Summary of Share House Cases Utilizing Vacant Homes | A must-read for those interested in operating a share house!
Share houses are becoming popular nationwide and are gradually being accepted as a major lifestyle.
Especially in Japan, where population decline and an aging society are progressing, "sharing" is one of the important concepts for the future, and from this perspective, many people consider "operating a share house."
For such people, I would like to offer the option of "operating a share house by utilizing a vacant home," and in this article, I will introduce examples from across the country.
There are procedures and points to note when starting a share house, but for now, I hope you can get an idea of "there are such cases" and "I'd like to try this kind of share house."
Before introducing share houses that utilize vacant homes, let's first touch on the definition of a share house.
A share house is a rental property where multiple people share one residence. Generally, the kitchen, living room, and bathroom are shared, and private rooms are used as private spaces. There are two types: one where a business operator handles everything from recruiting residents to operation and building management, and another where friends directly rent from the landlord and share. Compared to regular rental housing, the rent is often cheaper, and in many cases, key money, security deposit, and brokerage fees are not required, which has been considered an attraction. However, recently, in addition to cost benefits, it has gained popularity as a place for residents to connect. Concept share houses with a specific theme are also expanding, and many share houses tailored to the residents' lifestyles have emerged. (From: 【Homes】What is a share house? Learn the meaning of share house | Real estate glossaryhttps://www.homes.co.jp/words/s2/525002448/ )
To summarize simply, it refers to a living space where a house or similar property is shared with people other than family members.
Sometimes friends use it together, and sometimes people meet for the first time in the share house.
The benefits of living in a share house are explained in detail in the following article, so please take a look.
What is a share house? Explained with 12 recommended share houses in Miyagi Prefecture!
Here, we introduce the benefits of starting a share house operation by utilizing a vacant home.
This is a particularly important point for those who were considering new construction.
Compared to building a new share house, a significant reduction in initial investment is a key feature, as there is no need to construct a new building.
Vacant homes can also be used for rent rather than inheritance, and in such cases, they are almost always cheaper to rent than new properties.
Furthermore, depending on the vacant home, furniture and appliances might be usable as is, or there might be no need to significantly change the layout, potentially reducing renovation costs.
When renovating a vacant home, it's often the case that local residents lend a hand, and community building can happen from the renovation stage, which is one of the benefits.
The share house becomes a place that even non-residents feel attached to, and those who participated in the renovation may recommend it to others.
However, human relationships are key, so building good relationships during the renovation process is crucial.
The issue of vacant homes is becoming serious nationwide, and utilizing vacant homes contributes to solving local problems.
Furthermore, by taking over and utilizing historical properties, many local residents are pleased with their use.
Many local governments also provide subsidies for this purpose, so there is likely to be a lot of support available for utilizing vacant homes.
Now, let's introduce examples of share houses across Japan that utilize vacant homes.
Even if you're thinking "I want to operate a share house," please consider the option of using a vacant home.
'Engawaya' is a share house in Mitaka City, Tokyo, with the concept of "creating together, gathering together, connecting everyone."
A vacant house built approximately 60 years ago was renovated in consultation with local residents and opened in 2019. Since then, it has served as a hub connecting the community and residents as a "share house that lives with the town."
It operates as a complex type, combining a share house and a shared space, where various events are held in the shared space, and residents and local people grow vegetables together in a shared farm, making it a place where "anyone can easily drop by."
The website also describes "how we operate this share house," which is very helpful for share house management.
Address: 4-18-2 Shinkawa, Mitaka City, Tokyo 181-0004 Access: 30 minutes by bus + walk from JR Mitaka Station Opened: 2019 URL:https://engawaya.org/
'b.e.park' is a share house that operates as a mix of various forms: spice dining, book cafe, event space, and share house.
This complex facility, which started with the concept of "creating a playground for adults," has a restaurant on the first floor and share house rooms on the second floor and above.
have new encounters.
Share house residents can use the restaurant space as a co-working space, and having many accessible areas is a welcome point for residents.
Address: 3-31-3 Soshigaya, Setagaya City, Tokyo 157-0072
Access: 2-minute walk from Odakyu Odawara Line Soshigaya-Okura Station
Opened: 2020
As the name suggests (?), 'Muscle Training Share House Higashi-Ikebukuro' is a share house with a personal trainer.
Utilizing a wooden property approximately 50 years old, it has been operating as a share house with a personal trainer and an attached training gym since January 2023.
It utilizes the spaciousness of 149.30㎡ total floor area across the first and second floors, and combined with its excellent location in Higashi-Ikebukuro, it features a focused targeting of "men in their 20s and 30s who want to train regularly."
The common problem of giving up training halfway when doing it alone is covered by the benefit of having a personal trainer.
Address: 6-32-4 Otsuka, Bunkyo City, Tokyo 112-0012
Access: 6-minute walk from Tokyo Metro Yurakucho Line Higashi-Ikebukuro Station
Opened: 2023
URL:https://kintore-sharehouse.com/
The student-only share house "NK Building" was created with the support of Wakayama City's "FY2022 Subsidy Project for Developing Student-only Share Houses in Vacant Urban Properties."
This subsidy project, with conditions of "up to two-thirds of the total cost of renovation work required to convert to a share house (maximum 2 million yen per room)," utilized the 3rd and 4th floors of a vacant building, renovating them into a student-oriented share house.
By equipping the 3rd floor with a community space including a shared kitchen, and providing three private rooms on both the 3rd and 4th floors, it creates a space where residents can gather and converse while also ensuring private spaces.
This is a good example of utilizing local government subsidies to renovate a vacant home and establish a share house.
Address: 47 Hashicho, Wakayama City, Wakayama Prefecture 640-8215
Access: 8-minute walk from JR Wakayama Station
Opened: 2023
URL:http://www.city.wakayama.wakayama.jp/_res/projects/default_project/page/001/049/448/20220329-2.pdf
Roopt operates share houses utilizing vacant homes in Miyagi Prefecture and Tokyo (as of October 2023).
We will also introduce all examples of Roopt's share houses that utilize vacant homes.
Roopt Ishinomaki Hiyorigaoka is a share house located near the summit of "Hiyoriyama," one of Ishinomaki City's symbols.
The property, originally used as an insurance company's dormitory, was repurposed and has been operating as a share house with guest rooms since 2022.
While share houses typically have one entrance and everyone shares the same space, Roopt Ishinomaki Hiyorigaoka, due to its dormitory origins, has four separate living areas, with several people sharing each space.
Hiyorigaoka is a particularly safe area in Ishinomaki, and some residents choose this share house specifically for that sense of security.
Roopt Okumatsushima in Higashimatsushima City, Miyagi Prefecture, is a share house and guesthouse with 6 private rooms and 1 vacation rental room.
Although it was originally a single-family home, it is so spacious that residents can live in private rooms averaging 12.25 tatami mats, which is uncommon for share houses.
One of its features is the renovation done to increase the number of rooms for the share house, such as adding partitions and replacing fusuma (sliding doors) with walls.
Utilizing the spacious living room, it is also used as a venue for events and workshops, where residents and local people enjoy interacting.
Roopt Shiogama Kaigandori, located a 1-minute walk from JR Hon-Shiogama Station, utilizes the 2nd to 4th floors of a 4-story building, renovated into a share house.
By separating the 2nd floor for common spaces like the living room and bathroom, and the 3rd-4th floors for private rooms, residents can choose between personal time and social interaction.
Additionally, with a guest room next to the 2nd-floor living room, share house residents and guests can naturally interact.
Roopt Shiogama Kaigandori also involved adding and repositioning walls to secure more rooms for the share house.
Roopt Kagurazaka, located a 2-minute walk from Kagurazaka Station on the Tokyo Metro Tozai Line, operates as Japan's first DAO-type share house utilizing Web3 technology.
This is a system where even non-residents can be involved in share house operations, with improvement proposals and discussions taking place online.
As a result of operating as a DAO-type share house, sales increased 1.7 times in one year, and profitability significantly improved.
It utilizes two adjacent vacant homes, with one building serving as dormitory living space and the other as a co-working space and gallery.
Roopt Sumida Kyojima -Cactus House-, located in Sumida Ward, Tokyo, where you can feel the atmosphere of old Tokyo, operates as a student-only share house.
It's a 90-year-old single-story row house with a garden where cacti grow, renovated to preserve its retro atmosphere while providing comfortable living.
Located about a 12-minute walk from Oshiage Station, it's conveniently located for commuting, and the owner hopes that students from various universities will use it and create synergy.
In an era of population decline and rising prices, we anticipate an increase in share houses utilizing vacant homes like this, even in Tokyo.
This time, we introduced share houses across Japan that utilize vacant homes.
In Japan, where vacant homes are increasing and the population is declining and aging, "utilizing vacant homes as share houses" also contributes to solving social problems.
We hope this will be helpful to those who are struggling with how to utilize their vacant homes or those who are thinking "I want to run a share house someday."
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