Before participating in a real estate investment consultation, there was something I was concerned about.
That was, would I receive persistent sales contact after the consultation ended?
If I listened to their pitch once, would I get phone calls over and over again?
If I told them I wanted to compare with other companies, would they give me a dirty look?
Would I be pressured to decide on a contract immediately?
Honestly, I had these anxieties.
This time, I will record what kind of interactions actually occurred after finishing two consultations and what happened afterward.
To start with the conclusion, in my case, there were no sales calls after the consultation, and I only received one email in a week.
However, during the consultation, I did feel the representative’s intention to lead to the next meeting.
Including that aspect, I will write about it honestly.
1. After the second consultation, property documents arrived
After the second consultation ended, an email arrived from the representative.
Attached were documents regarding the overview of the property proposed this time, costs at the time of purchase, and income and expenditure.
The content could be broadly divided into the following:
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Property overview and purchase price
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Loan repayment terms
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Rental income
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Building management fees and repair reserve funds
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Income and expenditure after loan repayment
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Documents estimating the impact on taxes
I had received an explanation during the interview, but checking it while actually looking at the documents gave me a different impression.
What left a particularly strong impression was that rental income does not simply remain in your pocket.
Even if rent comes in from tenants, expenses such as loan repayments, management fees, and repair reserve funds arise from it.
In other words, you cannot understand the actual balance just by looking at rental income.
The proposal documents this time also showed the balance after subtracting income and expenses.
There were also documents estimating the impact on taxes.
Items that I don’t usually pay much attention to in my daily life as a company employee, such as real estate income and depreciation expenses, also appeared.
Since I was focused on listening to the explanation during the interview, I did not understand everything.
2. The sense of excitement during the interview versus the difference when reviewing the documents
This is something I felt after actually having the interview.
During the interview, you receive explanations about specific properties and income/expenditure from the representative.
When you receive a proposal based on your annual income and situation, there is inevitably a part of you that feels excited.
“So this kind of real estate investment exists?” “Maybe this is an option I can consider.”
I sometimes felt that way.
However, when the interview was over and I reviewed the documents on hand, I was able to become a little calmer.
For example, just comparing monthly rental income with loan repayment amounts is insufficient.
There are items that need to be checked, such as management fees, repair reserve funds, taxes, and various expenses at the time of purchase.
Furthermore, one must also consider future rent declines, vacancies, and repair costs.
The proposal documents contain figures calculated under certain preconditions, but that does not guarantee they will hold true in the future.
By reviewing the materials, I was able to pay attention to parts that I had not fully understood during the meeting.
Because this is a matter involving large sums of money, I felt it was important not to judge based solely on the impression during the meeting, but to take it home and confirm it calmly.
3. The representative’s reaction when I said I wanted to compare with other companies
There is something I told the representative during the second meeting.
That is that I want to hear from other real estate investment companies and compare them.
Real estate investment can involve sums on the scale of tens of millions of yen.
It is not something that can be decided on a whim based on the explanation of just one company.
I did not simply want to refuse.
I was interested in the proposal and had a desire to consider it positively.
That is precisely why I thought I wanted to hear from other companies and confirm the merits of this company’s proposal as well.
When I conveyed that intention to the representative, they asked the following questions.
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How many companies do you plan to talk to?
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When do you plan to have meetings with other companies?
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Can we schedule a follow-up meeting?
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Will you also consult with your wife?
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Ultimately, when would you be able to set up the next meeting?
Each of the questions was by no means in a strong tone.
The representative had a gentle expression throughout, and the conversation proceeded in a friendly atmosphere.
However, for my part, I did feel their intention to somehow secure a date for the next meeting.
This might be natural when thinking about it as a sales role.
Since we had a meeting and proceeded to a concrete proposal, the representative likely wants to move to the next step.
However, from my perspective, I am still in the comparative study stage.
Therefore, I conveyed the following point once again.
“Since this involves a large sum of tens of millions of yen, I cannot make a decision immediately. In order to consider your company’s proposal positively, I would like to hear from other companies and compare them.”
The representative listened to what I had to say.
The atmosphere remained friendly throughout, and there was no change in their attitude.
4. Is it okay to say that I want to compare with other companies?
From this experience, I felt that it is perfectly fine to communicate this.
In real estate investment, it is necessary to consider various factors, not just the property price, but also loan conditions, management fees, repair reserve funds, and future income and expenditure.
Even for properties in a similar price range, judgments will change depending on the conditions and management structure.
That is precisely why I think it is meaningful to listen to and compare stories from multiple companies.
Also, telling them that you want to compare is not the same as rejecting the proposal.
Like me this time, there is a way of thinking that because you are interested in the proposal, you want to compare it with other companies and make a decision only after you are convinced.
I felt that it is easier to convey my intentions to the representative by explaining why I want to compare, rather than just saying ‘I will think about it’.
It is a large amount of money, tens of millions of yen.
There is no need to rush into a decision, and I think it is important to check until you are satisfied.
5. Was there any persistent sales pressure after the meeting?
This was the point I was most concerned about this time.
About one week has passed since the second meeting ended until I wrote this article.
During that time, I did not receive any sales calls.
I received one email.
The content was a thank you for the interview and the delivery of the materials explained during the session.
I was not called repeatedly, nor was I pressured to respond immediately.
Also, the representative’s attitude did not change when I mentioned that I wanted to compare with other companies.
The atmosphere remained friendly throughout the interview, and the follow-up email was a standard exchange.
At least within my experience, I do not have the impression that I am being subjected to persistent sales tactics.
However, this is just my case.
There is a possibility that the response may differ depending on the representative, the content of the interview, and subsequent circumstances.
Therefore, I cannot say for sure that everyone will receive the same treatment.
6. Thoughts after having two interviews
At first, I was anxious about applying for a real estate investment interview itself.
When I was asked to submit my withholding tax slip and business card, I was also concerned about how my personal information would be handled.
After actually having the interviews, I was able to hear specific property proposals and explanations of income and expenditure.
And by reviewing the materials after the interview, I was able to confirm points that I had not noticed during the session.
What I felt from this experience is that having an interview and deciding to invest are two different things.
Sometimes you may be interested in a proposal.
On the other hand, if there is something you do not understand, you need to check it, and it is also important to compare it with other companies.
Just because you had an interview does not mean you have to reach a conclusion on the spot.
I think it is fine to gather information at your own pace and make a decision once you are satisfied.
At this point, I intend to continue my consideration while comparing proposals from other companies.
Reflecting on the consultations
By actually experiencing two consultations, it became an opportunity to learn about things I hadn’t thought much about before, such as property income and expenditure, taxes, and loans.
Of course, I have no intention of deciding on an investment lightly.
Investment decisions need to be considered separately.
I hope my experience will be of some help to those who are considering real estate investment consultations from now on.
Thank you for reading until the end.
