Finding Land - Links

[Zasso Nouka]

Have you ever bought anything from the court auctions Ian ?

[Ian]

Gonbechan - Main pitfall is the property can’t be entered by bidders before the auctions, can only look from outside. So, the details/photos in the auction PDF have to be studied carefully to try and understand e.g. the condition of the property, financial liabilities, and what/who is inside.

Also, often there are multiple parties owning a property and in the case of apartments, outstanding building association fees, which the buyer usually pays unless they can negotiate that with the association.

Oh, and you probably won’t get any keys to the house after a winning bid, so have to replace all the locks unless the previous owner can be contacted and is friendly.

ZN - I’ve only bought one property that way, bid on others and looked at many. City area properties will usually get multiple bids (mostly from companies), countryside ones might only get one or two bids from private buyers, sometimes zero. We were very lucky and could contact the previous owners (two) privately for the keys, they signed off on all the contents with our lawyer and we also got all the original construction documents too.

Here's a video on the subject. https://vimeo.com/27036457

[gonbechan]

Thanks Ian, great tips there and really good video.

[Zasso Nouka]

Thanks Ian,

I had been told that sometimes buying from court auctions could be problematic but that is some really sound advice and should help avoid some of those problems and also good to know you've done it before and not had any problems.

Is it better to avoid properties with occupants inside or is it easy to get them to move out ?

[Ian]

ZN - I’ve heard the legal process through the courts of getting people out of a property is much easier now. Not so in the past. Had a Japanese friend doing that business, buying and then selling court auction properties, well before the Internet, he often had to pay the previous owners to get out i.e. their furniture moving costs and some cash in the hand. That probably still happens sometimes today, just to speed up the process when a buyer wants to flip a property, but the law (court) is on the new owner’s side much more now.
The 981.jp site also goes into it a little here: http://981.jp/contents/en/risk.html#case-02

I’m looking for no occupant places and avoid e.g. Japanese flags all over the walls and doors. Yes, seen some. Just asking for trouble.

[Zasso Nouka]

Thanks Ian,

I guess at the end of the day it is a whole lot easier to buy an empty house. No matter the circumstances I'd feel a little uneasy turfing someone out on the street particularly if they were in a vulnerable condition.

[Zasso Nouka]

Some more links for countryside property

Inaka Style

Myplanst

Inaka Life

Co Co SMA

気賀沢不動産

Inaka Bukken

[Gru]

3 Sites from my bookmarklist:

Tanbakousan

Inaka suumo

Inaka-gurashi

[Chris64]

Jeez! I am such an idiot!
Have been looking for these links and scrolled up and down past it...

[Shizuman]

Gday guys, Just spent the weekend in Ena city in Gifu talking to the akiya bank people and the business support people. Really helpful city and they are willing to help with the whole agricultural land problem too. If anyone is looking in the chubu area take a look at Ena