The reality of vacant house banks
People who want to sell the family home they inherited
5 things you should know

１I registered but haven't received any inquiries.

The primary operators of vacant property banks are the municipal offices, and they do not actively engage in promotion or sales activities. While many vacant property banks outsource the actual contract work to local real estate agents (licensed real estate brokers), this is inconsistent with the existing real estate business model and represents a major structural problem.

２A brokerage fee will be charged.

Many municipalities have systems in place at vacant property banks where local real estate companies act as intermediaries to facilitate transactions and prevent problems. As a result, people who thought they could sell their property for free are often surprised to find out that a brokerage fee is required.
Furthermore, a rule change in July 2024 allowed real estate companies to charge a maximum brokerage fee of 330,000 yen (including tax) for properties priced at 8 million yen or less. However, even with this change, low-priced vacant houses tend to be a low business priority for real estate companies, and many say they are reluctant to actively pursue such properties.

３You won't be put on the list unless you pack up your belongings.

In most cases, inherited family homes still contain household goods and belongings. However, when using a vacant house bank, a real estate company is involved as an intermediary.The condition for publication is "after all belongings have been packed up."This is the case most of the time.

Removing leftover items often costs hundreds of thousands of yen, and we frequently hear people say things like, "I don't have the money to clean it up," or "My siblings and I argued about who would do it."

４The seller is responsible for repairing any leaks or termite damage.

Vacant house banks often require owners to complete tasks such as "clearing out belongings" or "repairing leaks and termites" before listing their properties, placing an excessive burden on owners. This is influenced by the conservative stance of local governments, who fear being held liable later and therefore try to guarantee that the properties are in a habitable condition. For those who wish to sell their properties as they are, the existing system presents a high hurdle and hinders their utilization.

５The registration process is complicated and difficult to understand.

[From the seller's perspective] Registering with the vacant house bank is an outdated bureaucratic process. You're bogged down in collecting a huge amount of paperwork, passed around from one counter to another, and forced to resubmit immediately for even minor errors. There's absolutely no flexibility, and you're even forced to attend on-site inspections even if you live far away. The reality for sellers is that they're forced to spend an enormous amount of time, effort, and travel expenses just to get rid of a house that's practically free, and it's enough to break your spirit.

[Buyer's Side] Buyers, like sellers, are forced to go through outdated procedures such as paper and stamp-based paperwork and interviews at government offices. What's even more troublesome are the strict restrictions such as "a pledge of permanent residency" and "joining the neighborhood association." Those looking for vacation homes, investments, or DIY projects are turned away outright, and genuine prospective buyers are being driven away one after another by outdated rules that suit the convenience of the local government.