I was talking to my wife the other day and found out that she thought the condo we are currently living in is a rental.
When I came to Japan, I had explained that I owned my own condominium, but I guess I didn't get the message right.
When I was young, the idea of buying a house (including a condo) never crossed my mind.
I commuted to work from the house my parents rented for the first two years after I graduated from university, but after that I lived in company housing all the time because I was often transferred.
Although it is possible to continue working as a temporary employee after retirement, the company regulations require that I move out of the company housing.
So at the age of 59, before retirement, I had to rent an apartment by myself for the first time in my life.
I was told by the real estate agent that I needed to have a joint guarantor or sign a contract with a rent guarantee company to sign the lease.
It was hard to find a co-signer, so I ended up signing a contract with a rent guarantee company. The application was approved, but I had to pay a guarantee fee to the company. I think it was about half of the rent.
Moreover, they need to renew the contract every two years. This means that at the time of the biennial renewal of the lease contract, I will have to pay not only the renewal fee to the real estate agency but also the guarantee fee to the rent guarantee company.
So you're going to have to pay renewal fees and guarantee fees for the entire time you're renting an apartment.
If I quit my job and become unemployed, there is a possibility that I will fail the rent guarantee company's examination.
If this happens, I will have to find a co-signer, which can be very troublesome.
When I move out because I am old, I hear that sometimes the landlord will not rent a room because of your old age.
With that in mind, I decided that buying a used condo would be safer than renting.
As long as there is nothing wrong with the condo, I won't be evicted.
So I decided to look for a suitable place to live.
After searching for a place within commuting distance to the office, within a 10-minute walk from the station, and within walking distance to supermarkets, I found the condominium where I live now and decided to buy it with cash.
The building is over 30 years old, but it is well maintained and will last well into my lifetime.
Even if you add up the cost of remodeling the kitchen and toilet, such as getting new ones after the purchase, the price would pay for itself in 7 to 8 years.
I've been living here for four years now, and I've had no problems.
Above all, it is good for your mental health to have the peace of mind of knowing that you have food, clothing, and shelter.
I bought the condo as my final home, but things changed when I got married to my wife.
What will we do with this condo when we build a house and move to Cebu?
Do I want to keep it in my possession in case something happens, or do I want to sell it, determined not to return to Japan?
I think that's something we can decide at the time.
