- Q: What was the background to the sale of your residence?
- A: After my mother’s death, I and my sister jointly inherited the house that my mother had lived in alone. Maintaining a vacant house located in a snowy area is a hard work in the winter, and snow piles up on the house unless it is removed by the resident. As I did not want to trouble the neighbors, I used to go on a 40-minute drive to the house on the weekends to remove the snow. In the third year, I started feeling the strain of maintaining the house, so I decided to sell it.
- Q: How did you find out about Katitas?
- A: I am actually engaged in the real estate business and had initially thought of selling the house after reforming it by myself. But I was not sure whether the property could be made marketable even after the reform at a cost. I looked for a buyer through my friend engaged in the construction business, but got no good response. I had some attachment to the house as I had been raised there, and I was about to decide to dismantle the house and make it vacant land…. At that time, I came across Katitas in a flyer inserted in a newspaper.
- Q: What was your primary reason for selecting Katitas as a seller?
- A: My decision was entirely attributed to the service provided by Mr. Nitta, who was in charge of my case. His hometown of Otaru and his depth of knowledge about the local circumstances gave me a sense of reassurance, and his gentle attitude was also impressive. But the most critical factor was his appropriate and solid support which meant I never felt insecure. Prior to the company’s final decision on the purchase, he provided me with an update on status, saying, “Your case is undergoing a final review for decision at the headquarters.” When making a contract, he had prepared a receipt in advance, anticipating that I might not bring a revenue stamp and would have to pay in cash instead. He ensured a speedy settlement after concluding the contract, enabling me to tell my relatives that the house had been sold on the third anniversary of my mother’s death.
- Q: Do you have any particular events which remind you of the process till the sale?
- A: Buying and selling a house is different from purchasing goods at a supermarket. Due to the personal attachment or significant monetary value involved, having even slightly uncomfortable or insecure feelings about a salesperson would make the seller hesitate. However, this time, I never hesitated in moving ahead. In fact, I also introduced Katitas to my wife’s friend who was left with a vacant residence after the resident, her mother, passed away. The friend appreciated this, saying that she had concluded a contract with Katitas smoothly. In spite of being full of anxiety, we purchased the house smoothly, thanks to Katitas’ support.
The property, 39-years old and consisting of 59 tsubos (195 sq. meters) of land and a building of 32 tsubos (106 sq. meters) with a 4LDK (4 rooms in addition to a living room, dining room and kitchen), was sold to Katitas’ Otaru Branch in March 2013.
The customer appreciated Katitas’ work, commenting, “While I am also engaged in the real estate business, Katitas’ sales staff provided excellent services in a professional manner.”
