$6000 house in Japan: one year later paying just $150 a year tax

I’ve just passed a year anniversary living in my home in Myoko! I thought it would be great to look at the changes at the house and also reflect on my overall experience.
In this video,
1. I do a walk through and look at the changes.
2. Reflect on the first video I made.
3. Answer and respond to questions and comments from my series.
4. Ditto regarding design decisions.
5. Answered FAQs.
There is entertainment value in the journey but also the added bonus of learning through my experience.
I talk through some of the most common questions and comments throughout and added additional FAQs during the last 10-ish minutes.
Let me know if you have any questions or comments!
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Chapters:
01:39 Rhank you message
02:09 Exterior updates
05:48 Entering the house
12:46 Kitchen
16:42 Downstairs bedroom
23:35 Toilet and bathroom
28:28 Going upstairs
30:30 Guest room
32:17 Main bedroom and office
35:40 Chill room
38:02 FAQs
38:08 How was your first winter?
39:00 How warm was the house?
40:35 What else can help keep the house warm?
41:44 How is living in Myoko?
43:05 Was the house really $6,000?
43:41 Was there any hidden costs?
44:27 Are there other cheap property for sale in ski areas?
46:44 Are there any for sale in Myoko?
47:44 Is Myoko a ghost town?
48:07 How is life convenience in Myoko?
48:33 Is there much to do in Myoko area?
49:07 How much did it cost?
51:34 My advice on buying property in Japan
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SUPPORT ME:)
Buy me a coffee on Ko-Fi: ko-fi.com/mattguy
Instagram: im.mattguy
Special thanks to those wonderful people who recently bought me a coffee!! ☕️
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#renovation #transformation #diy #diyjapan #cheaphousesjapan #renovationjapan #リフォーム　#妙高　#妙高高原　#homerenovation #hometransformation #japanesehouse #japanesearchitecture #myoko #skijapan #japow

[@furanopowdertours]

Hey Matt, you installed the insulation the wrong way. The insulation has a vapor barrier on the side with the writing, this should be facing towards the inside of the house. E.g. in the ceiling it should be the other way around. Side with writing/white plastic sheet should be facing down as the moisture is coming from inside the house (warm) and escaping outwardly (cold) so you have a vapor barrier to prevent this moisture going through the glass wool and causing damage to it over the years. Just google translate the front of the glass wool and it will say vapor barrier etc. Good effort with the rennovating, expecially doing it yourself.

[@anarael7825]

Insulation is the best improvement Thank you for sharing

[@luna55500]

So very happy for you and your house and making your renovations to make your house your comfortable home!! We enjoy your videos. Very calming and the way you video when you're out and about feels as though we're right there!! Very informative thank you!

[@DidiGaga-hm4du]

Tastefully done and decorated. you inspired me!!!! subcribed

[@kawaiiboricua]

I never really comment on videos. This is probably the only one that I'm going to comment on in a really long time, but I've been following your videos and watching you in your progress with this house. It has motivated me to want to travel over there just to see it. I am planning a trip in late December early January to go to Japan and I want to head your way just to see your home. I love seeing these videos and they are actually calm and relaxing to see you do this project. And it motivates me to build on my home here in the states

[@jcolucci1289]

Hi Matt! The paint colour outside, game changer! Everything looks great. I've enjoyed the journey so far!

[@Manley156]

27:32 This silence and lack of industrial noise is fantastic

[@iNVADER84]

Love watching your videos, very therapeutic! Living in the UK we’d be hard pushed to get a garage for 6k. Plus tax is £220 a month! Makes us want to learn Japanese and relocate!

[@Sir......]

youll have to share with us the winter heating bill before and after the new windows and insulation

[@lisasides5988]

I love what you have done with the house. I also need lots of natural light for motivation. Fabulous! Geetings from Las Vegas.

[@mee1492]

I appreciated you showing us around town a few videos back. I would love to see another video like that. Maybe an abandoned property or your favorite property. Thanks!

[@bluryeye1]

Your house is really beautiful, and you got a great buy! Myoko is an amazing area. Love your videos, keep 'em coming!

[@reneesu7200]

Wow, you did a fantastic job! I am also surprised at myself that I watched through this almost an hour-long video, as I don't usually watch long videos on KZbin. It was because you made it so interesting. Japan is my favourite country even though I've only been there once. Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful journey with us. Stay warm, winter is coming!

[@hikikomori69]

Dang, my car pulls 30 amps by itself when charging. They must use a lot if gas and such for heating. Great videos, love them!

[@JWKEL88]

Wow i like the chill room best too because theres more light and views coming in and feel spacious and not enclosed. Definitely my favorite area. Nice insulation on the roof and base of the house but if you could post more videos of the upgrades it could be good for us as we dont need to wait so long for your updates 😂

[@MusingsOfEve]

You have done an amazing job! I am sooooo jealous!!! And getting lots of great ideas for my own house.

[@jlc928]

Looks fantastic Matt. You truly have done a wonderful job. Cheers

[@Rayd1214]

To protect the tatami under your workout equipment you can get a couple of workout floor tiles. They aren't expensive and are good to protect floors for areas like this.

[@JBonniwell100]

Thank you, Matt,

[@MotoNinjas]

I love your videos, thank you for this one. I really want to do something similar to what you have done in the next 2 years. Looking forward to your next videos Matt.

[@glorialongo3034]

Hey dear hope you are well. Suggestion to the small area with the red chair. Move it to the right so that when looking into that corner ur vision won’t be interrupted with the chair but will have space from that left wall to the other side where the chair can be. Luv ur channel and ur personality. Also I liked that u change the direction of ur dining table . Less is better. A mural would be great ! And the color of the outside of the house is amazing brings a state of tranquility. Love it. Stay safe and keep the videos. You don’t have to take my suggestions but would like to hear from u. I also have suggestion for ur entry. To look more tidy.

[@midnightraven4165]

I love your home I think a TV on that wall would be great.

[@JosephRooks]

I just watched your first video yesterday, so from my perspective, wow you did all of that fast!

[@im.mattguy]

Awesome! Thanks for watching! I tried to get the important stuff finished to enjoy it

[@wendyon4517]

Only halfway through but figured I'd comment before heading out. You've got a solid house. Great for DIY renovation. You could move around the tatami so that the ones that are discolored sit under your workout area. Heat pumps are great. We just call them Aircon so I was confused by everyone in Canada calling them heat pumps. We have 4 in our house. I live in Kagoshima. Unlike in Canada (where I'm from) they are cheap to buy. Hehe at all the jackets. My winter jackets are in the loft and haven't come down for years. I just wear polarfleece sometimes with a light winter jacket over it.

[@davemagrel3349]

You have done a wonderful job and you have excellent tastes the way you have done the renovation..... home prices in Canada are ridiculous particularly in Vancouver and Toronto...my grandson in Winnipeg (Population 800,000) just bought his first home -- slab construction, 60 years old, 1100 sq feet for $350,000 and that is considered to be at the low end of home prices here. In the larger cities the same home might be $800,000 to one million dollars. Consider yourself to be extremely fortunate to have the home you have for the final price you put into it.

[@lillianmvargaso4960]

❤❤❤ You have done so well; it all looks beautiful! Lots of hard work- your health is your blessing. Beautiful enjoy; thank you for sharing with us❤ In Tucson AZ or Hades😂

[@dorothyjames5623]

What in the world are we doing wrong in this country. Real estate cost…taxes are insane. You have done a wonderful job ..you have a beautiful home.

[@cremersalex]

The exposed utility meters outside might get damaged when it gets really cold.

[@jongibbons730]

Love your videos, house looks amazing! But going with a vinyl floor in the shower room?

[@neubsi8243]

love it! what a change the new color is! how is the city? do you get lonely as a foreigner there?

[@jjwill9982]

its really impressive. im here still paying for the morgage on a house smaller than yours. its just rediculous the price you paid for a nice house.

[@catherineaw143]

Beautiful job. 🌹👍🏻

[@kosanmr2]

looks awesome!

[@fesc22]

Can you give an estimate as to how much you spent on renovations so far on that beautiful house? You did all of the renovations yourself so you saved on labor but how much was all the material? Love the house!

[@etsukohanajima9526]

Great🎉!!! This must be a house of dream for a man!

[@StarseedMarc]

Tried to donate a coffee, but that platform refuses to accept my card 🙄 Saffa cards don't hold much clout globally 😂 I can support by liking and commenting for now 💪

[@emy1111]

Are you going to prune your momiji? if you would like to start shaping a good time is autumn just as the leaves are dropping.

[@xFrenzi]

I love the grounded reality of this channel!! All we need is the right advice on how to invest in some digital market and we will be set for life. Retirement took a toll on my finances, but with my involvement in the digital market, $37,000 weekly returns has been life changing. Regardless of how bad it gets on the economy.

[@babytruca02]

Hello please how do you make such from the digital market weekly?? Please I really need assistance I feel so down of myself because of low finance.

[@xFrenzi]

@@babytruca02Maria Angelina Alexander I really appreciate her efforts and transparency.

[@xFrenzi]

Giving her my initial savings of $15,000 to invest in a brokerage account was a turning point in my life less 7days. It's been an incredibly rewarding experience..

[@xFrenzi]

After I raised up to 360k trading with her l now own a House and a car here in the states. Myself and my family we are extremely happy🙏❤

[@xFrenzi]

God has used her to save so many families. I remember when I met her at the bank, she was indeed a good woman..

[@fesc22]

Do you work remotely or around the city where you live? The shower room came out looking real nice.

[@proto7688]

How'd you stay motivated? Any plans for starting family in Japan?

[@bguy1954]

i have been watching from beginning and for one main reason at first. My name is Billy Guy and living in Hawaii but WAIT i have a son name NAT GUY who lives in toyko somewhere....funny same names almost..

[@2006Cali1]

Have you thought about a Samsung “Frame” TV?

[@emersonw]

If the humidity is so bad, you should buy a dehumidifier.

[@im.mattguy]

I have around them around the house

[@richs347]

Do you have to have a work visa to live there? What if you are retired and want to buy a house and fix it up just so you can enjoy retirement etc? Since the cost is so cheap to buy and even taxes are so low compared to major cities in Japan.

[@im.mattguy]

I do. You can spend up to 180 days a year in japan on two stints for Australia, NZ, Uk, Canada, US, and most likely other nationalities. You can also find cheap property in major cities in Japan

[@Manley156]

Have you hiked up to that abandoned hotel?

[@jazziecat2354]

WOW!!! 150.00 you would not get that here USA!!

[@KuroDensetsu]

And here I am over in the US, my rent for half the year is what you paid for your house. The cheapest house I could buy costs 40x as much, and property taxes are 10x as much. Time to learn Japanese lol.

[@hikikomori69]

Heck I pay 2/3 of his house cost a month. We ARE leaving the US though. Add the 1/6 of his house cost a month in electric bill in summer and it’s just not sustainable. The US is heading for a crash :( a lot of people cant afford to be alive anymore. 日本語わ勉強しなさい！lol

[@fushisu]

You don't necessarily need to learn japanese to get an akiya/house in japan from what I've gathered, BUT I think anything outside of the whole buying experience you'd probably want to know Japanese. Seems as though the Akiyas prices are increasing more and more as the market gets bigger, I.e more renovation companies and re-sellers are getting into the scene. Anton in japan has some nice information regarding this on his channel, aswell as some other youtuber that works as a real estate agent with the youtube channel as somewhat of a platform to show a bunch of different appartments and houses off for the sellers. He also does interviews every now and then with other realtors and buyers from abroad. Forgot the channel name but can edit it in later on.

[@iancluroe5659]

Lovely house. I found that $70 listing… needs a bit of elbow grease!

[@markhowards420]

13:50 I'd go with both , something like cherry blossom on the wall with tv that has a matching removable cover.

[@HY510Grease]

eyy Tony Hawk in Japan

[@sunnyfamily6094]

How have the Japanese reacted to you owing a house and living there? Would it be different for a woman?

[@he-him-his]

🇺🇸

[@DidiGaga-hm4du]

Are you Canadian or Australian?

[@ApplesWhoDance]

Am I really bad with accents or are you? Because I assumed he was British haha

[@StarseedMarc]

Australian

[@Manley156]

Canadian? lmao

[@HY510Grease]

Tony Hawk is American

[@ApplesWhoDance]

@@HY510Grease Tony Hawk could buy a rural Japanese house and run a whole channel for over a year without anyone recognizing him

[@typerightseesight]

It's kinda cruel you play it off like that's all IT costs. lol.. come on. tell the truth. hahaha