In these cash-strapped times, wouldn’t it be great to move into a brand-new house and not have to pay security fees or rent for two years? Wouldn’t be even better if it were a house built entirely to your specification and tastes?
Home building agency SuMiKa and employment website Wantedly are working to make that a reality for three lucky people with a unique promotional event. Anyone who enters could win a chance to design a house and live in it rent-free for two years.
To enter you must go through the Wantedly website using your Facebook account. From there SuMiKa will select three people and send “offer letters.” These people can meet with the agency to discuss their share house desires. If all goes well, the building will proceed.
When it’s complete you can move in and live there without paying any rent whatsoever for two years. On top of that you also don’t have to pay any deposits or the landlord gratuity known as key money, which anyone who rents in Japan can tell you can add up to a fair chunk of change.
SuMiKa provided three examples of the “ideal share house” to give people an idea of what they can do.
■ Nature Share House
Live off the grid in this green share house with vegetation growing all inside and out of it. Powered by solar lighting and conveniently located in Tokyo, you can even grow your own food at home.
■ Cat Share House
This house is designed with a cat’s comfort in mind. Perches and litter boxes conveniently located throughout guarantee that a furry feline friend will always be in reach of cat-loving residents.
■ Nudist Share House
Don’t hide anything with this wall-free design where tenants can let it all hang out and live free of shame. Once the heavy burden of clothes is lifted, your mind can truly be free to pursue other interests.
Although these are only example ideas, SuMiKa attached Facebook likes and Twitter links to each one. The Nudist Share House was a clear winner with 525 likes while the Cat and Nature Share Houses trailed with 124 and 156 likes respectively.
The Nudist Share House does seem intriguing. Considering it’s a share house, this could be a good way to repel potential roommates and keep the whole place to yourself. However, it also has the potential to backfire terribly. Perhaps these ideas could better achieve a free house to yourself with less risk.
■ Gangnam Style Share House
Live life in true Gangnam Style with this home which plays Psy’s smash hit 24 hours a day in every room on an endless loop. Perfect for those studying the Korean language, or at least the few dozen words in Gangnam Style. Dun dun dun nuhnuhnuh♪
■ Lucky Lock Share House
Great for puzzle fans, each tenant is given a janitorial caliber key ring with 100 different keys and every door is fitted with locks that change randomly. Learn to slow your life down and smell the roses while you finger through your jingly treasure.
Of course, these would have negative consequences for you too, but it’s a small price to pay for a free use of a free house. Go ahead, make a cool one and have to share it with a bunch of schlubs.
Source: SuMiKa via Netlab (Japanese)
Key Image: Amazon