For Sale
For Sale
Farmhouse, warehouse, and lots and lots of land. Garden attached and river (pleasant) nearby. Mountain views:
Manor and grounds...
Asking price: 3,000,000 円. That’s about 15,000 Great British ponds, or 30,000 American (when the exchange rates are normal).
I’m sold.
It’s 40 minutes by car from our present, rented, accomodations. It’s in the middle of nowhere, though ironically, there’s a shinkansen station – and a city – a quarter of an hour down-mountain. I’ve already a plan to grass out those paddies, plant a ton of trees, and watch the moon.
Hurdles
There’s always hurdles. The biggest (and cutest) of which is The Purser/ The Gatekeeper/ She Who Must Be Obeyed {And Is Always Right, Even When She’s Wrong}/ The Boss (What a lot of hats!). Adamant that it’s too country, the only way she’ll countenance the thought of buying it would be as a besso: a holiday home; a weekender.
That’d be indulgent. It’d raise monthly outgoings significantly, paying double in utilities and taxes; also the present Big Field, even the oceanfront orchard would, at the best, be neglected, and at worst, have to be given up. All to look at the moon and enjoy wide open *space*…
Folly?
Any and all thoughts appreciated…
Kitchengardenjapan
Well they say that the only reason to buy is when you think property values are going to go up, but for that price you’ll make back your rental payments in not too long at all. Just beware of property taxes, although a zoning change from rice fields to orchard might help that effort along? It certainly looks like a wide spread and I’d be jealous of all tinkering you do in your warehouse!
I’m a bit confused by your comment, GF. This being Japan, the only way is down in terms of value. Getting in ahead of the tax-rises-to-come would be prudent, though.
Notes taken on property taxes. That could be a big spur in the works…
Cheers, and all the best,
T
Bloody hell. That looks AMAAAAAAAAAZING! If you don’t want it, we might.
Seriously.
Give over. You’d never last a winter down here. You’d be broiled to pieces…
Puns aside, “Seriously”, as in seriously?
Cheers,
T
Nice!!! About £25000 at the 120Yen to £1 exchange rate.
Could buy that now, just like that with some savings.
The downside I guess is that while it seems great to have as a small-holding/farm setup, whats the place like location wise for running a B&B type place??? [That's what me and J-wifey would want to do if we came back to Japan. Half small-holding, half self-catering type B&B]
Wow, Gavin, at 120 is it these days, crikey. Location-wise it’d be good for walkers – it’s less than 10km to Akiyoshidai, a decent (quasi) national park. Were we to take this particular plunge, I think we’d like to let it out on occasion, recoup some of the cost. These are the kind of people we’d be looking at…
Cheers,
T
is that close to me? lol i think your most problem is what does the boss say ? I think it lookes very nice .
Spot on, Ines. Nothing works without her go-ahead…
Watch what you post ! For The Gatekeeper is only yours — Somebody else might swoop on the property while she reasons.
Judging by the picture alone:
For 3 mil I’d want at least 10 well established fruit trees on property, which, theoretically, could match the present worth of the entire property over a 10 year period (in monies). Apart from that, 10 well established fruit trees equates to porn and food in the midterm, to keep your sanity and blood sugar.
But hey, if *space* is what you’re after, that looks like some.
I like the house, it reminds me of a Ninja Yashiki.
Cheers,
ken
Hopefully we’ll grab the keys and get inside this weekend, Ken. If it doesn’t need too much doing to it, OR SWMBO can see the potential, things might start moving.
Would love it to be like that ninja yashiki. Tres cool…
Cheers,
T
Can you post more pics when you get the chance. I love looking at old houses and dreaming. This one is (hopefully) your dream coming true. Good luck, mate!
I’ll put more pics up when I can, Julian. But it’s not really a dream coming true. The roof is good/new, which bodes well for the inside, but Izu insists it’s not for full-time living. Be a helluva bolt-hole, though…
Cheers,
T
OK, Forget fruit trees… If the place does have booby traps and secret doors, I’m sold, too. I like Johne’s idea about grains ducks and orchards. Good luck at the weekend !
ken
The place that we *almost* got last time was full of wacky, endearing suprises, Ken, which is one fo the why we struck ‘em with a fastballer cash offer. Were it not for the sellers son-in-law, we’d be well established by now.
Hopefully, we’ll make it over there this weekend, and survive any traps. One telltale sign might be the what I suspect is the ofuro chimney sticking out the left side of the building. We’ll see.
Cheers,
T
I call “septic tank vent pipe” on that white pipe I see in the picture. Could be wrong, though. Anyway, if the place is a goodun’, and The Gatekeeper says otherwise, I’ll put 2 man forth on the table if any man, excluding KC of course, can match it.
It’s a good dream.
ken
yeah, that looks like the kind of pipe coming outta a khazi to me too.
That looks really nice. Even at $40,000 it’s a steal. Did I read somewhere the DPJ is going to up rice growing subsidies if Japan joins the Transpacific Partnership? Having an orchard and gazing at the moon are all fine and dandy, but think of the amount of rice and vegetables you could grow and sell through your CSA.
Hmmmmmmm. Free money… Hmmmmmmmm. Mixed feelings about that, to be honest, Stuart. Hmmmmmmm.
Cheers,
T
Is this the place in Mito? If so, it`s definitely not too country!!!!! As you said, the shinkansen station is super close and it`s super quick to get into the city as there are hardly any traffic lights. The only time I find it slightly annoying being out of town is when I want to go out on the town but with two kids that doesn`t happen that much anymore and you can make a nice deal with the daiko drivers so you can get home for less than what you`d pay for a taxi! You guys should do it
Quoted.
“Izu, Nikki says `You guys should do it`”
Drip, drip drip, coffee drip, drip drip…
Heh, heh, heh.
Cheers,
T
WOW! That is an amazing looking place. Good luck convincing SWMBO… That is certainly quite a find.
Now that I look closer, check out that little place right behind it in the woods there.. That looks nice too.
That’s where the oni live, I think…
Cheers, brodo,
T
Looks awesome, how can you resist? Seriously? Sea or mountains had always be my dilemma, which one are you? You should turn it into a WWOOF center, selling organic rice and aigamo. By the time you’re my age the fruit trees will be cranking and you’ll be on it full time.
Yeah, I was thinking much the same. Now is the ideal time for you to start off doing something like that. Kids not yet settled in school and open and thrilled by everything. You and Izumi young enough to put the years in, so that, like John sez, when you are my age it’ll be established, productive and your own very LARGE corner of paradise.
It’d be a too-unexpected shift, Julian. Izu was thinking about getting back into the workforce (yay!) this coming April. To make it work as a rice/duck/veg/organic bizness would take too much time, more than we have if we’re both full at it. Thus, the grassing over and planting trees. Far less time-invasive. Slowly, slowly catch the monkey…
Cheers,
T
Paper beats rock, rock beats scissors, and sea beats mountains for me, john. Currently doing a feasability study of “How To Make It Pay”, whilst tying it into “The Mother Bizness” – the goose that lays the *golden* egg…
and if that ain’t enough pushing Julian and I are gearing up to go halvsies on it…er…right Julian?
john e
Cool. New price, 10 mil. Got to factor in my broker’s fee
Heh, heh,
T