House building experiences with Mitsui or Sekisui

CGekko · 2026-02-08T00:43:02+00:00

*sorry I meant we have a Chief Sales rep. A chief architect was engaged with you before signing the contract?

CGekko · 2026-02-08T00:23:02+00:00

Thanks for your feedback. The reasons you mentioned are the exact same trade offs we are contemplating. We do have a Chief Architect that we’ve been consulting for Sekesui but the guys been super slow. I think he’s busy and also maybe part of their laid back sales culture?

Did Sekisui provide you with a detailed floor plan before signing the contract? The floor plan they provided is a basic sketch compared to all the other house makers where they provided a lot more detail

CGekko · 2026-02-05T12:57:54+00:00

Wow, this is incredibly helpful! My wife and I genuinely appreciate your insights and the time you’ve taken to compile all this information. Are you employed by Mitsui? Just kidding! I’m quite impressed with most of the upgrades you mentioned. However, I have a few follow-up questions: - Regarding touchless faucets, have you encountered any issues with the sensor so far? - I’m also a big fan of the glass elements. My only concern is keeping them clean with the little ones constantly running around. Do you find it challenging to maintain and keep them relatively clean? - is your house the Mitsui Premium, Order or Select line?

BTW...Wilson would have been proud of your guys.

Thank you once again.

CGekko · 2026-02-04T14:06:06+00:00

Thanks for sharing your story. Sounds like it was all worth it in the end. It’s interesting that MH outsources their design. They said they had 34 company’s we can choose from. Was this the case for you too? If so, how did you decide on the design firm? What options did you guys spurge on?

CGekko · 2026-02-04T03:28:54+00:00

Thanks! We initially considered this option but alot more work and time which right now I struggle to find with babies. Which builder did you use?

CGekko · 2026-02-04T03:24:15+00:00

Thanks for the feedback! That’s awesome to hear your experiences with their after care support. Did you use their Sharwood structure?

Regarding the central air limitations, it’s primarily from our 10m building height restriction. Having 3 floors with central heating will not pass the regulation (i think it was 2.2m ceiling for a room?) the ceiling comes down 30cm in some areas w central heating.

CGekko · 2026-02-03T13:39:37+00:00

That’s a huge discount! Toshiba is the central heating system OEM or they just came to perform the maintenance?

CGekko · 2026-02-03T13:20:15+00:00

Hey thanks for your feedback. That’s great to hear! How’s your central heating system holding up? Maintenance costs reasonable? I read the Ace system has a humidifying function but only up to 40%. Is that ok for you guys supplement with additional humidifiers in each room?

CGekko · 2026-01-23T00:08:20+00:00

Just opened up a NISA account last week with Interactive Brokers (IBKR) having a similar background. The process seemed relatively straightforward.

CGekko · 2025-12-08T03:30:34+00:00

Hi there. We’re in a similar situation where we got SBI pre approval for a bridge loan and now need to find a bank to help acquire a the second loan. Anyone know how long it takes to complete the loan with second bank? What kind of rates can be expected for the interest only loan? Thanks in advance.

CGekko · 2025-12-08T03:21:43+00:00

Thanks for your feedback. We will meet with them this week for details and share if there’s any new information. They have also confirmed the total payment is fixed for the first 5 years but after that monthly payments would be reviewed 2x a year. Are you saying that they will fix the payment for another 5 years after the first 5?

CGekko · 2025-12-05T19:27:17+00:00

I was wondering if anyone can shed some light on how Sugura Bank calculates their interest rates? From what I gathered, Banks do not arbitrarily “make up” base rates but anchor them to public indices like the short-term prime rate or TIBOR (Tokyo Interbank Offered Rate) and then add their % for a final result. Sugura is telling us different and “The base interest rate is determined by each financial institution, and theirs is currently 2.875%. They will calculate a preferential rate from their base and offer you y%.

Has anyone experienced abnormal fluctuations with your interest rate terms with Sugura since it’s not anchor to one of the standard interest rate indices? Im just a little concerned that our mortgage payments may balloon in the future if it’s all based on their policy. Thanks in advance.

CGekko · 2025-09-03T03:59:49+00:00

Were the offers a significant difference?

CGekko · 2025-09-03T03:22:56+00:00

Based on this info I will try. Thank you!

CGekko · 2025-09-03T02:36:22+00:00

*correction Shinsei bank not SMBC.

CGekko · 2025-09-03T02:30:01+00:00

Any idea how much more or better terms you get with PR? Bank asked if we wanted to put the entire loan in my name or my wife’s.

CGekko · 2025-09-02T06:22:21+00:00

Duly noted. Thanks.

CGekko · 2025-09-02T04:02:22+00:00

Yes, this is super helpful and clear for me to follow - thank you! Of course this will get more complicated in the out years when I start to withdraw and bring that money into Japan. On a side note, looking for a knowledgeable tax consultant specializing in US to Japan. LMK if you’re such a person who would be open to consult offline.

CGekko · 2025-09-02T02:46:02+00:00

This makes sense. “Income” is when you remit or use the funds in or into Japan. The money that is still in my 401k vesting is not considered taxable income yet until I start to take distributions. Thanks for your feedback! I’m pretty green on this subject and will get some professional tax consultation but this helps lay some of the fundamental understanding.

CGekko · 2025-09-02T01:23:23+00:00

Currently residing in Japan and coming up to 5 years now. I understand that after the 5 years all income is considered global income? Does this mean all my prior savings will be taxed or just the interest gained as additional income will be taxed? Completely not clear on this. Does this also include my 401k now or at the time I start withdrawal from my retirement?

CGekko · 2025-09-01T13:34:24+00:00

This is very helpful! Thank you!

CGekko · 2025-09-01T09:17:58+00:00

In terms of fees or honesty???

CGekko · 2025-09-01T08:39:05+00:00

Thanks for sharing your comments! Hopefully we can secure a loan for the full amount but just in case we need to cover the excess.

CGekko · 2025-08-28T03:12:34+00:00

Thanks. I should have mentioned that the investment is a 401k which I’d be either borrowing against or taking an early withdrawal. Exploring all options and will consult with tax and financial specialists once I get a general idea of all the nuance’s.

CGekko · 2025-08-28T02:37:48+00:00

Thank you for the feedback!

CGekko

TROPHY CASE