About 64% say they 'do not understand' the costs involved in selling real estate. The #1 most burdensome cost is 'brokerage fees'
A survey by NEXER and Rinkeiji reveals that 64% of real estate sellers do not understand the costs, and over half don't simulate their net proceeds, citing brokerage fees as the top burden.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 24, 2026 at 23:00
- 🔍 Collected: April 24, 2026 at 14:31
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 24, 2026 at 23:37 (9h 5m after Collected)
■ How well do you understand the "money" involved in selling real estate?
For many, selling real estate is not something experienced many times in a lifetime.
That is exactly why surprisingly few people accurately understand how much it will cost, including brokerage fees, demolition costs, and taxes.
Many must have anxieties such as "How much will actually be left in my hands?" or "Which cost is the heaviest burden?"
Therefore, in collaboration with Rinkeiji Co., Ltd., we conducted a survey on "Anxieties about real estate sales and money" targeting 181 men and women nationwide who answered in a preliminary survey that they "own real estate, or have experienced/considered selling it."
*When quoting the contents of this press release, please take the following actions:
- State that the source is a "Survey by NEXER Inc. and Rinkeiji Co., Ltd."
- Provide a link to Rinkeiji Co., Ltd. (https://www.rinkeiji.co.jp/)
Overview of the "Survey on Anxieties about Real Estate Sales and Money"
Survey method: Internet questionnaire
Survey period: April 9 - April 16, 2026
Survey target: Men and women nationwide who answered in a preliminary survey that they "own real estate, or have experienced/considered selling it"
Valid responses: 181 samples
Questions:
Question 1: Do you accurately understand the costs involved in selling real estate (brokerage fees, demolition costs, taxes, etc.)?
Question 2: Among the costs associated with selling, what do you feel (or felt) is the most burdensome?
Question 3: Before selling, did you simulate "how much will be left in total" in advance?
Question 4: Where did you get the information for the simulation? (Multiple answers allowed)
Question 5: If there was a service that explained real estate sale costs and taxes more easily, would you want to use it?
Question 6: Please tell us the reason.
*As a general rule, numbers are rounded to one decimal place, so the total may not equal 100%.
■ 64.1% answered they "do not understand" the costs of selling real estate
First, we asked whether they accurately understood the costs involved in selling real estate (brokerage fees, demolition costs, taxes, etc.).
As a result, 27.6% said "not really understood," and 36.5% said "hardly understood," meaning a combined 64.1% answered they "do not understand" the costs. On the other hand, 29.3% said they "understand to some extent," and only 6.6% said they "accurately understand."
It highlights the reality that even those who have experience or are considering selling do not fully grasp the details of the costs.
■ 42.0% answered the most burdensome cost is "brokerage fees"
Next, we asked what cost associated with selling they felt (or feel) is the most burdensome.
The most common answer was "brokerage fees" at 42.0%.
This was followed by "demolition costs" at 22.1% and "capital gains tax" at 8.8%.
Brokerage fees, which inflate as the sale price increases, seem to be felt as a heavy burden by many. In cases where old houses are torn down before selling, "demolition costs" also become a presence that cannot be ignored.
■ 50.8% answered they did "absolutely no" simulation before selling
Following that, we asked whether they had simulated in advance "how much total money will be left in hand" before selling.
As a result, a majority of 50.8% answered they "did not do it at all."
Only 16.0% "checked slightly," 27.6% "simulated to some extent," and a mere 5.5% "simulated in detail."
This means that over half of the people decide to sell without knowing how much money they will be left with.
It brings into sharp relief the current situation where advance estimates tend to be lax, even though it is a large transaction directly linked to household finances.
■ 56.2% answered their information source for simulations was "real estate companies"
Next, we asked those who conducted advance simulations where they obtained that information.
The most common answer was "real estate companies" at 56.2%.
This was followed by "researched myself" at 37.1% and "internet articles and sites" at 22.5%.
It appears that many people gather information in a two-pronged approach: relying on information from real estate companies while also researching themselves.
■ 70.8% answered "I want to use it if there is a service that explains it easily"
Finally, we asked if they would want to use a service if there was one that explained the costs and taxes of real estate sales more easily.
As a result, "very much want to...
For many, selling real estate is not something experienced many times in a lifetime.
That is exactly why surprisingly few people accurately understand how much it will cost, including brokerage fees, demolition costs, and taxes.
Many must have anxieties such as "How much will actually be left in my hands?" or "Which cost is the heaviest burden?"
Therefore, in collaboration with Rinkeiji Co., Ltd., we conducted a survey on "Anxieties about real estate sales and money" targeting 181 men and women nationwide who answered in a preliminary survey that they "own real estate, or have experienced/considered selling it."
*When quoting the contents of this press release, please take the following actions:
- State that the source is a "Survey by NEXER Inc. and Rinkeiji Co., Ltd."
- Provide a link to Rinkeiji Co., Ltd. (https://www.rinkeiji.co.jp/)
Overview of the "Survey on Anxieties about Real Estate Sales and Money"
Survey method: Internet questionnaire
Survey period: April 9 - April 16, 2026
Survey target: Men and women nationwide who answered in a preliminary survey that they "own real estate, or have experienced/considered selling it"
Valid responses: 181 samples
Questions:
Question 1: Do you accurately understand the costs involved in selling real estate (brokerage fees, demolition costs, taxes, etc.)?
Question 2: Among the costs associated with selling, what do you feel (or felt) is the most burdensome?
Question 3: Before selling, did you simulate "how much will be left in total" in advance?
Question 4: Where did you get the information for the simulation? (Multiple answers allowed)
Question 5: If there was a service that explained real estate sale costs and taxes more easily, would you want to use it?
Question 6: Please tell us the reason.
*As a general rule, numbers are rounded to one decimal place, so the total may not equal 100%.
■ 64.1% answered they "do not understand" the costs of selling real estate
First, we asked whether they accurately understood the costs involved in selling real estate (brokerage fees, demolition costs, taxes, etc.).
As a result, 27.6% said "not really understood," and 36.5% said "hardly understood," meaning a combined 64.1% answered they "do not understand" the costs. On the other hand, 29.3% said they "understand to some extent," and only 6.6% said they "accurately understand."
It highlights the reality that even those who have experience or are considering selling do not fully grasp the details of the costs.
■ 42.0% answered the most burdensome cost is "brokerage fees"
Next, we asked what cost associated with selling they felt (or feel) is the most burdensome.
The most common answer was "brokerage fees" at 42.0%.
This was followed by "demolition costs" at 22.1% and "capital gains tax" at 8.8%.
Brokerage fees, which inflate as the sale price increases, seem to be felt as a heavy burden by many. In cases where old houses are torn down before selling, "demolition costs" also become a presence that cannot be ignored.
■ 50.8% answered they did "absolutely no" simulation before selling
Following that, we asked whether they had simulated in advance "how much total money will be left in hand" before selling.
As a result, a majority of 50.8% answered they "did not do it at all."
Only 16.0% "checked slightly," 27.6% "simulated to some extent," and a mere 5.5% "simulated in detail."
This means that over half of the people decide to sell without knowing how much money they will be left with.
It brings into sharp relief the current situation where advance estimates tend to be lax, even though it is a large transaction directly linked to household finances.
■ 56.2% answered their information source for simulations was "real estate companies"
Next, we asked those who conducted advance simulations where they obtained that information.
The most common answer was "real estate companies" at 56.2%.
This was followed by "researched myself" at 37.1% and "internet articles and sites" at 22.5%.
It appears that many people gather information in a two-pronged approach: relying on information from real estate companies while also researching themselves.
■ 70.8% answered "I want to use it if there is a service that explains it easily"
Finally, we asked if they would want to use a service if there was one that explained the costs and taxes of real estate sales more easily.
As a result, "very much want to...