That Vacant House Might Still Be Livable: The Reality of "Usable Vacant Houses" Revealed by Kakegawa City, Shizuoka Prefecture's Survey Results

To start off, what kind of scene comes to mind when you hear the word "vacant house"?

A wooden old folk house that is leaning and leaking, a garden with overgrown grass, a house that neighbors sigh about, wishing someone would do something about it soon... I'm sure many of you have that kind of image.
Having watched the front lines of vacant house management for many years, it is a fact that I cannot say that image is entirely wrong.

But today, I want to talk about something a little different.

Kakegawa City in Shizuoka Prefecture has conducted a survey on the actual state of vacant houses for the first time in about 10 years.
The results contain some quite important implications for everyone involved with vacant houses. Yes, it's the idea that "that vacant house might actually still be usable."

Since many people might be surprised by the numbers, today I would like to organize the content and think together about what these survey results mean for the field and the market.

First, what was revealed?

The Kakegawa City vacant house survey can be summarized roughly as follows.

The total number of housing units in the city is about 40,017. Of those, 1,869 were determined to be vacant, which is about 4.7% of the total. This is the highest number compared to neighboring municipalities like Yaizu City (1,128), Shimada City (944), Fujieda City (811), and Fukuroi City (714).

And here is where it gets important.

Of those 1,869 units, 1,359 (72.7%) were determined to be "reusable with minor repairs". Furthermore, among those, 1,091 properties (58.4%) were considered "desirable for utilization" as sales or rentals due to good location conditions.

In other words, more than half of the vacant houses are in a state where they can be used if a little work is put into them.

Looking at this, I frankly thought, "I knew it, that's exactly how it is."

What is often said, and the discomfort with it

When the topic of vacant houses comes up, the framing that "dilapidated vacant houses are a social problem" often appears.

Since the 2015 Act on Special Measures Concerning Vacant Houses, news about the demolition of dangerous vacant houses and administrative execution has increased, and the image of "vacant house = a house left to rot" has become firmly established.

Certainly, such properties do exist.
I have also seen firsthand properties that are in a state of causing trouble for neighbors, such as those designated as "specified vacant houses" or "poorly managed vacant houses."

But to say that is everything is not the case at all.

What I have felt on the front lines is that there are far more "wasteful vacant houses" than "rotting vacant houses."

Properties that can be used if cleaned a little, properties that can be lived in as-is if the plumbing is reviewed, properties that can be rented out if the exterior walls are repainted... such properties are being left abandoned for a long time.

This survey by Kakegawa City has truly backed up that intuition with numbers.

How will this survey change the field and the market?

I believe this survey by Kakegawa City is more than just an announcement of numbers.

Kakegawa City Mayor Takashi Kubota commented that "very valuable data was obtained" and stated that it would be used for future factor analysis and utilization measures. This means that the city has entered a phase of seriously considering "how to move these 1,091 properties."

As I see it, I believe this movement will have three impacts.

The first is that the government's intervention points will change.

Until now, vacant house administration has focused more on "how to remove dangerous vacant houses."
Recommendations and guidance for specific vacant houses and demolition subsidies are typical examples.
However, this data has the potential to shift the focus of policy toward"how to utilize vacant houses that can be used."rather than that.

In other words, utilization rather than removal. This is a significant shift in policy direction, and I am convinced that future trends will move in this direction.

The second is that business opportunities for private operators will become visible.

"1,091 properties where utilization is desired" is like the government explicitly saying, "there is demand here."
For renovation companies, real estate companies, management companies, cleaning companies, demolition contractors... for all businesses that have contact with vacant houses, this number can be the starting point for a sales list.

The third is that the existence of the data itself may move the owners.

When an owner receives a notice from the government saying, "Your property has been classified as a property where utilization is desired," their psychology might change a little.
The possibility of "utilization," which they hadn't considered before, can be the trigger to move a decision that has been stalled for many years.

What should you prepare now?

If there is anything you can do at this timing... this is what I think.

First,make it a habit to grasp regional vacant house data.Cases where local governments conduct actual condition surveys, like Kakegawa City, will continue to increase in the future. Whether you can immediately use that information for business decisions will change your head start.

Next,organize your approach to "usable vacant houses."Instead of services specialized for dangerous vacant houses, check again if you have a mechanism to "move wasteful vacant houses."
Small-scale repair support, arranging cleanup and cleaning, rental support, owner consultation counters... specializing in even one of these will lead to differentiation.

And,polish your communication to be close to the owners.To repeat, the biggest reason why vacant houses don't move is the "owner's hesitation." Rather than sales pitches like "Please manage this property" or "Won't you sell it?", an entry point like "What are you worried about first?" is much more effective in the long run.

Finally, a small step you can take tomorrow

If you are a business operator... check if the local government in your area has conducted or is planning to conduct a vacant house actual condition survey.
You may be able to obtain information by inquiring at the city's website, public relations magazine, or the housing/construction department.

If you are a vacant house owner... it is not difficult at all to reach out to a management company or real estate company with an entry point like, "I haven't decided what to do yet, but could you just check the condition of the property?"
You can decide later.
Grasping the condition first is the first step.

So, today I have been talking about how 'there are so many usable vacant houses' based on the results of the vacant house survey in Kakegawa City.

Now that realistic data has been released, how you use it should change depending on your position as a reader.
I would be happy if this serves as an opportunity for you to think about it as a 'personal matter,' even if just a little.

▼ Thank you for reading until the end.
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▼How to start a 'Regional Happy Business' created through weekend side jobs and weekday multiple jobs
'Your business might save the region.'
When people think of vacant house management, they tend to think of real estate or construction professionals.
But in reality, it is compatible with various industries.
In this series, I will introduce 'different industries' that create unexpected chemical reactions with vacant house management.
You should be able to find something that sparks an idea within yourself among the 'different industry x vacant house business' concepts.
Why not start with 'I'm a little interested'? Your sensibilities might be the first step in changing the region.

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