JAPAN. DRESS UP OR DON'T BOTHER GOING.
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concentration of 1DKs with fewer 2DKs. Najima, on the other hand, has a lot of 2DKs. Look in agent's windows and see what they are advertising. If you are a single person looking for a 2DK or larger, expect to be asked why - these are considered to be "family apato" and some agents are loath to let them to single people. Other agents will deal only with large companies who are renting for their employees when letting family apartments
What kind of agent to go for.
Big companies often don't want to know. The agent gets only a months rent, so the independents and small fry are more willing than the big chains to deal with cheap apartments. However, the market has been so stagnant of late this may well be a-changing
Where to look.
In estate agent's windows and in the two rental magazines published in the area. "Chintai" is mainly large-chain stuff, "Mai Rum Gaido" is a better bet. In both cases ads are two weeks old by the time they hit the street. If you see a great apartment in a fudo-sanya's window, our advice is DON'T GO IN - just take the details and his number.
First contact with a fudo-sanya.
Best done by a Japanese, over the telephone, or via a fax [in Japanese] requesting information (Give basic details of what you are interested in.) If possible, give a fax number for them to fax details back to you. If you see something you like go down to the estate agent's office. REMEMBER FIRST IMPRESSIONS ARE CRUCIAL IN JAPAN. DRESS UP OR DON"T BOTHER GOING. They only have your looks to go on.
Unless your Japanese is immaculate, take a Japanese friend - the higher status the better - to reassure the estate agent, if nothing else. | |
Unless your Japanese is immaculate, take a Japanese friend, to reassure the estate agent, if nothing else.
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Do try and use some Japanese yourself if you can. You may be turned down flat at this point, but more likely you will be asked if you have a job and a guarantor. A fudo-sanya will call the kanrigaisha first to check or the owner directly (That is why it is better to deal with the kanrigaisha directly if you can.) If the answer comes back no, don't get angry with the agent - it is probably not his fault. Ask him if there is anything else available. If you feel he is generally friendly call him back every few days to see what has come in. If not, cut your losses and go somewhere else. He may be able to recommend somebody who can help you if he can't. Take your gaijin card, passport, job contract and address or proof that you are a student. It pays to have an inkan and business card whatever your status -
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