Selling, renting out or demolishing a vacant house in Shiraoi | The demolition subsidy (up to ¥500,000) and the vacant house bank
If you own a vacant house (akiya) in Shiraoi, you have four options: sell it, rent it out, demolish it and keep the land, or keep it while managing it. Shiraoi is active in dealing with vacant houses. It has a program that subsidizes half of the demolition cost (up to ¥500,000), and it guides owners to register with the Hokkaido Vacant House Information Bank. In this article, we organize the steps and requirements based on official town information, and explain “when and how to let go” in light of land price trends in Shiraoi, from the viewpoint of a local real estate company.
Land prices in Shiraoi keep falling
In the 2026 official land price survey, the average change across 10 residential sites in Shiraoi was −2.77%, and every site was flat or falling. Even the most expensive site in the town, Omachi 3-chome, was ¥8,200 per m² (−3.5%), down from ¥9,900 five years earlier in 2021. Commercial land in front of the station (Omachi 2-chome) was ¥14,700, down 18% in five years.
| Site (residential land) | 2026 ¥/m² | Change | 2021 ¥/m² |
|---|---|---|---|
| Omachi 3-chome | 8,200 | −3.5% | 9,900 |
| Suehirocho 3-chome | 7,900 | −3.1% | 9,650 |
| Takasagocho 2-chome | 6,050 | −4.0% | 7,300 |
| Hagino | 5,100 | −4.7% | 6,300 |
| Kita-Yoshiwara | 4,800 | −4.0% | 6,000 |
| Takeura | 4,250 | −2.3% | 4,750 |
| Kojohama | 3,950 | −1.3% | 4,650 |
Source: MLIT official land prices (2026). What these figures mean is that a vacant house in Shiraoi will not gain value if you wait. You pay property tax, fire insurance and the cost of snow clearing and grass cutting every year while the value falls. So if you have no plan to use the vacant house, the earlier you decide, the smaller your loss.
Option 1: Demolish with the subsidy and keep the land
Shiraoi’s “Vacant House Demolition Subsidy” is a program to reduce the number of vacant houses in the town. The details for fiscal year 2026 are as follows.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Subsidy amount | 50% of eligible costs, up to ¥500,000 (application costs are not covered) |
| Eligible applicants | The owner of the vacant house (if there are several owners or heirs, all of them must agree). No unpaid town taxes or other charges. Not a member of an organized crime group |
| Eligible buildings | Vacant houses within Shiraoi’s city planning area. No rights other than ownership (such as a mortgage) may be registered. Not receiving subsidies from the national government or other local governments |
| Applications | Pre-applications for fiscal year 2026 were accepted from May 1 to 29 (now closed) |
| Process | Pre-application → grant application → start of work → completion report → payment of the subsidy (about 30 days after the report) |
| Contact | Policy Promotion Section, Planning and Policy Division, Planning and Promotion Department, Shiraoi Town 0144-82-8213 |
There are two points to note. First, if you start work before the pre-application, you are not eligible. Second, if there are several heirs, you need a letter of consent from all of them. If the heirs live far apart, you need to contact them before the spring application period.
After demolition, land in the town center can be sold as residential or business land. If you clear the land, you lose the residential land special rule for property tax (kotei shisanzei), and the tax goes up. So the basic approach is to demolish at the same time as you sell.
Option 2: Sell or rent out (Hokkaido Vacant House Information Bank)
Shiraoi does not have its own bank and refers people to the “Hokkaido Vacant House Information Bank” run by Hokkaido. The owner applies for registration, the listing is published after provisional registration and a site inspection, and then applications are received from interested people. Registration is free. When a deal is closed, a fee is paid to the licensed real estate broker who handles the brokerage.
Since Upopoy (National Ainu Museum and Park) opened, more people have been looking for vacant houses in Shiraoi to move there, to live in two places, or to run a private lodging (minpaku). Kojohama (hot springs), Takeura and Kita-Yoshiwara (coast), and Hagino in particular are areas where buyers who want to “buy cheaply and fix it up themselves” often make inquiries. The bank works well as a way for these buyers to find your property.
On the other hand, the bank is a “wait and see” system. If you want to sell quickly and reliably, it is realistic to use normal brokerage by a real estate company at the same time. Many deals in Shiraoi are ¥8 million or less, and under the July 2024 amendment of the Real Estate Brokerage Act, the maximum brokerage fee for properties of ¥8 million or less became ¥330,000 (including tax). Check how much you will receive after the fee before you sell.
Option 3: Rent out
If you plan to come back someday, or the building is still in good condition, renting is also an option. In Shiraoi there is steady demand for detached houses from people waiting for town-run housing and from people who commute to Tomakomai or Noboribetsu. However, an old house first needs repairs to the water heater, roof, kitchen and bathroom, so calculate whether the rent can cover those costs before you decide.
If you inherited a vacant house, check the ¥30 million special deduction
If you inherit and sell your parent’s house built on or before May 31, 1981, you can deduct up to ¥30 million from the capital gain if you meet the requirements. At Shiraoi property prices, this rule brings the tax to zero in most cases. To apply, you need a “Confirmation of the Deceased’s Residential House” (hisozokunin kyojuyo kaoku-to kakuninsho) issued by Shiraoi Town, and you must sell by the end of the third year after the inheritance. If you combine this with the demolition subsidy, check the order of demolition and sale in advance.
Where to get advice on vacant houses in Shiraoi
| Topic | Contact | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Demolition subsidy and vacant house measures | Planning and Policy Division, Planning and Promotion Department, Shiraoi Town | 0144-82-8213 |
| Hokkaido Vacant House Information Bank | Hokkaido Real Estate Transaction Association | 011-642-4422 |
| Selling, renting, valuation | Banana House Inc. | +81-144-84-8958 (Japanese only) |
Which option suits you
- The building is old and you have no plan to use it: Apply for the demolition subsidy in the spring application period and sell as land
- The building is still usable: Register with the vacant house bank and use normal brokerage at the same time, and look for buyers who want to move or want a second home
- You plan to come back someday: Do minimum repairs and rent it out
- An old family home you inherited: First check the deadline for the ¥30 million special deduction (the end of the third year after the inheritance)
We are headquartered in Honkocho, Tomakomai, and also handle sales brokerage in Shiraoi. For a vacant house in Shiraoi, you can decide faster if you start from “how much will it cost to keep it” rather than “how much can I sell it for”. We accept free valuation requests with three items: the property type, the location and your contact details.
This page was machine-translated. The Japanese original prevails.
Frequently asked questions
How much is Shiraoi's demolition subsidy?
It is 50% of eligible costs, up to ¥500,000. Pre-applications for fiscal year 2026 were accepted from May 1 to 29 and are now closed. Applications are expected at the same time next year, so the safest way is to prepare a quote and documents by spring. The contact is the Planning and Policy Division, Planning and Promotion Department (0144-82-8213).
If I register with the vacant house bank, will the town buy my house?
No. The bank shows information to people who want to buy or rent; it is not a program in which the town buys properties. When a deal is closed, a fee is paid to the licensed real estate broker who handles the brokerage. Registration itself is free.
If land prices are falling, should I wait?
Residential land in Shiraoi fell by an average of −2.77% in the 2026 official land price survey, and it is 10 to 20% lower than five years ago. Even if you keep the property, you still pay property tax and the cost of snow clearing and management. In practice, if you have no plan to use it, you lose less by letting it go early.
Can houses in Kojohama or Takeura be sold?
Yes. Kojohama, with its hot springs, and Takeura, near the sea, get inquiries from buyers who want to move there or use the house as a second home or private lodging. Prices are lower than in the town center, but using the vacant house bank as well widens the range of buyers.
Consultations on selling and vacant houses are free
We can start a valuation with just three things: the property type, its location and your contact details. You do not need to have decided to sell yet.
Banana House Inc., 1-1-1 Honkocho, Tomakomai. We never use pushy sales. Please write in English or Japanese.
Sources and data
- Data retrieved: 2026-10-05. All prices are official public data and do not include our own estimates.
Yuki Nakazawa (President, Banana House Inc.) reviewed the Japanese original of this article. As a licensed real estate broker, we follow the Japanese rules for real estate advertising.