Mansions – How to search? Real estate agents? Online resources?

[HankNeva]

I’m a little frustrated by real estate agents. They seem to have their own ideas about what to show you. Sometimes they don’t show something near to them they should know about…I’m not sure why. I’m thinking I should go to more than one agent, but that could get complicated.

To supplement working with an agent, are there any good online resources when looking for mansions for sale? That way I can go to the agent and say I’m interested in a particular property.

Here are two large real estate companies that allow you to see what is available online in your area. Do you know any others that are nationwide but allow you to specify the area?

Misui

https://mfrt.rehouse.co.jp/

Century 21

https://www.century21.jp/

Also, I found this website which tells the name of the mansion, size, fees, average cost, photos, etc.
It’s quite good but doesn’t show mansions that are currently for sale. Map view works quite well.

https://www.rejn.jp/en

Are there any other good resources I should know about?

Thanks!

[Tōhoku]

I find that athome is a good website for viewing properties all around Japan:

https://www.athome.co.jp/

Good luck!

[HankNeva]

Thanks! AT Home has some properties the others don't.

[sutebayashi]

I’m a little frustrated by real estate agents. They seem to have their own ideas about what to show you. Sometimes they don’t show something near to them they should know about…I’m not sure why.

Going from my rusty recollections about rumours I recall from when I was searching for property, I think one reason is the real estate agents have an incentive to try to match buyers and sellers and earn both the sales commission as well as the purchase commission. It’s a matter of making 100% or only 50%, if they show you properties that other agents have on their books.

It seemed like shady business indeed, and in the end it was some clever and tough dealing by my spouse that got us a property we were both happy with.

[Gulliver]

I’m a little frustrated by real estate agents.

I had a good experience with TOKYU LIVABLE.
I walked into one of their offices with a big pile of print outs of places I had found online that I was interested in. My guy went through them one by one and identified the ones that were just fake listings to reel you in (a practice of some of the more unscrupulous agents). All in all a good experience and they seemed more above board and professional than the others I had visited.

[HankNeva]

I’m a little frustrated by real estate agents.

I had a good experience with TOKYU LIVABLE.

Thanks, I will check them out.

[Tokyo]

For searching real estate, specifically chuko manshon, I like to start with SUUMO. Just make sure to first set whatever your desired parameters (area, cost range, no. of rooms, floor area, orientation, age, distance from schools & transport, security, etc) to narrow the choice down to a manageable number of maybe 50. When we bought our manshon we had a shortlist that we uncovered ourselves and the agent showed us other properties based on similar characteristics. His suggestions were good as they were unlisted but we eventually bought one we found online ourselves through the agent.

For high quality properties, Nomucom (by Nomura) is the place I go to for drooling over dream homes that I still couldn’t afford even if I won the summer jumbo lottery. Twice!

[HankNeva]

For searching real estate, specifically chuko manshon, I like to start with SUUMO. Just make sure to first set whatever your desired parameters (area, cost range, no. of rooms, floor area, orientation, age, distance from schools & transport, security, etc) to narrow the choice down to a manageable number of maybe 50.

Thanks! I will check them out.