House Hunting Update 2022-5-28

Last Monday night (Tuesday morning in Japan) we got to virtually tour the house we'd been eyeing online! It was everything we had hoped for! There were kids playing in the park across the street and a kindergarten walked by the house as well. 

Inside we saw a place for a clothes washer, which we weren't sure it had. The place for the fridge is kind of wonky, but it will be fine! There are two doors leading to the backyard and a place outside to hang clothes. 

Upstairs was just what we were expecting, although we couldn't find the room marked 's' at first-- we figured it was storage, but wanted to see it. It took Kota san sending the floor plan to the lady that was touring for us in order for her to find it. It turns out the entrance is through a shoji screen door in the upstairs tatami room! She hadn't noticed the door originally! 😂🤣

We decided after seeing it that we wanted to put our application in right away! This was the *first* house we toured virtually, but if you know, you know, right?! The next day Kota san asked for proof of our cats rabies vaccination and a picture of us with the cats for the application?! I don't think that is something they would ask for in the US, but we complied. I took this picture of Papa P and he also submitted the family picture we just took. 

Here is the house in case you didn't see my last housing update:

Yesterday we got word that our application had been accepted! We're so excited to have this major issue figured out. The last big thing (that we have control over) is the cat situation. We have multiple choices on this one and it's a tough call! For now, we are so excited to have a place to call "home" in Japan. 

House Hunting Update 2022-5-21

We have found a house that seems to fit all of our needs! Our relocation contact, Kato san, will go see it for us in the upcoming week! 

The house has two, stories, two toilets (not super common), a dishwasher (a rarity), four bedrooms (two of which have tatami flooring-- which is a traditional Japanese mat floor), and Kato san already negotiated with them so that they will take our cats! If it doesn't smell like smoke (smoking is more prevalent there than where I have lived in the US) and everything is as pictured, we want to move forward ad soon as possible! Papa P was even able to find it on a map and see that a grocery store is suuuuuuper close and there is a park right across the street! Fingers crossed 🤞🏽 it all goes as smoothly!

Here is a sneak peak at the house! 

House Hunting

We have begun looking at homes in Japan in the Nagoya area, specifically in the Aichi prefecture. There are multiple things we'd like in a house. We want it to be near a bus stop for the international school where my children will attend,  at least three bedrooms, and ideally with two toilets, and with pets allowed. 

Our current home is not large by Texas standards. It's about 2100 ft² with three bedrooms and two and a half baths. Many of the three or four bedroom places are MUCH SMALLER in Japan. A lot of places are about 1,000 ft² or less! I have to convert square meters to square feet to have an idea of the size of a place. I have learned 90 meters² is close to 1,000 ft² Most only places have one bathroom (although toilet is separate from bath) and MANY do NOT allow pets. 

We're not too picky on whether it's an apartment or house, western or eastern style, although I don't want to go live on a different continent and have a house I could have moved there from the US. 

Something is probably going to have to give when it comes to our wish list. We're not sure what it will be...

We spoke with our relocation agent this week. She will be helping us house hunt. She has agreed to show us the homes and neighborhoods of houses she thinks we will like. We can also send her links for properties we like online. It's an adventure even just finding housing! We really wish we could do a house hunting trip, but it was not allowed at this time.