วีดีโอ

Hi Chabi. I'm your new subscriber from South Africa. I really love your videos ❤️

For those who are considering buying a used house in Japan History of Changes in Japanese Seismic Standards The Japanese earthquake resistance standards have undergone three major revisions in the past, in 1971, 1981, and 2000. Avoid tile roofs. Tiles and roof tiles together weigh about 2 to 3 tons. In earthquake-prone Japan, durability decreases with each earthquake. Basically, calculated based on the age of the house. Of course, the price will be higher because of this, but the difference will shrink when you consider the cost of repairs. If you have plenty of assets, it would be a good idea to fix it thoroughly. However, that may not be a simple solution, as there is a serious shortage of craftsmen in Japan.

I hope she finds good builders to help repair everything ❤ lovely home, I can see why she loved it. Hopefully everything can be fixed reasonably.

French toast is easy and you can make it savoury or sweet.

Helen is lucky to have a great friend in Chani to help with finding a builder!

thats amazing

I've recently found your channel and loving your videos. I'm a Kiwi who used to live in Japan so really enjoying hearing about your journey so far. I'm trying to find a video about when you first got Millie? Is there one? She seems like the sweetest cat...

Love your videos. I retired to Indonesia 3 years ago, then visited Japan last month and fell in love with the country. Now.....I'm doing research on how to move to Japan and buy an Akiya

Is the same white car you bought the first day ?! 😅

Im sure everything will work out fine for her. Wonder if she bought in Wakayama because of you

You cannot inspect with your naked eyes ,call for pro cement or soil erosion ompany Sue the dishonet agent!.

Always pay someone to go through the house for you. Both a layperson and some professionals.... So needed... And if certain things need doing, and it is known, it can be negotiated into the cost and terms of the sale

I saw a YT video of the lady that made the scarecrow people. She is lovely and creative and a local of course. She loves meeting the people that visits. Hopefully we can go this year or next year. Looking forward to it.

I've heard that they consider houses basically disposable, thirty years and they're done...if so, does that lead to less than optimal maintenance because they're not expecting the house to last anyways?

Repairing a while by painting over it? I'm not DIY expert, but... However, as I had my house done up in the UK some years ago, if I was to now buy one in Japan, I'd want it to be move-in ready.

This is a money pit. A yen pit.

Is it possible to open a shop in the garage of a house ?😅

Self inflicted wounds by not getting house inspected.

Hello again from Mie area. Those kinds of old houses may need to be gutted out and put in new posts and walls if there are termite infestation or water damage. I have a bit of carpentry experience and would be nice to come over to help you guys out tho unfortunately live way over in Mie. I used to build 2x 4 homes in Japan and always wanted to implement 2 x 4 framing in old homes such as those. That’s the dream when I get my Akiya, make ‘‘em stronger with 2 x 4 framing and all.

Hope you do a follow up video. I have renovated several old houses and termites are attracted to water. Seems like an ingress of water somewhere and I hope she sorts it out.

It’s a very lovely home. Definitely needs work to make it safe but I’m hoping the cheaper cost of an akiya leaves enough money for repairs. I’m a real estate agent in the US. I would always recommend getting an inspection before buying a property. We even do one with new construction. You just never know. With an akiya the price is amazing but you need an inspection to know the real price with repairs and renovation. I bet it’s still cheaper than in my part of the US though!

Les mêmes beaux yeux bleus que le chat 😅

I’ve been amazed to see what builders in Japan can do to fix things. And they seem so conscientious.

The scene about big truck and small cars sharing a narrow road is interesting. I wonder if you had personally encountered any road rage incident in Japan? I know from the news that there are in Japan many traffic accidents caused by (very) old drivers. It looks like Millie is getting used to camping life and travelling in a Kei camper van.

I hope Helen gets things worked out. I agree with you, she needs a builder. 10 years ago I looked at buying an Akiya, but most I saw in Osaka needed a lot of work, and I'm not a handyman, so I purchased a new house. That was an adventure. I don't speak Japanese (even now I totally suck) but the agent and the bankers were kind and one even used an iPad for technical terms translations. All went smoothly.

You gotta feel for Helen. Chani, you have a real niche with your channel about Japan, and it is refreshing, informative/educational, and interesting. Good on ya, and gambatte!

この頃の家の建築基準は甘く軟弱な土地柄にも関わらず基礎補強もされず 日本人として恥ずかしい建物の一例です、残念です。 中古住宅の購入には慎重なデータ収集と信頼できるアドバイザーが必要です。

Enjoyed this video alot. Your path to self-acceptance and peace with your body changes resonate with so many women going through peri/menopause. You are not alone. I was too embarrassed to use the onsens at the hotels we just stayed at on our holiday. I always want to reflect a positive body image to my daughters but I just chickened out. No big deal. Love that you had good friends to go on a girls weekend with. I don't have this type of network although I have a few good friends & we boost each other up as we need it. Just one or two good friends is invaluable.

Best wishes to Helen.❤ Hang in there. The purchase may not have worked out exactly as you wanted but in time it will be a lovely place to live!

Well, that’s what they call “as is”. However, it’s still worth it! Repair costs are reasonable. Not like in other countries. And everyone has to remember, Japan is a developed country! So some repair is ok. And you get a fully paid house in a developed county! How cool is that?

Best wishes to Helen!

Great video! Hope there will be a Part 2.

You shouldn’t buy a house without looking at it first and inspecting it yourself. Online photos can be deceiving.

I am Japanese. In Japan, cheap and old houses have many defects like this. That's why most Japanese people don't buy them. And it is absolutely unthinkable for a Japanese person to buy a house without seeing it in person. Recently, vacant houses in Japan have been attracting the attention of foreigners because they are cheap, but you need to be careful as there are many pitfalls like this. If you really want to buy a house in Japan, I recommend one that is less than 30 years old. Also, be sure to check for leaks. If you need to do major repairs, the roof alone can cost several million yen.

Oh my gosh, this looks like a difficult situation for Helen! I hope she is able to get everything taken care of soon. Thank you for another interesting video!

i want an Akiya with a garden and a parking space. it can be small as its just me

I love this for you that you are doing consults when you can.

I'm sorry for Helen to discover the damage after buying her property, but I think she has a good attitude about it in that not to worry until she get's a damage report & estimate about how much it will cost to repair any damaged areas. When you buy used property you'll usually find some things that need repair or that you wish to change. However, it's too bad Helen couldn't have a proper assessment prior to her purchase as she may have been able to negotiate a better price to help offset the cost of the repairs. I wish her the best and hope that any repairs can be made within her budget,

You are such a smart business woman 😊 you are my role model!!! Helen seems like such a sweet Lady! I wish her all the best. Hope she can find a good deal to get the leaks and termite damage fixed 😢

,,I think you need to FIX roof first before doing anything Inside ❤

If Helen would be willling, I'd love to see a follow up with her home renovations. Until then I wish her all the best fixing he lovely home up.

Hi Chani, Good on you for giving your helping hand for Helen. Hope all is well with Helen's journey. Hope Millie is doing well.

Hi Chani ❤que amor eres de persona 💕. Fuerza Helen. Desde Argentina te envío mucha luz. Abrazos y cariños Chani y Milli 😊😊

I would get a building inspection prior to buying it’s very dangerous buying with out inspection you could be buying someone else’s problem.

Despite all the problems, that’s a super cute house with a nice layout and gorgeous gardens, and worth putting the work into! Hope we get to see the final product!

Hang in there Helen. A builder can fix a lot of these deeper problems. Enjoy the great location, beautiful gardens and most of all the peaceful japanese culture.

Go Helen!!!❤❤❤

Helen seems lovely. I'm so sorry she is having these issues, and I hope she can get them resolved and begin to enjoy her life there. The garden is lovely, and I can see why she was drawn to the home. Best wishes, Helen!!

Your calm encouragement, compassion and positivity are wonderful to witness. Though most things are fixable--and this home looks to have excellent aspects-fixes often cost a great deal of money. This is why due diligence is so important in real estate transactions. Also, though I'm not throwing shade on Helen's agents or the seller, it is true that not everyone is working in the buyer's interest. Often it's their own. There are so many factors in a major purchase such as this that it's not surprising that first time buyers with stars in their dream-eyes can find more problems than they had the capacity to imagine. If Helen has the means, I would suggest that should she need to replace windows and much of the rest, that she learn about government assistance which might be available and insulate the property as well. She might wish to look at what @im.mattguy.living has done with his home in that respect.

Great you helping Helen as best you can and just being supportive ❤ Strong's to Helen 💪😘