Why Used Japanese Homes are WORTHLESS!

[@TwoBitDaVinci]

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[@guessundheit6494]

What sort of fed up pile child fondler edits video like that?

[@nicholassummerlee6843]

Hello. Former 大工 aka carpenter in Japan. I built a few homes as well as renovated many. Unfortunately, much of this video is simply incorrect. The average house built in Japan is not different than the average house built in America. The construction method from foundation to framing is almost identical to how we build them in the U.S. They tend to use pole construction rather than stick built though. They’re not building houses that don’t last, it’s that only in the last 30 years did they actually start to build homes that were similar to western ones. Also, when you buy a used home you don’t have to upgrade everything to current earthquake standards. This is just incorrect. A majority of what happens is replacement of tatami style rooms to western ones with modern flooring and replacing mud clay walls with drywall. The reason many people choose to tear down houses instead of renovate is because there was a huge housing boom during the bubble period from the 60s to the 80s. Those houses were built with very dated techniques and were built quickly without the best construction methods. Houses built today are built much better. Another factor is that there is limited land. Sometimes two old houses will be purchased in order build a larger new home or a home with a yard. There are so many factors that are just too nuanced to understand unless you actually lived there and did real estate and carpentry like I have. This video is 80% incorrect.

[@dedyismoyo]

Thank you for saving my time!

[@Walter-wf8kd]

Thanks for the time saved🙏🏽

[@mukkaar]

Good to know.

[@astronemir]

This is most of his videos.

[@zanmatoshin877]

Yeah, figured as much. I've seen Japanese carpentry. I would consider Japanese carpentry to be among the best in the world

[@justinfowler2857]

There's no point in building long term housing in Japan when Godzilla destroys your house every couple of years. 😮😂😂

[@brescalofrio1]

LMAO

[@keepcreationprocess]

What is Godzilla ?

[@harshalshah4685]

Fair point.

[@adamwade1808]

or Rhodan🤣

[@bujmoose3992]

That is why you get a rider on your home insurance covering damage from large radioactive reptiles.

[@Unzem]

Here in the US we get cheap prefab homes that barely make it to 30 years with a pricetag of something they think will make it to 300 years.

[@djchaiwallah]

Where did you buy your house? Because there are plenty of 100-200 year old homes down here in Georgia

[@Koushi82]

Lmao you get tax deduction for each house for business purposes 27 yrs there is a reason. If you don't maintain it the houses lose value a depreciating asset naturally. Houses are inheritly a depreciating asset. Like debeers western side just spam that it's worth alit but it's not

[@dertythegrower]

Not even close to accurate... got a trailer in hurricane central south of Miami, 50k land contract aka private rent to own loan with original owner... 2010.. now double price. Payment was 417 and that includes land and yard with palm trees and shadey back yard.. no prop tax cause the value was below homestead exemption.. same county as Miami. 😅

[@dertythegrower]

Also, prefabs are 40-60k... or higher if you want more stuff you dont really need 🤷‍♂️ nothing light and shippable by road is going to be as strong as concrete or fortified custom built by a contractor that has to meet local standards(miami i said above has higher builder codes for hurricanes)

[@timothydana2726]

@@djchaiwallah didn’t most of Georgia burn down during the civil war?

[@CitizenZero1]

Just in the last year: 1. Roof repair 2. New floodlights 3. Kitchen cabinet resurfacing 4. Gutter realignment 5. Woodwork. It never stops when you own a house.

[@Jerry_S.]

With good materials and maintenance, every few decades for major stuff, such as roofs, house owner here. Also depends where you live I suppose, houses are built to different standards around the world. 👍

[@veramae4098]

Inherited the family farm. Maintenance had been done, but no upgrades -- and the house is 70 years old. Spent over $100,000 so far. Recently decided no more big projects: I'm 71 and probably only going to be able to live here on my own another 10 years. Oh, Grandfather was a master carpenter and built this house. I mentioned to him once how houses were better built in the past and he laughed. "The badly built houses have all fallen down. The only ones still standing are the well built houses."

[@tn18977]

I have a house in Mexico made of brick. I hardly have to do anything, just painting and minor repairs.

[@TheRealZombieWizard]

Probably didn’t need to resurface the cabinets or do any of the extra unnecessary stuff, you did that stuff because you wanted to. Remodeling can be fun but it’s definitely a choice to do that, it does end but you’re making more work for yourself then complaining.

[@Battleneter]

Most States in the US still allow new homes be built using that cheap garbage vinyl roofing tile that only last 20-30 years, when its simply not legal in other developed countries. No idea why this garbage roofing gets so little attention and is still allowed.

[@aikofujita2420]

Hi from Okinawa Japan! Yes! We got an estimate of our home that is built with Concrete about @44 yrs ago (Okinawa does not have the amount of earthquakes as mainland Japan). The estimate was zero for the house even with all the @$200K renovations, but the land had risen to 5x the original amount because we are 3 blocks from the beach and considered a resort area. The Japanese value land over House!

[@henrytep8884]

The key real to all real estate, normally the land is more important than the home because you can homes but you can’t make land

[@ronaldlindeman6136]

@@henrytep8884 That would depend on where a person lives. There are desserts where very few people live. Consider Alaska. There is a large difference in the value of land.

[@henrytep8884]

@@ronaldlindeman6136 I agree with that, but it doesn’t change the fact that land is finite, moreso than a house. But that actually bolsters my argument even more, I’ll correct by saying useful or usable land is valuable because you cannot make more of it. This now makes land even more valuable because now only certain land is valuable versus all land, which is an argument from scarcity.

[@mikedold9900]

Lived in Koza and loved it there! Is it legal in Japan to just buy an older house and not rebuild it?

[@dianapennepacker6854]

Yeah, he didn't really hit on a lot. Like comparing land prices which I assume can be ridiculous due to the sheer lack of land plus density. Then again Japan isn't exactly having a population explosion either is it! So I feel like demographics has a play on this as well. Seems like construction prices are reasonable too which is crazy as Japanese joints or carpentry really are world renowned. I mean I even know of some! Personally if I built a home. It would be made of a concrete shell with wood inside. It needs to be a fortress against imaginary zombie attacks, and people aa well as earth quakes. Also not susceptible to tsnuamis.

[@xiaoka]

A few issues you missed - 1) there are still a lot of new houses constructed on “virgin” land (former rice fields cut up into residential lots) and lots of old homes being left empty to rot. So your ‘replacement rate’ is actually a bit skewed from reality. 2) one reason to abandon old houses and start from scratch is the extremely high cost of demolition and disposal of construction. waste. The derelict house removal represents a high cost compared to just buying a new house on repurposed rice field lots. Tearing down and rebuilding in the same plot only makes sense if you are in a downtown area with limited availability of land.

[@joseph1150]

The inheritance laws also make it extremely costly for property to pass from one generation to another.

[@DDGLJ]

Review how the replacement rate is calculated. It accounts for new houses on unimproved land. It doesn’t literally mean replacing a specific house.

[@xiaoka]

@@DDGLJdoes it take into account the number of vacant houses?

[@DDGLJ]

@@xiaoka it doesn’t appear to.

[@trafferz]

have they passed the new tax law on vacant/neglected properties yet? don't know the details but understand abandoned homes are at a much lower rate than an occupied home. but to get rid of the plague of abandoned homes, especially those that are neglected, there is talk or they are set to raise this rate so especially inherited homes can't sit vacant without a financial burden.

[@nanairomiso]

This video is very well researched but I think there are a few points that are a bit odd? Like mentioning wabisabi? I've lived in Japan for 14 years and have gone to several model home venues to look into buying a home. Wabisabi plays no part in the approach to home buying or building lol That's more in the context of interior design than the actual building. Also, modern homes typically don't use wooden joints because they're expensive and typically reserved for traditional structures like temples. Most new homes are prefabs built in a factory and shipped in pieces to where the home is going to be built. They typically use screws and bolts since these are more resistant to cracking during an earthquake. These older cheap homes that international folk are losing their minds over are cheap because they aren't insulated or are missing other modern fixings (some might still have old Japanese style toilets) or they were built in regions that are too remote for most modern families. This is the problem my husband has with the family home his mother lives in. It's a 4 bedroom 1.5 bath house in a mountaintop residential area. Built in the 90s for about 300k, currently worth about 80k. Because it's on a mountain, it's cold all winter and has to be heated with a gas heater or via ac units in each room. The gas heater will produce carbon monoxide so the room has to be aired every few hours. Once these heaters are shut off, say at night, the temperature inside the house is comparable to temps outside. The train station is 15 min away by car, 45 by bus, and 1.5hrs by train to the closest big city, which is typically where everyone works. As you can see, a lot of concessions have to be made, especially when you don't work in the same city. Luckily, just renting a house or apartment in larger cities is pretty cheap (usually under 1k), and though it's still not insulated (that's a more modern feature for homes here), it's much more convenient because you almost never need a car and can get downtown in 10 min. Now, say you wanted to buy a home in this city where renting is so cheap? Welp, land tax in cities is crazy and you'll easily burn through closer to half a mil trying to get a 70m squared home. Renting in the city is reasonable, buying a home not so much. while buying a home in the countryside is super affordable, there are tons of other hidden (lifestyle) costs. Also, wages have been stagnant for 30 years, which is another reason why housing is more affordable. Sorry for the wall of text! Just wanted to give a bit more context for housing in Japan! It's not a mystic cultural phenomenon, mostly just economics and a country that's been in a depression for 3 decades. The way they take apart wooden structures like temples and shrines is pretty cool tho!

[@anonymoususer3561]

"This video is very well researched but I think there are a few points that are a bit odd?" Nobody said that you thought there are a few points that are a bit odd despite the video being very well researched. "Like mentioning wabisabi?" What? Here is what you should have written: This video is very well researched, but I think there are a few points that are a bit odd, like mentioning wabisabi.

[@nanairomiso]

@@anonymoususer3561 hello anonymous user. Thank you for your unprovoked though somewhat rude input. I don't think it's very helpful though. Take care!

[@LuisSierra42]

@@nanairomiso based

[@mxm7688]

Thank you for real explanation with lots of details, totally make sense for me as im in real estate industry last 14 yrs. Please ignore rude commenters. Take care.

[@peterl708]

I had a lot of questions watching the video - some of the things didn’t make sense. But your comment here is insightful and makes more sense. Thank you

[@nwuk1983]

30 yrs in uk is considered a new build almost. My 100yr old house isnt considered old as half the towns houses are 100s of years old n zero stigma or desirability issues related to their age. People like how solid they are, with better room sizes, high ceilings, n better noise insulation

[@TwoBitDaVinci]

yeah exactly, why I was so surprised with this one

[@aaz1992]

That 800 year old stone house though

[@ThirdLife86]

Heating costs must be horrid. I wouldn't want to move into anything built before 2010 - that stuff is badly insulated. Maybe noise is cancelled out well althoug i have my doubts when comparing it to modern standards when built well and not cheaply like the US Cardboard homes.

[@reanukeeves2k77]

Don’t forget garden size too, new builds usually have tiny gardens

[@carlitox4721]

They have leasehold too. It can be non renewable 50 years. Once you've raised your family, this can just be a used product waiting until the leasehold ends

[@IgorRockt]

"here in the US, we are used to seeing really old houses" - as somebody from Europe: "No, you aren't!" 🤣😂🤣

[@harmonielumiere6450]

yep my house is from 1794... Quite common here in France...

[@zybch]

My gran's house in northern england was a couple of hundred years old, right down the street from a church going back over 1000 years lol

[@Ziegfried82]

Yeah in the USA a house is really old if it's like mine, around 100 years.

[@robertkeyes258]

It depends on where you are, in both continents. For instance, large portions of Dublin are newer than my house in the US, but some small portion of it is significantly older. Going to a city such as Leipzig, most of the city is less than 170 years old, but with some historic monuments being many hundreds of hears old. The oldest wooden building in the US was built in 1636, and only a few Spanish brick buildings in Saint Augustine are older.

[@mal2ksc]

Americans think 100 years is a long time. Europeans think 100 miles is a long way.

[@ET_Videos]

I lived in Japan for about 10 years and continue to visit regularly and there are a "few" things there that are designed to keep the economy in "motion". As you mentioned houses are one of them. The next one is the car industry. The cost to keep an "old" car on the road is incredible high, which in turn has most people just rotating through cars more frequently. I rented a 1970's era house in Japan and that buggah was ready to be torn down, lol. Don't get me into the no insulation or central HVAC.... Though visiting an older traditional style house, that thing was built with nice big thick wood beams and would probably last another 100 years. Japan is such a cool, unique place for sure!

[@chrisharshman5838]

That is quite ironic about cars considering how well built many Japanese cars are, often lasting 200,000 miles or more.

[@ssl3546]

@@chrisharshman5838 It's designed to keep cars expensive to reduce congestion. The lightly used cars are exported abroad. If the goal were to sell more cars the government would tax them less, lower prices = more sold.

[@bartsquared1398]

What's the point of putting some of the words in quotations? Why do you write like that?

[@ET_Videos]

@@bartsquared1398 For emphases, irony, and to draw attention to it.

[@campelodemagalhaes]

In Portugal, in a small city such as mine, building last centuries. Some last millennia. We still use a bridge built by the Romans 2.000+ years ago. Castle is 800 years old. My parents' house is almost 200 years old. All 30 houses from old families (counts/barons/...) are much older than 200 years. Many houses in the center are centuries-old as well. I cannot imagine to live with that 30 years rule!!!

[@NightmareRex6]

companies shoudl build buildigns likme romans and egyptions, it will cost more NOW but it will SVE in long run! but everyone is just now now now now E E E E E on everything!

[@thomaswayneward]

This is the green movement, trying to get you to replace your home with their idea of what a home should be. The home you live in is the best type of home on earth, but the commie greens don't acknowledge that fact.

[@jamesmachado8874]

Sounds like Monsanto?

[@dannypombix9592]

Yes , but y'know what the problem here (Portugal) is ? Our minimum wage is around 700 Euros , but the houses , they are all well above 100.000 Euros. I would rather spend 10K on a house that will last 30 year than ask money from the bank , spend +100k and spend the rest of my life paying the bank back. That's one of the problems of buying houses here in Portugal.

[@thomaswayneward]

@@dannypombix9592 It is a problem everywhere. I built homes for 52 years in Texas. There is no such thing as building a cheap house anymore because raw materials have gone up so much. Inflation, is world wide and the world is becoming more wealthy and demanding good houses be built. It is not going to get better, only worse. Government interference in home building is another reason why they are so high. The actual earnings of the people that build homes have not changed, barely keeping up with inflation.

[@donpeters9534]

Steel Reinforced Concrete - 47 years. The Useful Lifetime is written into the Japanese Tax Code under its Depreciation Rules. Whilst the structure and interiors depreciate, the land does not. The cheap houses are abandoned houses in the countryside, where the old people have died, but the young people have long ago moved to the big city...

[@robtangent4664]

According to the US depreciation rule, it doesn't matter how you build your house, after 27.5 years, your house (structure) worth ZERO dollar. 😃

[@donpeters9534]

@@robtangent4664 In Japan, the building materials used dictates the useful life for straight line depreciation. 22 Years for a Timber Framed Structure 47 Years for a Steel Reinforced Concrete Structure and various other construction materials in between. 15 Years for Interior Fixtures and fittings.

[@olafschermann1592]

Here in Austria i lived in a house built in the year 751- that is over 1200 years old. The only thing that was obvious are the 3ft (1m) thick walls and tiny windows. Not a museum but a regular house.

[@thomaswayneward]

Great.

[@bush-b5330]

Is it haunted?

[@olafschermann1592]

@@bush-b5330 no. Just a little dark.

[@bush-b5330]

@@olafschermann1592 it’s probably haunted but you don’t know it yet

[@bush-b5330]

@@olafschermann1592 But soon you’ll know

[@williamlloyd3769]

Japan is only dense in the areas of the megapolis like Tokyo, Nagasaki and Osaka where jobs are. Young people migrate to larger cities. In the countryside there are a lot of dying villages and towns.

[@squarewheels2491]

Fun Fact: that one of Japan's most important religious sites 'The Ise Grand Shrine' is a true 'Ship of Theseus'. Every 20 years it's demolished and rebuilt at second site using the exact same layout, type of wood, and ancient techniques. So is it over a thousand years old or is it less then 20? It's more preserved then Roman ruins in a way. Even though the pieces are young the temple is ancient. Honestly, i just love the idea of it.

[@tw8464]

Yes this is amazing ❤ beautiful spiritual way

[@DanielJoyce]

Well the problem with lack of affordable housing in the US is that homes became investments. So i dunno, you can afford a home there. You cant afford one here. You can also afford to rebuild homes there for a reasonable price

[@jamesdellaneve9005]

US houses are expensive in high demand areas and not in low demand areas. Add to a lot of regulations in blue cities and that restricts building during times of growth. Now, San Fransisco is in a doom loop and NYC is just starting theirs. That will lower demand. Go to places like Lubbock Texas (still growing) and you can get a nice home for $275K which would cost $1.5M in LA. It’s all about supply and demand, not investment.

[@jamesdellaneve9005]

@@rjohnm666 Exactly. Supply and Demand.

[@Skapo]

@@jamesdellaneve9005 What you're maybe not understanding is that the same home that you would buy in Lubbock for $275k, you would buy in a Japanese countryside for $50k. Supply vs demand isn't the only mechanism here. Japan taxes extremely high on transfer of wealth & corporate ownership of family housing. It's heavily disincentivized to have any single player holding too much of the market. They intentionally design land ownership to flow a bit more freely and be let go of more easily. Their citizens benefit greatly from this approach.

[@jamesdellaneve9005]

@@Skapo Incentives are part of the picture. Here in Cali, your property taxes are fixed to the sale price. A newly purchased house in my neighborhood would fix the property taxes at approximately $25 to $30K per year. Someone that bought their house in 1980 is paying less than $3K. You can see how that drives behavior. Not necessarily supply and demand, but government intervention and incentives.

[@thomaswayneward]

You should learn basic economics. Your first sentence makes no sense at all.

[@nir8924]

9:55 an entire episode about Japanese joinery sounds really interesting

[@ipp_tutor]

I'd also watch that any day of the week!

[@christinasmith9032]

Just gorgeous joinery. Wow.

[@Hugin-N-Munin]

Yes, that does sound like a great idea for a video

[@Skapo]

You missed one of the biggest parts of this equation. There is HEAVY land transfer taxation. Maybe family members refuse to accept homes they inherit specifically because the tax is significant. Similarly corporate ownership of private residence is taxes in other ways like capital gains tax that is in addition to income tax. From my understanding (which is definitely limited) they don't tax private citizens in the same way and often fully exempt up to certain amounts for housing allowances and living costs for average residents. So it costs more as a business to own property than it does as a private resident which helps to curb the mass home buying from institutional investors. In the USA institutional investors in single family home ownership makes up more than 30% of the entire market. In my city of Houston it's nearly 40%.

[@nurlindafsihotang49]

As it should. But if i talk like "corporation need to be regulated so it would not enroached citizen's human right" you'd bet some USAn will called me commie 🤣

[@SuperNovaRider]

This video is very interesting, since from an American-German's perspective living in Germany, US houses are also made rather "flimsy". The thin wooden walls you see in some US homes, where you could kick in the door or even the wall, if you bring enough force, or just crash a motorcycle in it, don't exist in Germany. Also, US houses require a lot of heating since they are only slightly insulated. Of course, that is mostly no problem, since you see such houses more often in regions with higher average temperature. But it does have an impact across the nation, as the houses just aren't built as good as they could be. Also most US houses deteriorate faster than most German houses.

[@thomaswayneward]

Homes in the US "fit" the needs of citizens. Most of the US has a mild climate, and in a mild climate, thick walls do not help at all, the roof is the most important.

[@thomaswayneward]

@Whoredash-b2b I built homes for over 52 years after attending engineering school. Where the people live in the US it is not a desert. As I said before in hot climates the walls are not as important as the ceiling and roof insulation. In cold climates, the walls are important.

[@thomaswayneward]

@Whoredash-b2b Why didn't you just tell the truth to start with, you just don't like Americans. You are very young also, you haven't matured enough to understand the value of experience.

[@johng4093]

Most Europeans have misguided notions about the US and why things are done the way they are in the US. In my experience US houses are almost never torn down unless a much larger home is desired, or the land is desired for other purposes. Wood framed houses are more flexible in earthquake prone areas and easy to install insulation, and we have access to vast areas of US and Canada more suited to timber than anything else, so relatively inexpensive.

[@korlik2142]

If you happen live in Japan like I did you will know how…it comes down to property tax! Japanese can deduct an certain amount of the house for 30years until the value reaches you bet it Zero, after that technically “only the land has value”. If you buy a used house, you can’t deduct any of the value. After that it’s cheaper for the Japanese to build a new house and start the process again. zero interest, declining population, no demand the price go down even more. They house joinery is not make to be torn down, it’s made without nails to be able to handle the earthquakes and settle down again. You need to do a deeper research. New houses in Japan are not much cheaper than in US, you would likely pay the same amount per area, Japanese don’t build 5000sqft homes to brag about it. The house is smaller, that’s why it’s cheaper…

[@ferrellsl]

Italy and Spain were selling off old homes for as little as one Euro. Nearly every one of the buyers now regrets their purchase because most of these homes sat vacant for 10 years or more and the repair costs, taxes and hidden fees to close the sales were exorbitant. These one Euro homes quickly became 200K+ Euro money pits.

[@Hellsong89]

Ou great, yet again its the government that makes everything far more expensive than it should be. Abolish taxes from property you live in or are about to move after renovations and problem disappears, well as enables youth to buy and own their own peace of land.

[@Origami84]

Well, yeah, that was the point. Nothing is free. A solid house, but in a "nowhere" town, still starts at 500€ for sq.m., roughly.

[@LCTesla]

The real gems there are the houses that auction for slightly more (5k-60k range). People buying those tend to end up very happy.

[@nurlindafsihotang49]

....why are people like this. The saying "if it sound too good to be true, it usually because are" not existed for no reason

[@66gtb]

My son and I went to Japan for ten days about seven years ago. One of many things that really stood out for us was how clean everything was. I don’t think we could have filled a small trash bag with the trash we saw. We were walking on a city street and I noticed all the “maintenance vehicles” (like trash trucks) looked new, but weren’t. Interesting county and people. Oh, and after eating lunch one day in a small town, the old woman at the front used an abacus to total our bill. 😊

[@utpharmboy2006]

i want to visit so bad. they seem like my kind of people

[@snowfroten5406]

The abacus got me lol.

[@66gtb]

@@utpharmboy2006 Make sure you have a good translator on your phone. Not many people we met spoke English (or admitted to it). When we first got into the country we were looking for an ATM and asked a small group of people at an intersection. Within minutes there were 10-15 of them discussing it until finally one of them pointed us in the right direction. Very nice people. Also, Go. Don’t make any excuses. We’ve never regretted one dollar we spent on travel. But I know for a fact I will regret not seeing Petra or Machu Picchu when I die, but I’m going to see them.

[@mefobills279]

​@@snowfroten5406Russia uses abacus for teaching math. Their students are high performing.

[@zybch]

The cleanliness thing was most likely you comparing it from the trash-filled places you're accustomed to. My town in southern australia is more or less spotless and its NOT because we have a massive japanese population...

[@OitaOscar]

This is a good video. Well researched. A few things need to be added. Some homes in Japan are in fact hundreds of years old and still livable. (And very cheap, I might add.) One of the reasons old homes are torn down rather than renovated is that Japanese lifestyles have changed drastically over the years. People don't eat at the kotatsu on tatami mats anymore. Instead they prefer dining tables. People want air conditioning, which means lower ceilings. The zashiki and the kitchen used to be on the opposite sides of the house. Now people want a living-dining-kitchen in a connected room. These changes in taste happened in a span of a few decades, and added to the incentive to build newer homes.

[@gabz91110]

I'm a real estate investor and 90% of my portfolio is properties that are between 100 and 200 years old. I love the history, the masonery work, the quality of craftmanship from that time. I love to expose brick and stone wall. Those building are good for at least another 100 to 200 years old. I can't imagine building things that last only 30 years...

[@personzorz]

There is something to be said for actually matching how something is built and how it is used. You also have lots of really shoddy buildings in the United States that are being kept up long after they're falling to bits.

[@randomexploring541]

The 100 year old houses in Utah are only increasing with age and in 20 years have gone from 600K to 800K+…

[@williamlloyd3769]

Minor editing issue, in 1940s, many Japanese cities were bombed / burned during WW2. There was an immediate need for housing after war. Lots of cheap, incredibly cold / hot houses depending on season were erected in 1947-1960s. I would describe it as camping out indoors to my friends. PS - During the 2024 Noto earthquake an entire district of older wooden houses burned. Good riddance to these structures!

[@TwoBitDaVinci]

🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation: 00:00 *🏠 Japanese homes are often demolished and replaced after 30 years, leading to their diminished resale value.* 02:22 *📉 Japan's residential building replacement rate is significantly higher than in the US and Europe, contributing to the short lifespan of homes.* 03:45 *🌏 Various factors such as history, culture, geography, and economics contribute to Japan's practice of building homes with shorter lifespans.* 06:22 *💰 Japan's 1990s credit crunch caused a significant drop in home values, contrasting with the trend of rising home prices in the US over the same period.* 07:17 *🎎 Japanese cultural principles like Wabi Sabi influence attitudes towards home ownership and renovation, favoring functionality over sentimental attachment.* 08:12 *🏗️ Japan's frequent natural disasters and stringent construction codes necessitate the construction of homes that are easy to replace and upgrade, contributing to the cycle of demolition and reconstruction.* 10:03 *🔨 Japanese mastery of silent deconstruction techniques allows for the dismantling of buildings without dynamite or wrecking balls, contributing to efficient urban renewal.* Made with HARPA AI

[@JeffGilligan-q7t]

The well-built house I grew up in (built in 1940) for $11,000, is now valued at $750,000. and is well preserved.

[@randomexploring541]

There’s 100 year old houses in Utah that are in the earthquake zone on a fault line, but are on the historic registry and illegal to tear down; you have to get permits to restore the house and the houses have to be remodeled a certain way.

[@nurlindafsihotang49]

100 years is old? ....damn, even in south east asia it take 300 at least to be considers old

[@Tenajeh]

Homes shouldn't be investments at all. They are homes, meant to enabling life, give people shelter and safety and a place to express themselves. They are not dead gold bars rotting away in some box waiting to be sold. If you buy a house for X and sell it 30 years later for X/2, that is okay. You lived in it which means you have gotten your value out of it and the object has aged and worsened its condition. That's how it should work.

[@thomaswayneward]

What do you mean, that's how it should work? Don't you believe in reality?

[@alexandernikolaus3451]

That's a very wasteful point of view, houses should be investments and should be able to get passed through the generations.

[@ironhell813]

I agree, the “investment” a house should be is as a domain and not a commodity. The time of use should be considered the dividend. Commodifying land for any reason other than acquiring it should be illegal.

[@alexandernikolaus3451]

@@ironhell813 if you have no property rights then you have no freedom, if no value is retained it's a waste. If you can't pass your wealth on because some communist makes it illegal then you are a slave. Just because you don't build something doesn't mean you can complain about someone else who did, or because their parents or grandparents did and passed it on. Just because you start at the bottom of the ladder doesn't mean you can't climb.

[@andremarques3317]

if homes should not be investment, what should be? Almost every investment, except for things like pokemon cards or NFTs (basically, collectibles), are investments exactly because they are expected to bring something to people in the future. The point of an investment is exactly because we expect something to have more value for people in the future

[@stevenqirkle]

Another thing worth mentioning is insulation and energy efficiency. Older homes are poorly insulated, drafty, and frequently heated with kerosene space heaters (which are terrible for air quality and also a fire hazard). Newer homes tend to be all electric, using heat pumps for heating/cooling and IR ranges for cooking. Living in a well insulated modern home is just so much more comfortable and convenient than living in an older home.

[@korlik2142]

While working in Japan few years ago I talked to a Japanese coworker about houses not being insulated…his answer still ecoes in my mind …”what do you mean? Winter is cold, and summer is hot, that’s just how it is, you can’t change nature”….the Japanese approach to nature is total alien for the western mind…

[@kansaIainen]

I live in Finland in a wooden house which is once demolished, moved to another location and rebuilt in 1921. I don't know how old the house was when it was demolished and moved.

[@_.Username.Not.Found._1]

My house was built by my grandfather in 1949. 75 years later, ive put about 20k$ into it (siding, windows, roof, gutters etc) and its as good as the day it was built

[@dohminkonoha3200]

Renovation in Japan is difficult. Like upgrading Toyota carola of 90 to new Prius2024. And Toyota is actually house builder.

[@aaz1992]

That "deconstruction" is mind-blowing! I've never seen or imagined anything like that. Wow...most amazing thing I've seen in a long time

[@thomaswayneward]

If the home is well constructed, it is the most stupid thing I have ever heard. You can be sure the government has something to do with it.

[@gregparrott]

It's funny to hear "we're used to seeing really old houses", and then show the home at 1:43. Its architecture suggests the 1930's - 1940's. The homes in the neighborhood where my parents lived were built in the 1880's. All of them still stand today, and are in excellent condition. People living in, say, Philadelphia, will commonly be older than that But even at these ages, they're nothing compared to homes in Europe. There, it's pretty common for the homes people currently live in to be from the 1700's. In relative terms, I considered homes in the U.S. to mostly be 'tear-down'. However, Japan's alleged '30 year' rule just reset the dial on 'tear-downs'.

[@MrHugemoth]

Interesting. As an exchange student in 1969 I stayed with a family in a 200 year old home in Kanazawa.

[@ipp_tutor]

As stated in the video, the 30-year rule applies to more modern buildings. A 200-year-old home would fall into the "culturally significant" category, IMO

[@GeeVee_Black]

@@ipp_tutor Except at 12:00 where he states the lifespan is 50-60 which is "in line with the rest of the world"

[@judithwood6419]

they have earthquakes the ground moves. So their houses have to be replaced every so many years and all the buildings. They get cracks and stuff in them because the ground is moving. The moisture and the stuff in the air and a lot of houses are mostly wood just like here in the United States but we have a totally different situation here than over there the place where the houses should be temporary in the United States is on the west coast because they have earthquakes and the ground moves.

[@violetatcontentboutique7188]

that's what i like about tiny homes on wheels ... or even maybe a little larger than tiny . say 500-800 sq ft?

[@keithnisbet]

Question, does the low price of old houses include the land/lot. If so it still seems like a very reasonable purchase. I wonder if there are any smaller pre fab homebuilders in Japan that would also meet modern codes in order to economically replace the old structure if it were too expensive to renovate or build new.

[@flygyro8]

In Japan the house building industry employs a lot of people and does not want to build houses that last too long in order to preserve employement in that sector, like other industries in Japan as well. Preserving jobs and avoiding social unrests is a very strong aspect of the Japanese culture.

[@acement1]

Broken window fallacy.

[@Demopans5990]

@@acement1 When you live on an island where earthquakes keep destroying everything...

[@johng4093]

I don't know why they make cars that last so long if that's their philosophy. 🤔

[@BVRacingandDrifting]

If you can talk about the timeframe of general automobile ownership in Japan, you find out it is around 10 years with very low miles. What happens to them after ten years? They most likely will go to auction for cheap and sent over seas. Then the owner will buy a new car out of a practical financial decision.

[@Hellsong89]

Yeah that part sucks. My dream would be buy property outside the city, build traditional Finnish loghouse since those are rather good resisting earthquakes and have Skyline as daily driver, but due their vehicle tax system having that skyline is pretty much out of the question.. hell those cost astronomical sums even outside of Japan due shipping. Cheapest was 2K€ for titles essentially ice racing frame with small block engine, all banged up. Road legals go from 8K€ upwards. Aussies have cheaper due close proximity... but who the hell would want to live in that continent.

[@nurlindafsihotang49]

​@@Hellsong89🤣🤣🤣 dude, why you gotta be like that to those 'roos?

[@gordonborsboom7460]

They impose the same life limitations on automobiles, requiring them to have a tough, stem to stern safety inspection after a few years, basically capping the life of their automobiles. This means that new vehicle demand will always be present. The car enthusiasts on other continents benefit from this by being able to buy up gently used cars at a low price as they are too expensive to certify after a few years

[@grettirgrattmards2348]

Here in Iceland we talk about "investing in concrete" when buying a property because the code here is all houses must have the steel reinforced concrete outer walls of at least 30cm thickness built on a concrete slab. Prefabs and lumber houses are allowed for single story houses if they're on a 70cm thick concrete slab. Property prices has gone up by 11% per year on average since 2000. A basic shithole condo will cost you at least $400k

[@FreedomTalkMedia]

Wow, I would not want my house on a slab. If much prefer a basement.

[@fjorddenierbear4832]

Haha - 400k for a shithole condo sounds like Norway. You can get a shithole condo in Bulgaria for 40k and sub-20% total tax burden in most cases (7.5% personal income tax as a freelancer, but also a bit of social security and retirement contributions). A brand new 3-room condo of 100m2 in a good building non-centrally may run you 150k EUR, but it's waaaay better than shitty Western Europe.

[@flamingmoe1805]

Try Canada, $600k to 1.2 million depending where you live. $1.4 for something nice

[@dontcallthemliberals3316]

interesting. 30 cm concrete walls are the bare minimum required to protect you from nuclear fallout.

[@deanchur]

@@dontcallthemliberals3316 I was thinking a lava flow from a volcanic eruption

[@nickl5658]

also note the very frequent earthquakes and typhoons. It puts a lot of wear and tear on a house. Nobody wants to live in an old house that could collapse on you because the support beams finally give way after 40 years of earth movement. Thus japanese houses depreciate in value the same way a car depreciates in value. Also the doors in a old house may not swing shut any more, and the sinks no longer drain right because the house has become tilted after 30 years of earth movement.

[@kaede_yuna]

1:44 "really old houses in the US"... My european instinct just smiling hehe

[@1p4142136]

There is a difference between land and house. The land usually appreciates in value and the house usually depreciates in value.

[@funnyfarm5555]

Our house is now 89 years old for the part that is the original floor plan. Previous owners added on to in the 1970's. partial fire in the late 1970's, Supposedly repaired and remodeled the kitchen at that time. Added 4 feet to front of house in 1982. We bought in 1992. In 2000 weTore 2/3 of top story off , fixed lied about fire damage repair in attic area, pushed 2nd story out to outer walls eliminating dormers and leaky roof. When we repaired and remodeled in 2000, we took care to do things that would have the house last another 70 to 80 years or more. Word of advice; If you are buying any house; be sure to get a pest and dry rot inspection and a complete home inspection from a very competent company/ inspector.

[@1414141x]

Builder from UK here. We have houses in most citys and towns that are hundreds of years old. Even the old timber frame houses can last if cared for. Stone built can last fo hundreds of years as well. Modern practices that are two distinct fields - timber built (on conrete pad) and block and brick built on concrete footings. The block built (concrete blocks) will last longer than timber built. Britain is damp so timber can be prone to rotting. Not an ideal material in the UK, but cost of build is cheaper. The house I am renovating at the moment is brick built with solid 9" walls - its about 150 years old. Why America has gone down the route of timber houses I don't understand. It's mainly European forefathers built stone and brick houses initially - but that seems to have disappeared.

[@thomaswayneward]

The best way.

[@danieldaniels7571]

Simple answer: $

[@nurlindafsihotang49]

From asian in south east asia, that's cute🤣

[@JBoy340a]

Not a lot of Earthquakes in the UK. Japan is part of the Pacific ring of fire with volcanos and faults. Imagine if a UK house moved 1/2 meter to the left and in 2 second back to the original right. My guess is many home would be a pile of rubble. Same reason they do not put many basements in houses in earthquake prone areas.

[@1414141x]

@@JBoy340a That would be an experience !

[@nicholasayres3265]

Producing quality that lasts is one of the key mechanisms that we must use to take the climate crisis, and such planned short life times seems to me to be counter productive. Having a small number of vital things that last is a key to a future.

[@thomaswayneward]

What climate crisis? Hope you haven't bought into the lies of the climate/commie/nuts.

[@johnk-pc2zx]

So you're a nuclear power fan then.

[@EskiZagra]

Earthquakes and concrete life. Earthquakes appear every other day, small or big. that shakes the foundations of heavy concrete buildings. Lighter, wooden ones are more resilient and cheaper to do. Also, concrete like in Japan was rated at 35 years I believe. After that it is considered unsafe I guess? Which is strange; I am pretty sure it can last longer based on materials used like type of sand.

[@BGP369]

You missed a big cause of houses breaking down in Japan. Houses built after approx 1970 have inadequate (or in many cases, none at all) airflow in the subfloor. This leads to rotted foundations after 10-30 years. The insects will eat the subfloor wood and work upwards into walls. Once they get there, it isnt worth fixing. This often doesnt occur in houses built before the war. If the roof tiles are maintained to prevent water leaks, you can see structures last hundreds of years. You can see this when visiting temples here. They maintain the structures properly and it has proper airflow, so the wood stays dry. If you go back a little further, you will find a wood called Keyaki that is used for structural materials. Extremely hard. heavy and dense. Nowdays its all Pine (Sugi), cheap, lighter, and not dense. Easy food for bugs. This further prolongs the lifespan of the structure.

[@pwu8194]

What good is it to buy a cheap home if you can't get a resident visa?

[@nextinstitute7824]

"Here in America we're used to really old houses". Hahaha this guy 😂 he really needs to start traveling.

[@stickyfox]

I challenge you to find any property for sale in the USA, Canada, Asia, or Europe; that's reasonably and fairly priced right now.

[@stephengreen8986]

My dad's two garden sheds are 70 years old. He has replaced felt and painted. Both still in use with electrical wiring. Both dry and in good watertight order. No earthquakes yet though.

[@TokyoTraveller]

Japan is not the only country selling old homes for a very low price/ Countries like Italy is selling homes for one Euro. People buy them and fix them up. For Italy, it's to bolster population numbers, but the homes in Italy actually tend to need just as much repair work as the Japanese old homes, if not more.

[@robertkeyes258]

I find this interesting, as my house is 115 years old. Some of my relatives in Europe live in houses that are over 400 years old.

[@stevennope8864]

You should look at some old Amish barns. The joinery is more strictly functional versus artistic, but the barns are often half a century old or older, with many probably 100 years plus.

[@SMGJohn]

There houses in Japan that are 500+ years old, built extremely well, large wooden beams, they are even designed to withstand Earthquakes. Everything can be built to last, but the cheap housing in Japan is by design, it keeps the market healthy, construction companies are kept afloat by this scheme, build over and over again constantly, makes good money being a carpenter in Japan

[@thomaswayneward]

How does it keep the market healthy? The money used to build a new home could be invested in something that is market driven instead of government driven. That would be healthy for the economy.

[@SMGJohn]

@@thomaswayneward Because of simple mechanics called supply and demand, if there is no demand that means bankruptcy, the construction companies in Japan rose after WW2 to great power, their wealth and influence was pretty massive in the 1960s and 1970s. However as houses back then were built a lot sturdier and better, these companies started facing stagnation, because in Capitalism everything HAS to grow, without growth there is stagnation and then there is collapse. So to solve this, the companies influenced the government to mandate housing to be replaced every 10 or 20 years because of "Earthquake safety" And thus that allowed construction companies to keep afloat, because they have a steady income flow and growth can be achieved. This is entirely privately driven sector, the government has very little to do with it other than demanding housing to be demolished after certain period of time for safety reasons, well artificial safety reasons. The Japanese housing sector is entirely market driven, the government does not build housing, its private companies. The market only invests in things that can make profit, capital accumulation. Thats why you never see Capitalism investing in infrastructure, schools or hospitals, there just not a lot of money to be made in these things.

[@RockitFX1]

This is so wasteful, especially when you consider the time & skill needed for all of the fancy woodworking.

[@wafercrackerjack880]

You didnt finish the video yeah?

[@Alex_Plante]

Interesting. I live in Canada, and the house that my grandmother and mother grew up in is almost 200 years old. It's a wooden house. It experienced major renovations in the 1920s, 1940s, 1970s and around the year 2000. I've never lived in a building that was younger than 50 years old. My current house is 75 years old.

[@Tugela60]

If you live in a high value real estate market in Canada there are very few houses that old. Anything older than about 50 years get demolished and redeveloped.

[@Alex_Plante]

@@Tugela60 I guess you've never been to Montreal.

[@Tugela60]

@KastorFlux It is called depreciation. After 50 years the value of your property is the land, the structure on it only has nominal value.

[@Alex_Plante]

@@Tugela60Not if the property is well maintained. Maintenance counters depreciation.

[@Tugela60]

@@Alex_Plante No, depreciation is depreciation.

[@hoboonwheels9289]

Land fill must be a nightmare with disposable buildings.

[@rockets4kids]

You should do a video about how those 100+ year old timber-framed homes are being disassembled and re-built, sometimes half way around the world.

[@CandycaneBeyond]

5:50 so why here in usa do we put a trailer on a lot that's cheap and then have to pay a lot fee?

[@johnmalaihollo]

Oow snap I think you are on time with this video...at least for me...wow thanks guys!❤

[@GordoGambler]

My great-uncles house built around 1950 was just demolished. They were very small at the time. But there's a trendy area here near DT that was built in the 1920s, grand 2 story homes. Many of these have been jacked up to build modern basements. It's THE place to be on Halloween. Damn new houses are made with glue board sheets. VERY unsafe in a fire. Lucky if you have 2 minutes to get out. The floor beams will collapse very fast. Old 2x10s would last half an hour likely. Houses were built with fir until the forests were gone and replaced with half as strong spruce.

[@tomlawrence1335]

As someone that used to build homes in the usa, they are the same way here. They are built to last maybe 30 years, then youll need a new roof, siding, windows, plumbing, heating,cooling, posssibly electric. The quality of new builds is atrocious.

[@loupdeguerre]

and here I am living in the south of france in a building at least a hundred years old if not more... Though to be fair that got it's own share of trouble too, but at least I don't have to tore and rebuild nearly the entire home every 30 years.

[@tomlawrence1335]

@loupdeguerre to be fair our old homes were built pretty good too, natural air flow, thicker walls, better material.

[@OKOKOKOKOKOKOK-zn2fy]

You can float a house on bearings so that the home's inertia will keep it still during an earthquake. I've seen it done in Mexico and it works quite well. When the ground shakes, the house is relatively still. After an earthquake, they secure anchored winches to the structure and drag it back onto its original position if the ground or the house has moved. Repositioning can be accomplished in less than an hour. There is an elementary school in Mexico City that is three stories tall that has been built like this. It floats.

[@blipco5]

I’m sorry but MIT is dead wrong about newly built US homes lasting only 50-60 years. Many small homes are ripped down because the property values have skyrocketed but otherwise they’d last as long as they’re maintained.

[@addham82]

With maintenance many things would last longer.

[@htopherollem649]

​@KastorFlux ever heard of landslides? not all hills are permanent, especially with the ways intense rain/flooding events have been increasing worldwide.

[@argeldelacruz9545]

Roofs are important and foundations. The rest is easy

[@barbarabrooks4747]

Some of the old homes in the rural areas are well made. It's great for farmers and retirees.

[@TundeEszlari]

You are a very good KZbinr.

[@JS-jh4cy]

In Canada if you take a bathroom break, housing goes up 2,000 dollars more

[@bradlkt]

Houses in japan is not for speculation. It a home

[@ZeroBlackfire]

*this is before I watch the full video* But based on what little I do know about Japanese culture, its that they value land quite a bit. Since they dont have alot to begin with, its relative value is *much* higher as a result. So yea you gonna get that house dirt cheap, but they gonna get you on some sort of land tax....

[@kilburnvideos]

Excellent summary.

[@ninjaturtle6106]

Buildings built in the last 20 years are even more porous. They are mostly made from recycled iron n steels. And the quality of every building materials are literally like mashmellows.

[@JS-jh4cy]

Do any Japanese homes in rural areas come with acerage? Like upto 3.5 hectares?

[@fran.fndz.techart]

That’s depended of area, rural yes. House near train station or popular lines trend to evaluate more after 8 years (around 100 - 200k) . That’s land only. The house itself depends of many factors, for example if you buy a Sekisui 積水 house, the value of the house barely go down, now if ur house is brand XYZ. Well then it will mostly evaluated at 0. I recommend mansions for investment, one we got for 350k 10 years ago is selling for around 600 k. But we plan to rent it for 2k.

[@MCC876]

If a wooden home is taken apart and not demolished, what is done with the material?

[@canadagood]

I own and live in a small cottage in a small Canadian town. It was first occupied in 1916. It has a lousy foundation and is built of simple wooden materials. But it has been expanded, rebuilt, repainted and remodelled many times. I find it astonishing that Japanese homes built with far better craftsmanship and materials are torn down and thrown away in far less time.

[@thomaswayneward]

The Japanese government has everything to do with it. The Japanese in the US don't tear down their homes ever thirty years.

[@user-hm5zb1qn6g]

Deconstructing a tower. Now that is super cool. Loving these videos.

[@benbrown8258]

I desperately, desperately wonder about the rate of homelessness in Japan as compared to the US? I will mark this video to make sure I come back to see if anyone knows. Is it worse or better if housing is designed by intrinsic function to leave people behind as in the US? (how else can you have value?)

[@benbrown8258]

I came back... So sad, .. Americans might do well to read Matthew Desmond's book and get a glimpse behind the curtain of American home value.

[@chhindz]

One difference might be in Japan homeless have healthcare.

[@UkrainianPaulie]

It is because Godzilla rampages there all the time. 😂

[@TwoBitDaVinci]

😆

[@musicfuhrer]

A few things.... 1. You forgot that it's hard to move to Japan. They are very particular about who they allow to live in their country. So, you can't just move there and buy a property at whim. 2. If you are allowed to live in Japan, you can't even apply for permanent residency until you have lived there for ten years. Unless you marry a Japanese. 3. It's difficult and complex for foreigners to buy property in Japan, as hardly any Japanese lawyers want to risk using non Japanese in legal matters. 4. Saying that, I recently bought a steel and concrete modern apartment overlooking the Pacific Ocean and above tsunami level for 25,000 dollars equivalent. It has a hot spring in the basement, great neighbors and fantastic weather. Free water, and 24 hour security and free parking. It is perfect, and similar properties would have been unaffordable in my own country. 5. Unlike you I live in Tokyo. I can tell you what it's really like, but it's fun listening to your quaint American opinions. Good luck.

[@garydorfner6695]

It might be that an easier reason is that Japan had negative interest rates for the past 20 years. So if you buy a house at $100K, the NPV is $10K.

[@garydorfner6695]

the corollary to this is that if interest rates are turning upwards, there may be a huge opportunity in buy Japan Real Estate.

[@jkid4855]

Shocked that you went into this subject that's usually reserved for Japan-vlog channels.

[@thomaswayneward]

There is a reason, you are smart to notice what is wrong with the video. It is supposed to be a mind changing, or brainwashing on the green agenda. That is why the whole thing is so stupid and never really gives the real facts.

[@christoz77]

I imagine banking loan laws have a lot to do with it

[@MrKbtor2]

My cousin bought a cottage near a ski resort that was dirt cheap since Japanese aren't really into the cottage life. However with all the weight of the snow accumulations it was collapsing in multiple spots.

[@mariannorton4161]

This is flat amazing. Just amazing. They have left us all behind when it comes to innovation. Great video.

[@michaelwren5087]

Here in the UK the median age of houses is 65 years and people normally assume houses will last at least 100 years or more. We recently moved to one of the few newer houses in the village built in 1972 from a 100 year old house. Most date from the beginning of the 20th century and some are up to 400 years old. The latter will not lose value. The biggest problem for the UK is that all this old housing stock is expensive to insulate to modern standards.

[@タコの王]

Financing also plays a part, if you’re borrowing, the bank values the asset at 30 years, I.e. after 15 years the bank will only lend half the original value. In addition to this Japan’s weather is wild, most of the country will experience snow fall in winter with temperatures below -5c and summer temperatures consistently over 30c with 80% humidity. Because of this housing standards are important, houses built today share no resemblance to construction 20 years ago. Today’s houses have a sealed and insulated foundation with spray foam walls and attic, heat recovery and filtration systems. Highly efficient and very comfortable throughout the year. 1970’s house has gaps everywhere, cold or hot air blows straight though the building, heating and cooling costs a fortune. Tatami floors require this airflow from under the house to manage humidity…..it’s a nightmare in winter.

[@NightmareRex6]

so yea makes sense, like if i was on one those islands in hawai that cosntaly gets volcanos and tsunamis, i would just build a cheap thing that is temp and just let it blow away, but lets say the volcano will never erupyt againa nd the tides will be calm for 100s years? now all suddenly will awnt to build somehtign that last long.

[@wpjohn91]

As some ome from the UK were the housing stock is limited. Most of it is very good quality. Except 1940-50 and 2008 - now. Seeing houses going down in price is crazy. I am sitting in a flat converted from a 1880s house

[@brutusmaximus5380]

Well if its near a fault line or earthquakes are common, you just want a roof over your head that you can rebuilt cheaply every time an earthquake happens.

[@Xyronium]

When we talk about high real estate prices in the west we're really talking about high prices of land not the structure of a houses. Just a basic size building lot in San Francisco would easily cost between 500,000 and 1 000 000 USD. It might seems strange that Japan would have more land USA, Canada and Australia but they actually have much less strict zoning regulations that allows to turn family house into apartments very easily. That way there is enough housing supply in cities where people want to live.

[@scottjohnson9225]

Korean houses are built great as well.

[@patrickradcliffe3837]

Hmm... After watching closely Tokyo Llama renovate 1970's era akiya bank home that had been vacant for a few years. To me the construction and foundation was still sound. Even carpenter's commented on the excellent condition of their home during renovation. What I haven't heard was the current value after the renovation.

[@tw8464]

The earthquake / environmental situation influences culture, thinking and policy. Think about it, if your house had been in a few earthquakes, it could affect the structure, even if don't see anything visually. So it makes sense on that level to just replace the homes on a more frequent basis. As the video says, it makes more sense in Japan to be able to rebuild quickly and cost effectively.

[@Andriastravels]

One important issue is the location - public transportation is very important, and access to job centers. Houses away from good transit access are no longer wanted. These tend to be the low price houses we hear about.