One of the most commonly cited reasons why the price of new houses and condominiums skyrocket is the rising cost of building materials due to the weak yen.
But I think there are other reasons.
Just take a walk around the neighborhood and you'll see.
First of all, to build a single house, nowadays you always have to build a nice scaffold.
That alone is said to cost several hundred thousand yen.
Not so long ago, long logs were put together with thick wire, and carpenters climbed along them.
It may have been a bit dangerous, but the client was never asked to pay for the scaffolding.
Now, safety comes first. But it drives up the cost of new construction.
Whenever they do construction to run gas or water pipes to a house, now they always put up a security guard.
Is it really that dangerous? Are there that many burst water pipes and gas explosions?
Without a second thought, safety comes first anyway. Compliance is the top priority.
That drives up the cost of new construction even more.
Add to that, low labor productivity.
I wonder how many tradesmen came and how many days it took just to lay stone and clean up the front entrance of a new house!
Sure, we got a beautiful front porch, but....
Another factor contributing to the rising costs is the structure and practices of the building industry.
The "prime contractor" receives requests directly from the client, which are then thrown to a "subcontractor" who receives a portion of the work, which is then thrown to a "sub-subcontractor" who receives a portion of the work from the subcontractor.
As the prime contractor subcontracts work one after another, the cost of the subcontracting grows rapidly.
Although the main purpose of subcontracting is to reduce costs, the reality is the opposite.
In the past, the building superintendent was responsible for making sure that there was no waste of manpower or work, but now there is no one who is responsible and effective in this role.
As a result, the prices of new houses and condominiums soar even in a bad economy, and salarymen continue to pay off their expensive loans until they grow old.
Can they then lead the "healthy and cultural life" enshrined in the Constitution?
Right now, vacant houses are increasing all over Japan, and there are plenty of houses left over.
We don't have to settle for a "new dream house.
Why don't you buy a used house at a low price and use the money you save to enjoy and enrich your life?
If you are not satisfied with your house, you can remodel it cheaply and wisely.
A newly-built house or a newly-built condominium will become a second-hand property after a few years, and its value will drop dramatically in Japan in no time.
It's not worth spending your precious lifetime on, and it's not worth going heart and soul with.