What is a fully furnished apartment?

A furnished apartment is a rental style in which the rooms are rented out with all the furniture and appliances already set up.

For students and single people, purchasing a whole set of new furniture and appliances for living alone can be a significant burden. If furniture and appliances are included from the start, it can seem like a great deal.

By the way, there are no clear standards for properties that advertise themselves as furnished apartments.

There are properties that come with a set of all the furniture and appliances you would need for daily life, and there are also properties that only come with a selection of the furniture and appliances you would need for daily life.

Please note that choosing an apartment that is furnished does not mean that you don't have to purchase any furniture or appliances at all!

When considering a furnished apartment, you'll need to check which properties come with what level of equipment and then find the room that's right for you.

Four disadvantages of living in a furnished apartment

The benefits of furnished apartments tend to be emphasized, but some people regret moving in after realizing, "It wasn't what I expected."

There are four disadvantages to living in a furnished apartment that you should be aware of:

① The rent is higher than properties with similar conditions

If you purchase furniture and appliances in a set, you can significantly reduce the costs of preparing for your move.

On the other hand, the rent is set higher than that of an ordinary rental apartment in the same area and with the same conditions. As a guide, the rent should be around 1.2 to 1.3 times higher.

Even if it's only a few thousand yen, the difference in monthly rent can add up to a big difference. Even if you can save 150,000 yen on furniture and appliances when you move in, if there's a difference of 5,000 yen in monthly rent, the difference in total costs will be zero in two and a half years.

For those who plan to live longer than that, the financial benefits are less.

②Unable to remove unnecessary items

Generally, you cannot choose the furnishings and appliances that are provided by yourself.

Not all of the items installed will necessarily be necessary to you. Even if you do not need something, you cannot dispose of it without permission.

In a one-room apartment for a single person, the space inside is limited, so simply storing large furniture and appliances that you don't use would be a waste.

3. It is difficult to create a layout to your liking

In the case of fully furnished apartments, not only the types of furniture and appliances but also the layout is usually already decided.

Even if you want to redecorate yourself, there is a limit to how much you can change. Even if you think, "It doesn't suit my lifestyle," or "It would be more convenient if I did it this way," you will likely continue to use it, putting up with it.

④Basically all the equipment provided is second-hand

The items provided in a furnished apartment are generally second-hand.

Please be aware that you will rarely have the opportunity to use new items. Some people may feel uncomfortable using furniture or appliances that have been used by others, even if they have been properly cleaned.

Depending on the timing, it is also possible that the device will break down soon after you have barely used it.

Compared to new products, older products may have fewer features. Especially with home appliances, you may find yourself in a situation where you can't use them the way you expected.

You need to understand these risks and decide whether they are acceptable to you.

Four benefits of living in a furnished apartment

Despite the disadvantages, it is true that many people choose to live in an apartment that is fully furnished.

There are four benefits to choosing a property with furniture and appliances. Please carefully consider what it is worth to you.

① Initial costs are low

The advantage of a furnished apartment is the low initial costs.

As mentioned earlier, you can save money on purchasing furniture and appliances when you move in. When you start living alone at university, you have to pay not only the initial cost of an apartment, but also various other expenses such as admission fees, tuition fees, and textbooks.

Many people would benefit if the initial costs of renting an apartment were cheaper.

②Reduce the burden of moving

If furniture and appliances are provided, you won't have to carry these items yourself, which will reduce the physical and mental burden of moving.

Many people think that they have to hire a moving company to move large items such as refrigerators, washing machines, tables, and beds. However, if your apartment comes with furniture and appliances, you will likely only need to move small items, making it easier to complete the move yourself.

You won't have to worry about having trouble securing a mover during moving season or being charged a high fee.

Some people try to carry large items themselves to save on costs, but doing so too much could result in damage to the interior of the room.

Choosing an apartment that comes fully furnished can help prevent these kinds of problems.

3. Smooth moving in and moving out

Furnished apartments make the move-in and move-out process extremely smooth.

As mentioned earlier, it reduces the hassle of moving when you move in, but it will also help reduce the burden when you move out. If you move back to your parents' house after moving out, many people have trouble disposing of furniture and appliances for living alone. You will have to find a company that will take them and dispose of them in a reasonable amount of money.

If you live in an apartment that is fully furnished, you don't need to go through all this hassle. All you have to do is leave it there and move out.

④It's quite profitable for a short period of time

Furnished apartments have low initial costs and high monthly rents. The longer you stay in an apartment, the less economical it becomes, but if you're staying for a short period of time, it's still a good deal.

If you plan to stay for six months to two years, this is a very attractive rental style.

Who benefits from living in an apartment with furniture and appliances?

What kind of people would benefit from choosing a furnished apartment?

Here are five conditions to check and see if they apply to you.

People who want to keep initial costs down

For those who want to keep the initial costs of moving into an apartment to a minimum, apartments equipped with furniture and appliances are a great deal.

In some cases, this could result in a reduction of more than 100,000 yen. The savings on furniture and appliances can be spent on other things.

I think you'll be able to get through this expensive period of starting a new life smoothly.

People who live in Japan for a short period of time due to work

Apartments where you don't have to arrange furniture and appliances from scratch are recommended for people who will only be living there for a short period of time for work reasons.

If everything is set up in advance, you can start your life after moving smoothly. Compared to living in a hotel, you can save a lot of money.

Also, for those who are transferred frequently in a short period of time, the cost of transporting furniture and appliances cannot be ignored. If furniture and appliances are included in the set, there is no need to transport them every time.

People who don't care about interior design

While the high level of convenience is appealing, one disadvantage of furnished apartments is that it is difficult to express your individuality with furniture and appliances.

While those who are particular about the interior are unlikely to be satisfied, for those who just want to be able to use it, the benefit is that it saves the trouble of choosing and purchasing.

People who have no objection to second-hand goods

Most of the equipment provided in fully furnished apartments is second hand.

For this reason, people who are reluctant to use second-hand goods may feel more of an aversion to them than a sense of value. If you have no objection to using second-hand goods and are looking to move in for a short period of time, you are more likely to feel that you are getting a good deal.

If your aversion to second-hand goods varies depending on the item, such as "refrigerators are OK, but washing machines are not," it is recommended that you check what is provided and then compare and consider your options.

People who want to move in immediately

Among properties that come with furniture and appliances, monthly and weekly apartments have the advantage of being easy to move into immediately.

Although the rent is high, there are many properties with zero initial costs, making it easy to move in. For those who want a property that they can move into immediately, properties that come with furniture and appliances are attractive.

summary

Living in a furnished apartment has both advantages and disadvantages.

Instead of simply thinking, "It must be a good deal because it comes with furniture and appliances!", make sure you understand the points to be careful about and consider whether it is really right for you.

If you use them wisely, fully furnished apartments can be a great deal. Why not start by looking for a property that interests you?