I'm looking for some reality checks and advice. I’ve lived in Japan for 3 years as a student, but this is my first time navigating the housing market for my family. We are moving to the suburbs for my new job starting in April, and the hunt has been brutal.
I’ve been searching for almost a month and have been rejected 3 times already. I suspect being a foreigner trying to rent a detached house is working against me, but my timeline is getting tight. I need to move in mid-March.
I finally found another unit that I liked but the catch? The current tenant is still living there, and I’m desperate to get it before anyone else so I plan to apply in advance completely blind without ever seeing the inside.
The agent warned me of applying blind. Basically, general cleaning will be done before move-in but there’s risks of minor defects not being repaired. It’s 2011 house so probably no major damages. The property manager is a small company that doesn't solely focus on real estate, and their replies have been slow (maybe cos of the peak season).
I am terrified to push back or negotiate because I cannot afford another rejection right now, but I also don't want to walk into a disaster.
Has anyone signed blind before? What should I realistically expect regarding cleaning and repairs? Are there specific clauses or low-friction requests I can make pre-signing to protect myself without scaring off the landlord? Any advice is deeply appreciated.
by freakfingers12