教員コラムBlog

  1. home
  2. 教員コラム / Blog
  3. 詳細 / Detail

Moving

2023.12.25

Photo Credit: Ketut Subiyanto @Pexels.com 

 

I have moved five times in the last 20 years, so I got the hang of the various tasks involved in moving. Now, I’ll let you know my tips for finding a good apartment and moving well. 

 

If you plan to move at the end of March, you should start looking for your apartment in November. First, research online. Check the terrain and hazard map of the new location. Check also the locations of supermarkets and convenience stores. Find out if express trains stop at the station and how often trains come. Then, research the market price of the rent and work out which apartments you can rent. 

 

If possible, go to a real estate agent in December to see the apartments. One of the reasons to go so early is that real estate agents are not busy during this period and take their time to talk with you. If you go in February or March, they are too busy to be as helpful. 

 

In December, they already know that some apartments will be available at the end of next March. In that case, you cannot see the inside of the room because someone lives there, but you can check the entrance or surroundings of the building. You can do that even if you go there in February and March, but the difference is that your real estate agent has time to spare, so you can consult with them. If your real estate agent has seen another room in the same apartment, you can ask what it’s like inside. Also, you can ask them about the security of the area or how busy it is after dark, and, if the rent is cheaper than that of others, they may be able to tell you why. 

 

In addition, some apartments are already available in December, and if you find an available apartment you like, you are lucky. Some kind apartment owners sign the contract in December but let you start paying the rent from the end of February or March. That's the main reason I recommend to start apartment-hunting in December. Owners want to make sure that you take the apartment from the next April, so they hope that you make a decision quickly, so this gives you an advantage. (It is also important to make a good impression on the real estate agent. The real estate agent may let the owner know what you’re like. So, don’t forget to be neat and polite when you see your real estate agent.) 

 

There is one more benefit when you decide in December; you are sure of moving. Some people cannot move at the end of March because there are so many moves in Japan then that they cannot find an available moving service. When you decide early, you can also choose the day and the time you want to move. The only downside to signing a contract in December is the rent. Even if the owner waits until the end of February or March, in March you will have to pay double rent; you need to pay for your current apartment and your new apartment. But if you can get over that, I’m sure it's best to sign in December. 

 

 

Questions

Q1. If you plan to move at the end of March, you should start looking for your apartment ...  

A. in November  

B. in December  

C. in March  

 

Q2. If possible, it’s better to go to a real estate agent …  

A. in November  

B. in December  

C. in March  

 

Q3. The only downside to signing a contract in December is ...  

A. that the real estate agents are busy  

B. that you have to pay double rent  

C. that the owners are not in hurry  

 

Scroll down ↓ for the answers 

 



















Answers 

A1. A

A2. B

A3. B

戻る / go back

Related posts