How do I ask about property prices in Japanese real estate terms
How to ask about property prices in Japanese real estate terms
To ask about property prices in Japanese real estate terms, the key phrase is 販売価格 (はんばいかかく, hanbai kakaku), which means the asking price or selling price of a property. The most natural question is:
- この物件の販売価格はいくらですか？
(Kono bukken no hanbai kakaku wa ikura desu ka?)
“How much is the asking price of this property?”
In everyday Japanese real estate talk, 物件 (bukken) means a property, listing, or unit. It is the standard word used for apartments, houses, and commercial spaces in property ads and with agents. 販売価格 is more formal and specific than a simple 価格 (kakaku, price), so it sounds appropriate in an office, during a viewing, or when reading a listing.
Core vocabulary for property prices
Several words come up repeatedly when discussing property values:
- 価格 (かかく, kakaku) — price
- 取引価格 (とりひきかかく, torihiki kakaku) — transaction price
- 値段 (ねだん, nedan) — price, a more casual word
- 販売価格 (はんばいかかく, hanbai kakaku) — asking price, selling price
These words are not interchangeable in every situation. 値段 is common in daily speech, but it can feel too casual for a formal property inquiry. 取引価格 is about the price at which something actually changed hands, so it is useful when discussing market data rather than an advertised listing. 販売価格 is the safest choice when asking about a property that is currently on the market.
The most natural question forms
A few question patterns are especially useful in real estate settings:
-
この物件の販売価格はいくらですか？
“What is the asking price of this property?” -
こちらの物件はいくらですか？
“How much is this property?”
This is shorter and common in conversation, but slightly less precise than asking for the asking price directly. -
価格はいくらですか？
“What is the price?”
This works in many contexts, but it sounds more general and can be vague if no property is clearly being discussed. -
売値はいくらですか？
“What is the selling price?”
売値 (urine) is understandable, but 販売価格 is more typical in real estate and sounds more professional.
For apartment listings, the phrase often appears with 賃貸 (chintai, rental) or 売買 (baibai, sales). A rental property usually has 家賃 (yachin, monthly rent), while a property for purchase has a sale price. That distinction matters, because asking 販売価格 for a rental listing would sound odd.
Asking about the price in a listing or at an agency
In a listing, the price may be shown as a large number, often with units such as 万円 (man-en, ten-thousand-yen units). For example, 2,980万円 means 29.8 million yen. Japanese real estate listings often use this format because property prices are usually high, and the unit keeps numbers easier to read.
Useful questions include:
-
この物件は何万円ですか？
“How many ten-thousand-yen units is this property?”
This sounds a bit unnatural in direct conversation, so it is better for reading a listing than for speaking to an agent. -
販売価格は税込みですか？
“Is the asking price tax included?”
This is useful when the price is not clearly labeled. -
諸費用は別ですか？
“Are the additional costs separate?”
In Japan, the listed price may not include fees such as agency commission, registration costs, or moving-related expenses.
That last point is especially important in real estate. The advertised number is often only the base price, not the total amount needed to buy the property.
Land prices and official valuation terms
When the topic is land rather than a building, other terms may appear:
- 地価 (ちか, chika) — land price
- 公示価格 (こうじかかく, kouji kakaku) — official land price
地価 refers broadly to land value, while 公示価格 is a publicly announced benchmark land price used for reference. These terms are common in reports, maps, and property valuation discussions. They are less likely to be used when asking about one specific apartment listing, but they matter when comparing neighborhoods or estimating investment value.
A useful short script for speaking
A simple, polite exchange with a real estate agent might sound like this:
- この物件の販売価格はいくらですか？
- 2,980万円です。
- 諸費用も含めると、合計はいくらぐらいになりますか？
“If fees are included, about how much is the total?”
This is practical because property purchases involve more than the headline price. In Japanese, 合計 (goukei) means total, and 〜ぐらい (gurai) softens the question so it sounds natural and polite.
Common mistakes
A few errors can make the question sound less natural:
- Using 値段 in very formal settings: acceptable, but less appropriate than 販売価格 when speaking with an agent.
- Confusing sale price with rent: 家賃 is monthly rent, not the purchase price.
- Assuming the listed price is the final cost: fees and taxes may be added.
- Using overly direct language: Japanese real estate conversation is usually polite and precise, especially with agents and sellers.
Japanese property vocabulary also tends to be dense with specialized terms, so hearing and saying the words clearly matters. Active conversation practice helps more than passive memorization here, because the distinction between terms like 価格, 販売価格, and 家賃 becomes much easier to use correctly in real-time speech.
Quick reference
For a standard question about property price in Japanese, use:
- この物件の販売価格はいくらですか？
“What is the asking price of this property?”
For slightly broader or less formal situations, these also work:
- こちらの物件はいくらですか？
- 価格はいくらですか？
For land or valuation contexts, watch for:
- 地価 — land price
- 公示価格 — official land price
The safest default in Japanese real estate conversation is 販売価格, especially when speaking with an agent, reading a listing, or asking about a property that is for sale.