RetireJapan

You know those monthly management fees and maintenance fund contributions you pay when living in a manshon? This is (sort of) a question about those.

First, get yourself in this mind frame: You want to buy an apartment in a manshon with lots of added extras. A place with reception staff on-site 24/7, and with an in-house restaurant where you get subsidised meals (basic fare, nothing fancy), and with one of those huge daiyokujo communal baths in addition to the regular bath in your apartment, etc. Sort of a cross between a manshon and a hotel. Those kinds of features... you like them, you want them, you will use and enjoy them on a day-to-day basis.

Now, how much would you be willing to pay per month in total (including the aforementioned management fees and maintenance fund contributions)?

Not how I would look at it.

The price is the price. Is it worth it to you? Bear in mind that manshon fees tend to go up over time, and there is no guarantee those services will continue to be provided in the future.

Here's where I want to be...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CVucnt46ww

(jump to 1:25 for the communities)

This place might not be bad, either.

Tho from what I gather, you can check out any time you like, but you can never leave.

This question is a personal preference one. What would I pay for a reception desk, occasional discount on basic meals, and access to a big bath? Very little. But hey, if that's what you value, just run the numbers. How many times would you eat, how big is the subsidy, and how many times would you use this bath? Then look at comparables, a meal at Ootoya, say, or a bath at your local sento.

I've seen listings where these costs top 100,000yen/month, usually either bubble-era "luxury" condos or newer high-end buildings, which can be very luxurious indeed. The cost will depend on how many units the building has... the more units, the greater the denominator to cover those costs. They will usually calculate it on a per-sq.meter basis as well, so the bigger your individual unit, the more you pay.

When I rented a manshion, I paid one fixed price per month for rent (apart from utilities, which were billed separately by the utility provider).

Why aren't maintenance fees similarly included in the mortgage/purchase price?

Foremost wrote: ↑Thu Feb 17, 2022 11:06 pm When I rented a manshion, I paid one fixed price per month for rent (apart from utilities, which were billed separately by the utility provider).

Why aren't maintenance fees similarly included in the mortgage/purchase price?

Your landlord was paying the maintenance fees out of your rent.

Manshon fees are usually maintenance (cleaning, electricity for common areas, staff -our manshon has a manager and several cleaners, etc.) and the repair fund, which is funded through monthly contributions and tapped for repairs and maintenance to the building.

These costs are constant and ongoing (and often rise over time as buildings get older or the number of occupied units goes down leaving fewer people to spread the cost). There is no way they could be included in the purchase price.

RetireJapan wrote: ↑Thu Feb 17, 2022 11:38 pm...
These costs are constant and ongoing (and often rise over time as buildings get older or the number of occupied units goes down leaving fewer people to spread the cost). There is no way they could be included in the purchase price.

Constant? Some of it, yes. But I've also heard that for major repairs/refurbishing there can be special assessments. I'm not sure how that works (voting, approval), but it can happen. I've also read that a change in management companies, or change in the contract maintenance company, can affect the fees. New buildings are known to have low fees, and some years down the road they'll at least be raised.

RetireJapan wrote: ↑Thu Feb 17, 2022 11:38 pm These costs are constant and ongoing ...There is no way they could be included in the purchase price.

The first part I understand, but not the second. I lived in the same rental manshion for 10 years and the price of rent never changed. Either the landlord was willing to assume an increase in maintenance fees or those fees remained flat.

After many years, I'm sure developers have plenty of data to show avg maintenance costs over the life of a building. Why couldn't those be built into the purchase price?

captainspoke wrote: ↑Thu Feb 17, 2022 11:05 am Here's where I want to be...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CVucnt46ww

(jump to 1:25 for the communities)

Someone really should check J G Ballard’s grave plot. Because if that hasn’t brought him back..

In terms of shared facilities I think those are good for people in the city. I’ve visited friends to have BBQs in their communal spaces and such. It’s the Times Car Share of housing! Others live in places with rentable guest rooms. How that works when 200 grandparents want to visit on Sports Day weekend I’m unsure of. (Maybe it’s like Charlie and the chocolate factory.)

But that Disney thing explains why Black Mirror isn’t shocking anymore.