Japan Is Giving Away 8M Abandoned Houses • Hacker News Board

Re: Japan Is Giving Away 8M Abandoned Houses

#21

Post by [deleted] » Wed, Nov 28, 2018, 6:11 PM UTC

ska wrote: post #18

masklinn wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> It's probably the only country in the world where "used homes" are considered something to be ashamed of. That's generally true though it depends on the specifics e.g. they would renovate and maintain things like temples, ryokan or major multi-generational homes. It's the "personal" homes which are considered disposable (pretty much anything you'd have in a suburbs in the US for instance).

US is becoming more like that over time too, if you look at a lot of the new builds in subdivisions it's hard to imagine them lasting that long. I wonder if at some point the cultural attitude to "old houses" will become more like Japan's. [edit]: I find the downvotes curious - I know plenty of people living in ~120 year old houses, and plenty living in 5-15 year old new builds in subdivisions. None of us can really…

[deleted]

Re: Japan Is Giving Away 8M Abandoned Houses

#22

Post by ska » Wed, Nov 28, 2018, 6:12 PM UTC

onetimemanytime wrote: post #13

ComputerGuru wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Japan doesn't renovate. It's probably the only country in the world where "used homes" are considered something to be ashamed of. People buy homes only to knock them down and start over, even if they're only a year or two old. EDIT: You can read about it here: https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2018/03/15/w...

Insane, every 22 years house goes to zero value. Probably adding relatively little money can extend the life to 40-50 or so. If I'm 30 and buy a house, makes no sense to need to tear it down when I'm 52.

How often to people these days plan to be in the same house they bought at 30, when they are 50? How many actually do?

Re: Japan Is Giving Away 8M Abandoned Houses

#23

Post by ganoushoreilly » Wed, Nov 28, 2018, 6:12 PM UTC

LrnByTeach wrote: post #12

onetimemanytime wrote: post #5

as soon as I sell my $5 Detroit homes :). There's a reason they're being given for free...

Seriously, Can you give some addresses ( or Zillow web url links) of Detroit home addresses where the home prices are so cheap

There are a few auction sites online, I believe the city runs one or two of them. The thing people miss on these is their annual taxes, which are not forgiven, as well as the near instant requirements to meet livability standards (reno) lest they be fined. There's a lot to it that's over looked. As they say, no such thing as a free lunch.

Here's some that start at the 4k range.

https://www.point2homes.com/US/Cheap-Homes-For-Sale/MI/Detro...

Re: Japan Is Giving Away 8M Abandoned Houses

#24

Post by dgzl » Wed, Nov 28, 2018, 6:12 PM UTC

ska wrote: post #18

masklinn wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> It's probably the only country in the world where "used homes" are considered something to be ashamed of. That's generally true though it depends on the specifics e.g. they would renovate and maintain things like temples, ryokan or major multi-generational homes. It's the "personal" homes which are considered disposable (pretty much anything you'd have in a suburbs in the US for instance).

US is becoming more like that over time too, if you look at a lot of the new builds in subdivisions it's hard to imagine them lasting that long. I wonder if at some point the cultural attitude to "old houses" will become more like Japan's. [edit]: I find the downvotes curious - I know plenty of people living in ~120 year old houses, and plenty living in 5-15 year old new builds in subdivisions. None of us can really…

God I hope not. We don't have respect for cleaning and recycling like the Japanese do.

Re: Japan Is Giving Away 8M Abandoned Houses

#25

Post by ska » Wed, Nov 28, 2018, 6:13 PM UTC

masklinn wrote: post #10

arkitaip wrote: post #9

This sounds great but you have to factor in that up to very recently, houses have been fairly poorly built in Japan as they prefer to demolish and build anew. Average lifespan of a house in Japan is 20-30 years. Which means that it doesn't always make sense to renovate these abandoned houses. Some reading: https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2017/nov/16/japan-reusabl... https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/…

> This sounds great but you have to factor in that up to very recently Has that changed? I assume you get the actual property, not just the house sitting on it. The land is what japan generally values.

Houses are depreciating assets. It's the land that has value most places.

Re: Japan Is Giving Away 8M Abandoned Houses

#26

Post by TheGRS » Wed, Nov 28, 2018, 6:13 PM UTC

NegativeLatency wrote: post #4

ComputerGuru wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Japan doesn't renovate. It's probably the only country in the world where "used homes" are considered something to be ashamed of. People buy homes only to knock them down and start over, even if they're only a year or two old. EDIT: You can read about it here: https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2018/03/15/w...

Do you know a place where I can read more about this? Sounds very interesting.

IIRC this is why living in Tokyo is actually affordable compared to, say, New York City.

Re: Japan Is Giving Away 8M Abandoned Houses

#27

Post by bobthepanda » Wed, Nov 28, 2018, 6:14 PM UTC

The US saw similar efforts in Detroit and other Rust Belt cities. That mostly just resulted in asset flippers hoarding houses and letting them fall into further disrepair. I wonder what steps Japan is taking to mitigate that possibility.

Re: Japan Is Giving Away 8M Abandoned Houses

#28

Post by TheGRS » Wed, Nov 28, 2018, 6:16 PM UTC

onetimemanytime wrote: post #13

ComputerGuru wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Japan doesn't renovate. It's probably the only country in the world where "used homes" are considered something to be ashamed of. People buy homes only to knock them down and start over, even if they're only a year or two old. EDIT: You can read about it here: https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2018/03/15/w...

Insane, every 22 years house goes to zero value. Probably adding relatively little money can extend the life to 40-50 or so. If I'm 30 and buy a house, makes no sense to need to tear it down when I'm 52.

Its just thinking of your house as a depreciating asset instead of an appreciating one. Much like a car. I actually can't imagine wanting to live in the same house for more than 10 years.

Re: Japan Is Giving Away 8M Abandoned Houses

#29

Post by [deleted] » Wed, Nov 28, 2018, 6:16 PM UTC

[deleted] wrote: post #21

ska wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

US is becoming more like that over time too, if you look at a lot of the new builds in subdivisions it's hard to imagine them lasting that long. I wonder if at some point the cultural attitude to "old houses" will become more like Japan's. [edit]: I find the downvotes curious - I know plenty of people living in ~120 year old houses, and plenty living in 5-15 year old new builds in subdivisions. None of us can really…

[deleted]

[deleted]

Re: Japan Is Giving Away 8M Abandoned Houses

#30

Post by dev_dull » Wed, Nov 28, 2018, 6:17 PM UTC

bobthepanda wrote: post #27

The US saw similar efforts in Detroit and other Rust Belt cities. That mostly just resulted in asset flippers hoarding houses and letting them fall into further disrepair. I wonder what steps Japan is taking to mitigate that possibility.

Source? When I looked into buying an “abandoned” house, the city used a bizarre tax calculation that used historical values to value the house (and it’s tax liabilties) in a bizarre and costly way.