A must-see for foreigners! What are "akiya banks" (vacant house banks)? What are the advantages?
This article explains in detail about "akiya banks" (vacant house banks), their merits, and whether foreigners can use them. This article will explain in detail about "akiya banks" (vacant house banks), their advantages and whether foreigners can use them. If you are interested in a traditional Japanese house or an affordable house, please refer to this article.
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What is akiya banks?
The "vacant house bank" is a system to collect information on vacant houses from their owners and provide and introduce them to people seeking information on vacant houses.
It can be said that this system connects people who want to "rent" or "sell" their vacant houses and people who want to "rent" or "buy" vacant houses.
It is mainly operated by local governments (organizations that provide self-governance within the community), and its purpose is to "revitalize the community" and "increase the local population" through the effective use of vacant houses.
3 advantages of using a vacant house bank
Here are some of the advantages of using a vacant house bank.
The three advantages are listed below.
- Rent or buy a vacant house at a discount.
- Leading to community revitalization
- Subsidies may be available.
Explanation in detail.
1. rent or buy a vacant house at a reasonable price
The best part is that you can rent or buy a vacant house at a low price.
In Japan, when renting an apartment or condominium, people often use a real estate agency.
When you use a real estate company, a "brokerage fee" is charged.
A brokerage fee is like a fee for using a real estate agency.
Many real estate agencies require a broker's fee of at least one month's rent, so using them may cost you more than your rent.
On the other hand, the vacant house bank is a system in which the local government introduces vacant house owners to people who want to rent or buy a vacant house, and no intermediary fees are charged.
In addition, since the houses are "vacant" with no one currently using them, the owners want someone to rent or buy them as soon as possible.
Therefore, rent and purchase costs are likely to be lower.
2. leading to community revitalization
As we reported at the beginning, the vacant house bank is a system aimed at "regional revitalization" and "increasing the population of rural areas" through the effective use of vacant houses.
Therefore, by starting to use vacant houses, you are in itself contributing to the local community by revitalizing the area and increasing the population.
You may be able to have an enjoyable life with local people.
3. subsidies may be provided
By using the vacant house bank, you will have the possibility to use various subsidies.
Currently, the declining population, falling birthrate, and aging population in Japan's rural areas are serious problems.
Therefore, a subsidy program is available for those who want to live in rural areas or start a business in rural areas using the vacant house bank.
If the vacant house is old, there are programs to subsidize a portion of the renovation costs, etc., so the initial cost may be reduced.
*Contents and conditions of the subsidy programs vary by region.
3 disadvantages of using a vacant house bank
We will now tell you about the three disadvantages of using a vacant house bank.
- In many cases, the condition of the property cannot be determined without visiting the site.
- Need to discuss directly with the owner of the vacant house.
- Potentially difficult to clean up and remodel.
Let's check them one by one.
1. in many cases, the condition of the property cannot be determined without visiting the site
Vacant house banks often do not provide detailed information about the property or its condition.
This is because vacant houses, especially in rural areas, are easy to locate, and posting detailed information such as addresses and photographs on the Internet may result in trespassing and tampering.
Therefore, if you find a property you are interested in, you must actually contact the vacant house bank and go to the site to check it out.
This is also true especially for vacant houses in rural areas, many of which are in poor condition due to rain (typhoons) and snow.
For this reason, we recommend that you always visit the site of any property you are interested in to check its current condition in detail.
2. need to consult directly with the owner of the vacant house
The vacant house bank only "connects," or introduces, "people who want to use vacant houses" with "people who want to use vacant houses.
Price negotiations and other details of the transaction must be handled directly between the person who wants to use the vacant house and the person who wants to use the vacant house.
However, many transactions and contracts related to real estate are complex and can lead to trouble.
For this reason, they may ask local real estate-related companies with whom they have an agreement to act as intermediaries.
3. cleanup/remodeling may be difficult
Vacant houses on the vacant house bank may be difficult to clean up or renovate.
In many cases, houses and rental properties introduced by real estate brokers are well tidied and cleaned.
However, vacant house banks often leave furniture and household items untouched if the owner of the vacant house has not cleaned up.
'If it's furnished, isn't it convenient to live in?' You might think, "If it is furnished, isn't it convenient to live with?
However, in many of these cases, leaks, floor dents, and other areas that need to be repaired are also left untouched.
A possible reason for this is that people who register their own vacant houses with the vacant house bank often want to "find users at a reasonable price".
This is the same as those who want to "rent or buy a vacant house at a reasonable price" using a vacant house bank.
Therefore, when using a vacant house bank, carefully check the current condition of the vacant house and consider the labor and money involved in cleaning up and remodeling before considering buying or renting.
Can foreigners use the vacant house bank?
This is the vacant house bank I have explained so far,Available to foreigners, of course.It is.
To begin with, foreigners, like Japanese, can purchase a house or land and acquire ownership.
While some countries have regulations for foreigners regarding real estate acquisition based on permanent residency, nationality, visa type, etc., Japan has no such regulations.
They are allowed to own real estate in the same manner as Japanese nationals.
However,If you are considering using a vacant house bank, you should carefully consider the three points mentioned in the disadvantagesIt is.
The first problem is that the condition of the property is often not known without visiting the site.
If you are renting or buying a vacant house in a location far from your current address, such as if you currently live outside of Japan, you must visit the location once.
You will also need to communicate with local government officials who manage information on vacant houses. Therefore, you will need to have a certain level of Japanese language ability.
Furthermore, even if you like a vacant house and want to buy it, there is still the "need to consult directly with the owner of the vacant house" barrier mentioned in the disadvantages section.
This will also require a certain level of Japanese language skills, as well as the ability to negotiate regarding the property.
The third point, that it may be difficult to clean up and remodel, should not be forgotten.
It is possible that a lot of furniture is left behind, leaking in some areas, etc., and that a lot of cleanup and remodeling labor will be required.
However, there are many vacant houses that would be wonderful in terms of location, views, and environment.
Please consider using the vacant house bank while consulting with your own physical, mental, and financial capacity.
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summary
Through this article, we have introduced the "vacant house bank" in Japan. The vacant house bank is a system under which information on vacant houses collected from owners is provided to those who wish to use it. This system has the advantage of not only allowing people to rent or purchase vacant houses at a relatively low cost, but also contributing to the revitalization of the local community.
However, there are also several disadvantages, such as the lack of detailed information about the property on the Internet alone, and the need to actually communicate directly with the owner of the vacant house. When considering using this service, it is important to balance these advantages and disadvantages and make a choice that suits your lifestyle and desired living environment.
Ultimately, sometimes big decisions must be made in order to realize your ideal lifestyle. We hope that this article will provide you with useful information to assist you in your search for a new home in Japan and help you find a home that meets your expectations.
