Chukai-tesuryo (brokerage fee)

This is the fee the real estate agent charges for brokering the deal. For rentals, the law caps the total agent commission at one month's rent plus consumption tax, and technically it's supposed to be split between landlord and tenant unless you agree otherwise — in practice tenants usually eat the full month. Some agencies advertise half-month or zero brokerage to win tenants, so it's worth comparing. On the purchase side, the cap is the well-known formula of roughly 3% of price plus ¥60,000 plus tax, paid to the buyer's agent. Either way, know the legal ceiling: an agent quoting more than one month's rent for a rental is overcharging, full stop.