We recently went along to OLIPO Nishi-Shinjuku, which we have featured on the site before, to participate in their study group / house inspection for sharehouse managers.
New sharehouses seem to be opening one after the other these days, and what is surprising is that compared with those of a few years ago, many of these properties are clean, stylish houses in great locations all the while reasonable in rent.
This is good news for people looking for a clean and comfortable place to live, but it is because of the managers, the unsung heros studying day in and day out how to manage a great sharehouse and raising the quality of the property, that this is so.
So, today I would like to take you behind the scenes of the sharehouse industry.
It’s not a bad idea at all for people who love the shared living lifestyle and want to manage their own house one day to come to these kinds of study groups to gather information. Let’s move onto the report.
This study group was held in the living room of newly opened OLIPO Nishi-Shinjuku.
 |
Manager Mr. Tanda spoke about the story behind this sharehouse, the areas they paid attention to and were particular about and current trends among sharehouse tenants while projecting his presentation onto the large television screen in the house.
There was a detailed explanation from the architect who designed the house.
He spoke about being particular about soundproofing and lighting in their design.
 |
 |
 |
 |
| ●This is Room 302 and 402 with the same layout. Room 402 is directly beneath the roof and gets hot easily so they added a ceiling. The windows were made in different sizes taking natural light into consideration, something we amateurs didn’t realise until it was explained to us. |
●This screen door was chosen for its simple design and ease-of-use as well as it not needing any modifications to fit in the house. |
|
Next we heard again from Mr. Tanda, who spoke about what he keeps in mind managing from a tenant’s point of view.
He explained about all aspects including costs, cost-effectiveness and methods of notice.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| ●The laundry and shower are coin-operated, but this brings down other monthly fees (electricity, water, internet). This decision was made after careful investigation of usability and set-up costs, and tenants are able to use the facilities fairly. | ||
What surprised me was when the actual sundry expenses and cost performance data was displayed on a presentation slide for all to see.
However, the venue was filled with industry professionals, after all, and I was also surprised at the amount of sharp, to-the-point opinions and questions such as “A wireless LAN connection may be even cheaper,” “There’s no need to spend that much money on a communal area” and “I think this kind of fixture is better than that kind.”
These questions were followed by the answer that all choices were decided upon out of many options by clarifying their priorities in combination with previous sharehouse experience. It was a study group that would put a seminar to shame.
 |
|
| ●Everyone was listening intently so as not to miss out on anything. |
A friendly reunion amongst sharehouse managers ensued following the study group.
The man in charge of the food was Mr. Daimon, the manager of D-House who we have had the pleasure of interviewing on our site before. It was a surprise to see him there.
※The sharehouse industry is a small world.
 |
 |
| ●Mr. Daimon from D&K House. This is all Mr. Daimon’s handmade cooking. | |
 |
 |
Come to think of it, when D-House first opened he told us that he wanted people who like to cook to live in the house, but Mr. Daimon himself is a really good cook.
Lively chatter then ensued amongst the food and drink with a wide range of topics spoken about.
And I mean a really wide range of topics (laughs)
The thing that left the biggest impression on me talking to everyone at the study group was that as might be expected of an industry in which sharehouses themselves aren’t quite established, information is exchanged freely amongst people managing in their own style about industry trends other company examples.
You could almost say that like attracts like, and I really felt that it is because of these kinds of people with their sociable personalities that sharehouses have become so popular as they are today.
It is good fortune indeed to have a like-minded circle of friends to passionately talk with for hours on end about even the smallest of aspects, such as a storage box in a sharehouse.
※To be honest the atmosphere here was almost like that of a sharehouse itself (laughs)
 |
 |
 |
| ●Hand-crafted dining table and television stand made from the same material. | ●Consideration of cost and design was even put into the shelving. | |
I believe one of the great appeals of living in a sharehouse is that, unlike normal rental properties, many ideas can be incorporated into the house and today’s get together made me feel as though by living in one of these houses one is not simply living their life, but connecting with the world around them also.
Thanks to everyone’s support our site has seen its property listings increase to over 100. It’s been a crazy 4 months losing ourselves completely in this project, but little by little we are coming closer to perfecting the site as we have dreamed it.
We look forward to continuing our efforts in showcasing the finest sharehouses full of fun excitement and encounters that will sure to leave you with great memories, and we hope to have you there supporting us along the way.
