When people plan to build a house in Japan, the conversation usually centers around one number: the total construction cost. While that number is important, many first-time builders discover that the real challenge lies elsewhere — cash flow . Specifically, understanding when cash is required, how much is needed, and for what purpose  can make a significant difference in how smoothly a project progresses. Costs That Usually Require Cash or Bank Transfer During a typical home-

When discussing large numbers like "50 million yen," our sense of money can sometimes get paralyzed. But here is a sober reality check: Japan's Consumption Tax is 10%. If the construction cost is 50 million JPY, the tax alone is 5 million JPY. This is enough to buy a luxury car. The "Tax-Excluded" Trap If you build your budget based on "Tax-Excluded" prices, you will face a 5 million yen deficit at the final contract stage. This can cause loan applications to fail. Always ens

When planning a budget for a new home, the golden rule is: "The amount a bank lends is not the amount you should borrow." To bridge this gap, wise buyers consult a Financial Planner (FP) to simulate future cash flows, including education and retirement costs. The "Cash Flow" vs. "Asset Value" Gap While most FPs are excellent at analyzing long-term cash flow and insurance needs, very few are experts in buildings as physical assets. Specifically, they may not fully account for

When trying to build a home in Japan, many foreign nationals face a stark reality: most Japanese banks only want to see your "domestic income." Your career and assets built overseas are the crystallization of your hard work as a professional. When these are treated as "invisible" during the screening process, it feels like more than just an issue of loan amount—it feels like a barrier to being fairly evaluated as a professional. Dwell Japan's role is to restructure your "glob