Re:A Sprawl of Ghost Homes in Aging Tokyo Suburbs
by 6t6t6 on Monday August 24, 2015 @09:40PM
(#10113976)
The way Japanese houses are made, it is cheaper to rebuild than to refurbish.
The most expensive part of a Japanese house is the concrete foundation, and this is reused sometimes. The rest of the house is just cheap wood and plastic (yes, many times, the exterior wall is just plastic that imitates bricks or stone).
Also, the new houses are build according to the updated anti-seismic regulations so, obviously, people always prefer living there.
Re:A Sprawl of Ghost Homes in Aging Tokyo Suburbs
by notahacker on Monday August 24, 2015 @03:18PM
(#10112351)
Aren't the homes likely to be even less attractive to foreigners [normally eligible for Japanese visas] than to the Japanese people that have abandoned them?
Re:A Sprawl of Ghost Homes in Aging Tokyo Suburbs
by stcredzero on Monday August 24, 2015 @03:22PM
(#10112370)
Aren't the homes likely to be even less attractive to foreigners
Hence the proposal to market them to non-mainstream foreigners, like artists looking for inexpensive retreats.
Perhaps airfares could be subsidized or discounted through government or corporate programs?
Or, how about something akin to AirBNB for municipalities around the world to offer quarterly or half-year leases in exchange for maintenance and light renovation?