Plain explanations of terms that appear in property listings.
- Deposit (shikikin)敷金
- Money held by the landlord and refunded at move-out minus restoration costs.
- Key money (reikin)礼金
- A non-refundable payment to the landlord at signing. Many listings now have none.
- Maintenance fee管理費・共益費
- Monthly fee for common areas, paid in addition to rent.
- Guarantor company保証会社
- A company that guarantees rent in place of a personal guarantor; initial fee 30–100% of one month.
- 1K / 1DK / 1LDK1K / 1DK / 1LDK
- K = kitchen, D = dining, L = living; the number is the count of bedrooms.
- Floor area (exclusive)専有面積
- The area for your exclusive use, excluding balconies.
- Building age築年数
- Years since completion. “New” means under one year old and never occupied.
- Disclosure statement重要事項説明
- A legally required briefing on the property and terms by a licensed agent before signing.
- Brokerage fee仲介手数料
- Commission to the agency: up to one month’s rent (rental) or price × 3% + ¥60,000 (sale), plus tax.
- Mortgage pre-approval住宅ローン事前審査
- A preliminary bank check of how much you can borrow, usually 2–3 days.
- Coverage / floor-area ratio建ぺい率 / 容積率
- Limits on building footprint and total floor area relative to the lot.
- Zoning用途地域
- Land-use zones (residential, commercial, industrial) set by city planning law.
- Gross yield表面利回り
- Annual rent ÷ price, before expenses.
- Voluntary sale任意売却
- Selling with the lender’s consent at near-market price when mortgage payments cannot continue; better than foreclosure.
- Leasebackリースバック
- Sell your home and keep living in it as a tenant of the buyer.
- Foreclosure auction競売
- Court-ordered forced sale of property; typically 60–70% of market value.
- Transaction type取引態様
- The agency’s role: owner/landlord, agent, or broker.
- Restoration原状回復
- Repairing tenant-caused damage at move-out; normal wear is excluded.