What to Look for during a Property Viewing at a Japanese Apartment
2021-08-19
For many first-time home buyers, the prospect of Property Viewings is an exciting but unfamiliar path.
Buying a home is a Big Deal, so here is a checklist of things to look for when viewing apartments in
Japan.
Checklist of Things to Consider for the Interior
When you first visit a property, there are 8 things you should look at. First impressions, the view, sunlight, plumbing fixtures, layout or flow, walls and ceilings, maintenance history and whether you can move in your furniture on moving day are all factors to be considered.
First impressions upon entry
When you first step into an apartment, you will invariably get your first impressions of the place.
How is the natural light?
The height of the ceilings? Any strange smells?
How does the overall space feel?
Your gut feelings and impressions when you view the inside of the apartment is a good indicator of how you feel about the overall property.
The view from the windows
How are the views from the windows?
This is another important consideration. If a large building is blocking your view, then you might not feel comfortable here.
If there is a factory or amusement facility right in front of you, it may get very noisy and impinge upon your peace and quiet.
So, checking the view is always important.
Sunlight and airflow
Checking how much sunlight you would get and the flow of air throughout the apartment is another important consideration when viewing properties in Japan.
Which direction the windows face indicates how much sun you can get – the longer you have sunlight shining into your room, the better.
You can check the air flow by opening the windows in different parts of the property and checking how the air flows.
Japan can get very hot and humid and air flow is very important to help stop the spread of mold in a property.
Check the plumbing fixtures
It is vitally important to check the plumbing in the wet areas of the bathroom, toilet and kitchen for sanitary reasons.
Check carefully for signs of mold, rot or strange odors.
In the kitchen, also check the height of the counters and general layout.
Can you imagine yourself cooking here?
Is there sufficient space?
How is the layout
You can check the layout by looking at the floor plans, but it is very important to view the room and confirm the room layout and check whether it is as you imagined.
If you think to yourself during the viewing, this is a little inconvenient then that should be a red flag.
Little inconveniences seen during the viewing may cause a lot of stress later on.
So be sure to check things like the ease of use in the kitchen, bathroom, placement of the washing machine and balcony.
Are the ceilings, walls and floors clean?
It is easy to overlook cleaning the walls and ceilings.
If there are cobwebs in the corners, it might indicate that those areas are hard to reach and difficult to
clean.
Be sure to check the wallpaper for any cracks or irregularities.
Do the floors creak?
If the floor is wooden, are the panels nice and smooth?
Are there splinters or rough spots?
History of Repair Maintenance
If the property is older, than there might be a need for repairs to the plumbing fixtures or water heater.
Make sure to confirm the repair history so that you are not hit with a sudden repair expense right after moving.
Will you be able to move in your furniture?
This is an easy thing to overlook, but make sure that the furniture you have will fit through the elevator, doors and stairs.
For bigger items of furniture that won't fit through the entryway, you may have to use a crane from the balcony.
It's also a good idea to make a note of where the electrical outlets are and visualize where you will put what.
Checklist of Things to Consider for the Exterior/Façade
In addition to the interior of the property, it is equally important to check the exterior of the building.
Things to check include the parking area for cars and bicycles, the garbage area, corridors, stairs, and the main entrance, the exterior walls, the mailbox area and landscaping.
Maintenance of the car and bicycle parking
By checking the garage/parking area, you can get a feel for what kind of residents live in the building. What kinds of cars are parked there?
Is the garbage area clean?
The garbage room must always be maintained and cleaned regularly for health and safety reasons.
Always check the garbage room to see how it is maintained.
Is the garbage separated correctly?
Or is it strewn about? You can get a sense of the morals of the residents as well as how well the building management is doing their job.
Are the hallways clean?
Just as with the entrance area, how well the common area hallways are maintained is important to check.
If there are a lot of personal items dumped in front of someone’s door, then that might suggest that
the people who reside there are untidy and not respectful of the other residents.
What are your impressions of the Main Entrance
The entrance or lobby is like the face of the apartment building.
Is the entrance area clean? Is there litter strewn about?
How well the entrance area is cleaned and maintained can give you a feel for how the rest of the building
is maintained as well.
Are the exterior walls damaged
If the exterior walls are damaged or dirty, it can be repaired from the Reserve Fund for Repairs which you pay into every month.
If the walls show a more than usual amount of damage, then there is a high possibility that it will get repaired in future.
If the costs to repair or clean the walls are very high, there might be an increase on the monthly reserve fund.
Is the mailbox area clean?
Apartment buildings which have a clean and orderly appearance are generally well run.
Sloppy or dirty entrance ways and common areas may lead to trouble or even crime so it is important to note even the little details.
Tree/garden/landscaping maintenance
Are the trees and landscaping around the building well maintained?
Or are there lots of weeds and overgrown branches?
Well maintained landscaping around the premises gives residents a sense of orderliness and pleasure.
Checklist of Things to Consider for the
Surrounding Area
It is easy to forget to check the surrounding neighborhood in the excitement of viewing the inside of the property, but it is a vital component of the overall property viewing.
Things to check include nearby parks and leisure facilities, schools, city/town halls and other governmental buildings, trains and major roads, hospitals and convenience stores and supermarkets.
Take a walk through your neighborhood and check those things out.
Parks and Leisure Facilities
For those with children, the surrounding parks are very important.
Be sure to check not only if one is close by, but if they are well maintained, inviting and safe.
Childcare facilities and schools
Another note of importance for families are the schools and childcare facilities in the area.
Even if you don't have children yet, it may be worth noting for couples thinking of starting a family in the future.
Neighborhoods with schools and kindergartens/daycare facilities are thought to be safe and friendly.
City Hall and other governmental offices
During your time spent in a new neighborhood you will probably take many trips to your local town or city hall not only to register your new address but for many other reasons as well.
Make sure your to know where your city hall is.
Train lines and major roads
While it is convenient having trains and roads nearby, you also want to be aware of noise and other inconveniences associated with living near a busy road.
All too many times, residents find out how noisy the traffic is AFTER they move.
Make sure to check the noise level during your viewing and if possible, try visiting at different times of the day.
Hospitals
Hospitals and other medical facilities are very important not only in times of emergency but for other mundane medical issues like check ups, and prescriptions.
Find out where the nearest medical facilities are and also research their reputations and read reviews.
Supermarkets, Convenience Stores and Shopping
Take a look at the nearest supermarkets, convenience stores, drugstores and other shops where you need to go to for daily necessities.
What are their hours of operation? Do they have parking?
The more shops you have to choose from, the easier life will be.
In Conclusion
In this article, we talked about what to look for when conducting a property viewing of
a Japanese apartment.
It is important to check not only the interior of the property but the exterior as well as the surrounding area and neighborhood.
It may feel overwhelming at first, but go through the property slowly and methodically and check things off as you inspect them.
It is also a good idea to take notes and photos.
There is also no rule that says you can only view a property once.
It is a good idea to go at different times of the day to see how different it is.
When you get your first viewing, make notes of where and what you want to look at and make a checklist.
Hopefully this guide gave you some good ideas of where and what to check!
