Column · Apartment-hunting tips · No.22

Reasons why you should compare including management fees and common service fees

If you only look at the rent, the total amount will change due to management fees and common area fees.

When looking for a property, it's easy to only look at the rent.

But rent is not the only amount you actually pay each month. It is important to compare the monthly totals, including management fees and common service fees.

What are management fees and common service fees?

Management fees and common service fees are expenses used for the maintenance and management of the common areas of the building. Related to entrances, hallways, elevators, garbage storage, cleaning, etc.

Although the names are different, from the perspective of the tenant, they are the same expenses that are paid every month.

Even if the rent seems cheap, the total cost may be high.

For example, a property with a rent of 80,000 yen and a management fee of 10,000 yen will have a monthly fee of 90,000 yen. The total cost will be higher than a property with a rent of 85,000 yen and a management fee of 3,000 yen.

If you only look at the rent as a search condition, the actual payment may differ.

Initial costs may also be affected.

Security deposits, key money, brokerage fees, etc. are often calculated based on the rent.

Therefore, the initial cost may change depending on the breakdown of rent and management fees. However, the monthly payment must be considered in total.

You can see the total amount during the examination.

During the tenant screening, it is common for the ability to pay not only to be determined by the rent but also by the monthly total amount including management fees.

When deciding on a budget, think in terms of the total amount you can pay each month, not just the rent.

summary

When comparing properties, it is important to look at the total price including not only the rent but also management fees and common service fees.

Even if it looks cheap on the search screen, the monthly payment may end up exceeding your budget. Be sure to compare the properties you're interested in side by side based on the total monthly price.

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