For Home Buyers
Buying a home is about more than finding a property.
What kind of life can you build in that place?
What costs or issues might arise after the purchase?
Does the property truly fit your budget and the way you want to live?
Rokken Real Estate supports buyers of land, existing houses, and condominiums from the property search and purchase decision through contract and closing.
We look at each property from both real estate and architectural perspectives, helping you understand not only its advantages, but also the points that deserve careful consideration.
Rather than rushing you to make a decision, we want you to be able to choose with confidence.
That is how we support home buyers.
Thinking From the Buyer’s Perspective
Every real estate transaction has a seller and a buyer.
Even when they are looking at the same property, what matters to each side is different.
For the seller, price, terms, timing, and completing the transaction on acceptable conditions are important.
For the buyer, the question is different: Does this property fit the life you want to live? What costs, restrictions, or issues could arise after purchase? And after understanding those things, is this still the right property for you?
Property advertisements and sales materials are designed to communicate a property’s features and appeal.
That information is important.
But it may not be enough to understand what living there will actually mean after the purchase.
That is why we believe buyers also need someone who can organize the information from their point of view, identify what should be checked, and help them make an informed decision.
How Rokken Supports Buyers
At Rokken Real Estate, our work is not simply to introduce properties.
We begin by asking not only where you want to live, but how you want to live.
Not only how much you can borrow, but how much you want to spend on your home and your life around it.
We start by organizing those questions together.
When you find a property you are interested in, we do not look only at the price or location. We help you consider whether it is truly the right property for you.
Depending on the property, this may include legal restrictions, land and building conditions, condominium management, future construction or renovation costs, and the surrounding environment.
We explain not only what is attractive about a property, but also what you should know before making a decision.
If, after reviewing the information, we believe it may be better not to buy now—or that a particular property may be better left behind—we will explain why.
Our goal is not simply to complete a transaction.
It is to help you understand the information you need and make a decision you feel comfortable with.
Different Properties Require Different Questions
Land, existing houses, and condominiums each need to be evaluated differently.
Land
When looking at land, size, shape, and price are only part of the picture.
Road access, boundaries, level differences, retaining walls, ground conditions, water and sewer infrastructure, and legal restrictions can all affect what can be built and how much it may ultimately cost.
We consider the land together with the future building and related construction costs, so that a property that initially appears to fit the budget does not become unaffordable once the house is included.
Can the home you want actually be built on this land?
That is something to understand before you buy.
Existing Houses
With an existing house, it is important to look beyond the location and floor plan and consider the building itself.
We review available information about the building’s condition, renovation history, seismic performance, signs of leaks or deterioration, additions or alterations, and its relationship with applicable laws and regulations.
When necessary, we also consider whether further inspection by an appropriate specialist would be advisable.
If you are planning renovations after purchase, the property price alone is not the full budget.
We also consider the likely renovation and repair costs.
How much of the existing building can be retained?
What work may be needed before you can live there as you want?
We think about the property with life after the purchase in mind.
Existing Condominiums
With a condominium, the unit itself is only part of what you are buying into.
The condition of the building’s management, reserve fund, long-term repair plan, history of major repairs, management rules, parking arrangements, and pet policies can all matter.
If you are planning to renovate the unit, it is also important to confirm whether the work you want to do is permitted under the building’s rules.
We look not only at the room itself, but also at how the building has been maintained and how it is expected to be maintained in the future.
Looking Beyond the Purchase: An Architect’s Perspective
At Rokken Real Estate, we consider home purchases from the perspectives of both a first-class architect and a real estate transaction agent.
For land:
“Can the home you want actually be built here?”
For an existing house:
“How much of this building can be retained and used?”
For a condominium:
“How far can this property be adapted to the way you want to live?”
The value of an architect’s perspective in a property purchase is being able to look beyond the real estate conditions and consider the home that comes after them.
At the same time, having an architectural perspective does not mean every problem can be solved through design.
Is this a condition that can be worked with creatively?
Is it something that should be resolved before purchase?
Is it worth accepting the additional cost?
Understanding those differences matters.
Whether you are considering land, an existing house, or a condominium, we look beyond the question of whether you can buy it.
We also ask:
What will life be like after you do?
The Purchase Process
Buying a home does not necessarily begin with searching for properties.
We first talk about the life you want to create and how much you want to spend on your home.
From there, we organize the process together.
The order may vary depending on the type of property and whether you are using a mortgage, but the general process is as follows.
1. Tell Us About Your Situation
We ask about not only your preferred area or property type, but also your current lifestyle, future plans, and budget.
It is completely fine if you have not yet decided between land, an existing house, or a condominium.
We can begin before you know exactly what you are looking for.
2. Organize the Budget
We consider not only the purchase price, but also transaction costs and any construction, repairs, or renovation that may be needed after purchase.
If you plan to use a mortgage, we can also help organize the financing options and borrowing amount as needed.
The question is not only “How much can I borrow?”
It is also “How much do I want to spend on my home?”
3. Search for Properties
Once the priorities are clearer, we search for land, existing houses, and condominiums that may fit.
You are also welcome to ask us about a property you found yourself.
We look beyond the checklist of conditions and consider whether the location and property could support the life you want to live.
4. Visit the Property
When a property looks promising, we visit the site.
We look not only at the property itself, but also at roads, surroundings, neighboring properties, and other things that may not be apparent from the listing materials.
5. Check Before You Buy
Before making a purchase, we review the information needed to make a decision.
What needs to be checked differs between land, existing houses, and condominiums.
We organize matters such as legal restrictions, land and building conditions, condominium management, and costs that may arise after purchase.
Then we consider together:
“Is this the right property to choose?”
6. Make an Offer and Discuss Terms
Once you decide to proceed, we submit an offer to purchase.
We organize and review not only the price, but also the handover date, contract terms, and other conditions that should be confirmed before moving forward.
7. Important Matters Explanation and Sales Contract
Before signing the contract, we review the Important Matters Explanation and sales contract.
Our role is to help you understand the contents and resolve questions before you sign.
8. Closing and Handover
The transaction concludes with payment of the remaining balance, transfer of ownership, and handover of the property.
If you are using a mortgage, we coordinate with the financial institution, judicial scrivener, and other parties involved.
Our work does not end when a property is found.
From the first consultation through the purchase decision, contract, and closing, we support the entire process from the buyer’s perspective.
Brokerage Fees
When Rokken Real Estate acts as your broker and a sales contract is completed, a brokerage fee applies.
The maximum brokerage fee is regulated under Japan’s Real Estate Brokerage Act and the fee limits established by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.
At Rokken Real Estate, the fee is calculated as follows and is paid at the time of property handover.
For properties priced over ¥4,000,000
(Purchase Price × 3% + ¥60,000) + consumption tax
For properties priced over ¥2,000,000 and up to ¥4,000,000
(Purchase Price × 4% + ¥20,000) + consumption tax
For properties priced at ¥2,000,000 or less
Purchase Price × 5% + consumption tax
If consumption tax is included in the building portion of the sales price, the brokerage fee is calculated based on the price excluding that consumption tax.
For land and buildings priced at ¥8,000,000 or less, a special rule may allow a brokerage fee of up to ¥330,000 including tax, taking into account the costs required for the brokerage service. If this rule applies, we will explain the amount and details in advance and agree on the fee with you before proceeding.
Other costs may also apply, including registration expenses, mortgage-related costs, stamp tax, and settlement of property taxes.
From the beginning of your property search, we help you consider these expenses together with any construction or renovation costs so that you can understand the overall budget.
Start With Where You Are
You do not need to have everything decided before beginning a home search.
Land?
An existing house?
A condominium?
It is fine if you do not know yet.
It is also fine if your budget is not fully organized, if you do not yet know when you want to buy, or if you simply have one property that has caught your attention.
Start by telling us what you are thinking about now.
What kind of life do you want to create?
What matters most to you?
What are you uncertain about?
We will listen and help you organize what to think about next.
Rather than starting by recommending a property,
we start by thinking about how you want to live.
That is where Rokken Real Estate’s support for buyers begins.