Japanese Apartment Searching

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When I made the appointment with the realtor...she immediately called me back to change the time.  Then this afternoon she called to change the time again...I told her that no I couldn't do 1:00 compared to the 2:00 that we scheduled and it seemed to put her off a bit.  I was pushing making the 2:00 because of Noah's nap time.  She mumbled a bit either in English or Japanese..no idea...and then finally said..okay..I see you 2:00..bye...and then hung up.  It made me wonder if this is normal or did I have an appointment with a flaky realtor?  Either way I saw this appointment as a way to check out a real Japanese apartment and see some of the real culture of the country.  We shouldn't have any issue getting housing on this base...hopefully...so this is just jumping through housing hoops.  She arrived right on time and helped me install Noah's carseat in the backseat of her car.  She handed me the info sheets/layouts on the two apartments we were seeing...both were under 950sq feet.  We chatted on the way to the first apartment, which was about 20 minutes by car from the base and 10 minutes away from the train station.  She said that her last name isn't Japanese because she had an American husband.  However he died soon after they were married and before he could teach her English(she spoke enough but not completely fluent).  I am assuming that she was a GI bride and they never got the chance to experience marriage with one another.  She did say that she has a son...don't think he is married...as she didn't mention anyone else or grandchildren.  Her voice turned softer and her facial expression changed when she mentioned that she once had a husband but now a son.  Such love they must have shared for her to still get the love struck face after all these years...even though they only spent a short time together.  She was in love with Noah and I am sure that she would have made a wonderful grandmother.  I asked her a few questions...finding out the city is 7km long...seems short but this would probably take you a few hours to drive.  I also asked about peek traffic times.  Both apartments were the same just minor differences in the kitchens and square feet.  As you entered there was a master beedroom on the right with a closet and on the left was a second bedroom without a closet.  Each bedroom ranged from 5 to 6 square meeters.  Then down a narrow hallway with closets along the way and then a room with a toliet and sink.  The bathroom was next sharing a wall with the room with the toliet.  Then the kitchen...right around 4 square meters.  Then a living room ranging from 10-11square meters.  Then was the Tatami Room...both about 6 square meters.  This room as tatami mats on the floor(mats with .5inch reed type material weaved together)...The room has sliding doors that can be closet for sleeping.  This room does not have closets but it has room for two(crib-sized) matresses to be put in the wooden frames in what would be the closet area...one on the floor and one about waist level on me...bunk beds.  And each apartment had a balcony.  There is no possible way that our furniture would fit...and in American standards we would be living in a super small space for four people.  Our apartment in Va Beach was 1200 square feet and these both were quite a bit smaller than that...and now we'll have bean.  However...if we were single or only had one child it would have been perfect.  The first apartment was super nice and looked brand new...next to a school and had a large courtyard area for children to play in...down on the bottom floor (it was open in the middle with just roofs covering the apartment wings).  Both of the rents were just around 2700 USD a month...pretty normal here.  In Japan, an agent can only show you the listings for their company...so you have to see a lot of different agents to look at many apartments.  Also you must pay the landlord one month's rent, security deposit is also one month's rent, and the agent fee is one month's rent plus a percentage of the rent...so just to get the keys you must pay in this case 8100 USD and then also pay your first month's rent...so a total of 10800 USD in this case.  That gives a whole new definition to the American sense of a "qualified renter"!  She had an appointment on base, which is why she wanted to make it earlier, to sign a housing contract.  The realtor has to come on base and sign paperwork with the Navy in order for the housing option to be approved.  I took a few pictures but my cable is in my suitcase...so whenever that shows up I will post them on facebook.  Zack asked me when we were out in town Sunday...if I was happy.  We often ask each other this question and then take that time to unload if something has been bugging us or to bring up an issue to discuss.  I asked him...do you mean in this moment or in general...he clarified saying both...and added happy being here.  I answered that yes I am happy now, more than happy with us, and yes I am happy being here!  He nodded in agreement.  Zack never "bonded" with living in Virginia because he was gone most of the time...he never considered it his home.  I loved it there and yes some of this was a personal choice to learn to love it because it was my home.  And when we left in May...I left with tears in my eyes.  And I am surprised with the feeling of home I'm already having here...this is going to be a wonderful experience for us.  The military lifestyle has added so much to my character and just me as a person because I choose to see it as chance for personal growth...Zack also has this attitude and therefore our marriage has grown into something that is beyond amazing through our experiences.  We are looking forward to new experiences here and the impact they will have on our marriage and us as individuals.