Arkios.co.jp http://arkios.co.jp/ Expatriates' Housing Consulting - Tokyo, Japan en-us 2005-07-25T10:29:36+09:00 Enaka Mansion http://arkios.co.jp/archives/000025.html Q. Here’s a quick trivia question for you: Which Tokyo neighborhood consistently scores highest in annual surveys of the nation’s most popular residential areas? A. Jiyugaoka Only 10 minutes from Shibuya on the Tokyu Toyoko Line, the small streets of... Featured theodore 2005-07-25T10:29:36+09:00 Kids, Cereal, and School http://arkios.co.jp/archives/000024.html With the traditionally busy family winter moving season just around the corner, we thought it was a good time to go hunting for some family-friendly houses, with an emphasis on size and good access to schools. The first house we... Featured theodore 2004-11-01T00:00:00+09:00 House in Meguro http://arkios.co.jp/archives/000023.html Located in a quiet Japanese neighborhood near Meguro station, lies a new house which holds the unique distinction of...totally blowing us away! It's not too often that we come across a house in this city which so seamlessly unites functionality,... Featured theodore 2004-04-20T17:50:36+09:00 Sakura Season! http://arkios.co.jp/archives/000022.html Sensing the unmistakable smell of spring in the air, we reluctantly pulled ourselves out of our cozy kotatsu and headed down to Sakura Garden Court Annex, a daring new condo project being completed in the bedrock community of Higashi-Nakano. The... Featured theodore 2004-03-15T17:18:35+09:00 La Tour Shiodome http://arkios.co.jp/archives/000018.html Recently, we dropped by La Tour Shiodome, a brand-new 52 storey luxury condominium in Shimbashi, for a quick look, and have this to report. Located in the newly-developed Shiodome bayside district, La Tour Shiodome is neighbor to an impressive number... Featured theodore 2003-12-11T17:31:45+09:00 1. How is the market looking these days? http://arkios.co.jp/archives/000008.html An overall increase in demand can be seen, as US companies, invigorated by the recent upturn in the US economy, start to re-establish their presence in Japan. At the same time however, there is still ample room for negotiating, as... FAQ aoki 2003-01-01T00:02:30+09:00 2. What percent of the apartments at Roppongi Hills are now occupied? http://arkios.co.jp/archives/000007.html According to the latest figures, about 90% of all residential apartments at Roppongi Hills are now occupied. Of this 90%, less than a third of the apartments are occupied by expats. The biggest reason why “Hills” is not as popular... FAQ aoki 2003-01-01T00:02:20+09:00 3. When's the most popular time for expats to move to Tokyo? http://arkios.co.jp/archives/000006.html For the most part, expat relocations to and from Japan occur at a consistent rate over much of the year. However, families with school-age children do tend to move the most during the summer school break (June – August), so... FAQ aoki 2003-01-01T00:02:10+09:00 4. When can I expect to find the “best deals?” http://arkios.co.jp/archives/000020.html in Japanese culture, it is of paramount importance that everything be "tidied up" before the arrival of the new year. Everything in this case literally means E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G; from the cupboard and windows, to family relationships and business deals. Therefore, the... FAQ theodore 2003-01-01T00:02:00+09:00 5. How long is a typical housing lease in Japan? http://arkios.co.jp/archives/000019.html The vast majority of rental housing leases in Japan are set for two years. There is no particular law or regulation requiring a two year term, but custom has made this two year term the norm.... FAQ theodore 2003-01-01T00:01:50+09:00 6. Can a contract be terminated? If so, how does the whole thing work? http://arkios.co.jp/archives/000001.html Yes, in most cases it is possible. For a standard rental contract, you are required to submit a notice of termination in writing at least one or two months in advance (the exact notification period is predetermined in the contract)... FAQ miyauchi 2003-01-01T00:01:40+09:00 7. Is it possible to have a garden in Tokyo? http://arkios.co.jp/archives/000017.html Houses are quite rare to find in the center of Tokyo, due to high land prices. Not suprisingly, houses with gardens are even harder to find (they make up only around 5% of all expat properties currently out on the... FAQ theodore 2003-01-01T00:01:30+09:00 8. How does housing for expats differ from regular Japanese housing? http://arkios.co.jp/archives/000003.html The major difference between a typical Japanese room and the average expat room is in size. The average Japanese apartment/house is typically 50 to 70 percent smaller than an expat apartment/house. • Price and Size The typical Japanese rental property... FAQ miyauchi 2003-01-01T00:01:20+09:00 9. How long does a typical rental property stay on the market? http://arkios.co.jp/archives/000002.html This invariably depends on a host of different factors, including location, pricing, and age. However, it can be said that properties found in popular neighborhoods generally have a good chance of being taken up quickly, even if the rent is... FAQ miyauchi 2003-01-01T00:01:10+09:00 10. What are some of the common factors which define "fair rent" in Japan? http://arkios.co.jp/archives/000014.html Location and size definitely come first. The age of the building closely follows behind. Interior quality, view and sunlight (this explains why apartments on lower floors are priced lower) are also important factors. Large accompanying outdoor spaces—rare in Tokyo—also add... FAQ miyauchi 2003-01-01T00:01:00+09:00