Australian 25 years in Japan here. real estate here is not what it seems. Local customs and obligations exist for house owners ,especially outside the metropolitan areas. Fees, dues and other payments are requested on your doorstep, taxes can be steep,eg,residence tax, health insurance payments, local school sports days regardless of if you have a child, , condolence payments ,matsuri fees and more. These all vary from place to place but generally that's the deal, Failure to pay results on a bad rep and other repurcussions by the neighbors, Also things like compulsory shrine cleaning days, 8am on a Sunday, once or twice a year. DO it ,every time or things aren't good. Also mould can be an issue, and Japanese homes are built to last 30-40 years and be demolished. The land holds the value, the home is a depreciating asset from day 1.ALWAYS ensure the cement land markers are present before buying land.
Australian 25 years in Japan here. real estate here is not what it seems. Local customs and obligations exist for house owners ,especially outside the metropolitan areas. Fees, dues and other payments are requested on your doorstep, taxes can be steep,eg,residence tax, health insurance payments, local school sports days regardless of if you have a child, , condolence payments ,matsuri fees and more. These all vary from place to place but generally that's the deal, Failure to pay results on a bad rep and other repurcussions by the neighbors, Also things like compulsory shrine cleaning days, 8am on a Sunday, once or twice a year. DO it ,every time or things aren't good. Also mould can be an issue, and Japanese homes are built to last 30-40 years and be demolished. The land holds the value, the home is a depreciating asset from day 1.ALWAYS ensure the cement land markers are present before buying land.