Plain terms for what Settle Japan does, what it does not do, and what you get if you pay for something. If anything here is unclear, email me and I will explain it rather than point at a clause.
Settle Japan provides relocation consulting, property research and English-language buyer support. Settle Japan is not a real estate brokerage, law firm, or administrative scrivener, in Japan or anywhere else, and does not broker property.
Brokerage services are handled by licensed real estate agencies in Japan. That includes property-specific professional advice, offers, advice on what to offer, negotiations, contract terms, statutory disclosures, contracts, representation in the transaction, and closing. I do not perform any of those, and nothing I send you should be treated as though I had.
This is the paid service. It includes:
It does not include, and cannot include:
My research narrows a large market down to the options that best fit criteria you supply. The judgment about which property to buy, and on what terms, is yours, made with the licensed agency.
Remaining in the shared conversation through closing means continued research, organisation and English-language coordination from Settle Japan. It is included in the Property Path fee. It does not mean that Settle Japan represents you, brokers the transaction or performs the licensed agency’s work.
Partner agencies are independent, licensed businesses. They are not employees, agents or subsidiaries of Settle Japan, and I am not responsible for their work, advice, fees or conduct. Your agreement for the transaction is with them.
When I introduce you to a partner agency, I may receive a referral fee from that agency if your purchase completes. It is paid by the agency, not by you, and it does not increase what Settle Japan charges you. I am telling you this because you should know it before you rely on an introduction, not after.
An introduction is not a recommendation that you buy anything, and it is not a warranty about the agency. Do your own diligence on any company you transact with.
Fees are shown on the services page and are payable up front unless agreed otherwise. The Property Path package period begins when you pay and lasts twelve months. The Area Check and Property Reviews are delivered as you use them during that period. If a purchase begins during the package period, Settle Japan's included English-language coordination continues through that first purchase's closing. The fee is not contingent on you buying a property or on a purchase completing.
If I have not yet started work, ask and I will refund you. If the work is substantially done, I will look at it case by case and try to be fair. If I cannot deliver what was described, you get your money back.
Paying for the Property Path does not guarantee that a suitable property exists, that a listing is still available, that a seller will accept an offer, that financing will be available, or that any purchase will complete. Japanese listings go stale, sellers change their minds, and non-resident financing is genuinely difficult. I will tell you what I find, including when the answer is unwelcome.
Property information is translated and compiled from third-party sources, primarily Japanese listing portals. I check what I reasonably can, but I cannot warrant that source data is accurate, current or complete. Anything that matters to your decision should be confirmed by the licensed agency before you commit money.
To the extent the law allows, Settle Japan's total liability arising from the service is limited to the amount you paid for it. I am not liable for indirect or consequential losses, or for the acts or omissions of a partner agency or any other third party.
If these terms change materially, the date at the top of this page changes. The terms that applied when you paid are the ones that govern your purchase.
Questions about anything on this page: johnhofjapan@gmail.com.