# Moving to Japan - housing?



## sherlocksara

Hi all! 

Just found this site when I was searching for a place to learn more about Japan. I am currently interviewing for English teaching jobs in Japan, so I do not yet know if i have a job or where I will be placed. 

The company that I would like to work for, if they hire me, really seems to be pushing their housing that they offer - but I am applying with and want to live with another person and they only offer singles housing. 

Does anyone have any information about how hard it is to find housing/how expensive? They made it seem near impossible, but maybe just because they wanted us to each take one of their singles apartments?

Hoping to learn more and meet some new people!!
Sara from NY


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## larabell

sherlocksara said:


> Does anyone have any information about how hard it is to find housing/how expensive? They made it seem near impossible, but maybe just because they wanted us to each take one of their singles apartments?


It's not impossible but, if you don't know Japanese, it's difficult. If I were you, I'd take the single housing for now and, once you get here, check out other alternatives.

Expense is relative. If you live in a major Western city, you might not not think the rents are all that expensive, though you generally get a lot less space for the money here than anywhere else (with the possible exception of Manhattan). There are a lot of inexpensive 1BR or smaller places around. How much it costs really depends on where you live -- a 1BR in Roppongi could easily cost you more than a 3BR place an hour outside of Tokyo.

Moreover, unless you speak Japanese (or have a Japanese-speaking friend to drag along with you), you're probably limited to English-speaking agents who, from my observation, are nearly always more expensive than regular neighborhood realtors.

To get some idea of rents, you might want to check out HOME'S: Real estate, rentals, housing information (condos, houses). I'm neither affiliated with the Homes agency, nor have I had any experience with them. But it's one of the only English web sites that list rental properties and the cost of each online. At least you should be able to get some idea of cost-versus-size for the area(s) you're looking at.

Of course, it helps if you know more-or-less where you're going to be looking.


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## Rube

Do you have a guarantor? A Japanese person to co-sign your lease? One with a job here in Japan now or will your company act as one?


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## issen

you can check here: ---tokyorent. com


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## JimmyDeals

If it is too late for you, I hope this would be valuable information for others, as I found that getting an apartment in Japan should not have been so difficult without a co-signer. 

A friend of mine let me know of a land lady who owns apartments in several areas of Japan. She is very friendly and helpful. In my case, after looking through many websites, I was asked to pay almost 50% more in addition to the rent if I wanted to get an apartment without a co-signer. 

If you happen to be in the same situation as mine, try to contact her email urban_Dot_mie_At_gmail_Dot_com (no dash signs). I would be glad to share this information since I found that the apartment brokers were tough and usually are not so sincere, but would not want to post her phone number here. Email to ask for her phone. Good luck.


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