Conrad Properties, REMAX Island Real Estate, Samui Property Locator and Three Seasons Properties — the island's real, currently-operating property agencies, plus how commission works, foreign ownership basics and how to check an agency is legitimate before you sign anything.
Koh Samui's property market runs on a mix of independent boutique agencies, a global franchise office and family-run outfits that have each operated on the island for years rather than months. Below are four real, currently-operating agencies verified against their own official sites — from the British-owned, developer-independent Conrad Properties to REMAX Island Real Estate's 20-plus-agent franchise team — along with plain guidance on how agent commission actually works, the basics of foreign ownership in Thailand, and how to check any agency you talk to is who it says it is before a deposit changes hands.
Koh Samui — independent British-owned agency · +66 (0)92-959-1299
Independent · luxury villas, condos & land · over a decade in Samui
An independent, British-owned luxury property agency based in Koh Samui with over a decade of experience across Thailand and Asia. Conrad Properties is not tied to any developer, so it markets listings across condos, apartments, villas and land rather than a single project. Service is free to buyers and renters, with commission paid by the seller. The agency's own site highlights luxury sea-view and beachfront listings around Chaweng Noi and Laem Sor.
Best for: Buyers who want an independent agent not tied to a specific developer, focused on the luxury villa and beachfront segment.
Bophut — 1/39 Moo 6, Bophut, Koh Samui, Surat Thani 84320 · +66 (0)80 041 0420
Global franchise · 20+ agents · operating in Samui 10+ years
The Koh Samui franchise of RE/MAX, the US-founded network operating in over 110 countries. REMAX Island Real Estate has been active on the island for more than 10 years and runs a team of over 20 agents plus support staff speaking Thai, German, French, English and Russian, covering beachfront villas, hillside homes, investment land and rental property island-wide. The office was named Thailand's Best Agency at the 2025 Nestopa Awards and Best Real Estate Agency – Southeast Asia at the 2022 Dot Property Awards.
Best for: Buyers who want the reach and brand recognition of a global franchise plus a large, multilingual local team.
Koh Samui — registered Thai company (Samui Real Estate Locators Co. Ltd), est. 2008 · +66 62-156-9945
Family-run boutique · husband-and-wife team · villas, land & re-sales
A small, family-run agency — Samui Real Estate Locators Co. Ltd — founded in 2008 and run by husband-and-wife team John and Kulchira Jepson, pairing Thai market knowledge with hands-on client service. The agency says it deliberately doesn't list or sell every property on the island, instead curating new developments, land and re-sale villas it considers a safe investment, and has built a working network of local lawyers and developers over its years in business.
Best for: Buyers who'd rather deal directly with the same two people from first viewing through to completion than a large brokerage.
Bo Put — 34/57, Bo Put, Surat Thani 84320 · +66 822 852 919
Boutique agency · 8+ years · villas, land, condos, businesses & long-term rentals
A boutique agency based in Bo Put with more than eight years in the local market, listing several hundred villas alongside land, condos/apartments, businesses for sale and long-term rentals. Three Seasons publishes its own Thai property buyers' guide covering foreign ownership limits, leasehold structure and closing costs, and explicitly flags that nominee Thai company structures used to disguise foreign land ownership are not legal — a point worth knowing before any agency proposes one.
Best for: Buyers who want a large self-browsable villa inventory plus an in-house buyers' guide to read before contacting an agent.
In Koh Samui, as across Thailand, real estate agency commission is standard practice paid by the seller (typically in the region of 3-5% of the sale price), not the buyer. A legitimate agency should never ask a buyer for an upfront fee simply to view or be shown properties — if one does, treat it as a red flag and ask exactly what the fee covers before paying anything.
Foreigners can own a condominium unit freehold, provided foreign ownership in that building stays under the 49% quota set by the Condominium Act. Land itself generally cannot be owned freehold by a foreigner; the common routes are a renewable 30-year leasehold or, for larger investors, a Thai-majority company structure set up with genuine Thai shareholders. A nominee structure — Thai shareholders in name only, fronting for a foreign owner — is not legal in Thailand; be wary of any agency that proposes one as a routine workaround.
An agency's job is to market and sell property, not to conduct independent legal due diligence on your behalf. Before any deposit changes hands, hire your own Thai property lawyer — separate from the seller's or agency's recommended contact where possible — to run a title search (chanote vs. other land-title classes), check for liens or encumbrances, and review the sale and purchase agreement.
Ask how long the agency has actually operated on Koh Samui (the agencies above range from roughly 8 to 25+ years), whether it is a registered Thai limited company, and for references or recent closed transactions. A real, established agency will have a fixed local office address (not just a Facebook page), published contact numbers, and staff willing to put commission terms and any exclusivity arrangement in writing before you sign anything.
Usually not. As with most of Thailand, agency commission is standard practice paid by the seller, typically around 3-5% of the sale price, and buyer-facing services (viewings, market advice, arranging paperwork) are normally free. If an agency asks a buyer for an upfront payment simply to view listings, get a clear written explanation of what it covers before paying, or consider it a warning sign.
Yes, within Thailand's ownership rules. Foreigners can own a condominium unit freehold as long as foreign ownership in that building stays under the 49% quota. Land is different: foreigners generally cannot own land freehold, and instead lease it (commonly a renewable 30-year term) or invest through a properly structured, genuinely Thai-majority company. Nominee company structures used purely to disguise foreign land ownership are not legal in Thailand — a reputable agency should tell you this plainly rather than offer it as a routine workaround.
Yes. A real estate agency's role is to market the property and connect buyer and seller, not to act as your independent legal advisor. Before paying any deposit, engage your own Thai property lawyer to run a title search, confirm the land-title class (chanote is the strongest), check for existing liens or mortgages, and review the sale and purchase contract on your behalf.
It depends what you value. A franchise office like REMAX Island Real Estate brings a large multilingual agent team and an international referral network; boutique agencies such as Samui Property Locator or Conrad Properties often mean more direct, consistent contact with the same one or two people from first viewing through to completion. Neither structure alone guarantees quality — check years of operation, registration and references either way.
Ask how long it has actually operated on the island, whether it is a registered Thai limited company, and for references from recent closed sales. Genuine, established agencies publish a fixed local office address and phone number rather than operating solely through a Facebook page or messaging app, and will put commission terms and any exclusivity agreement in writing before you sign.
Verified against each agency's own official site. Agencies, staff, awards and operating status change -- confirm directly with the agency before engaging. BAANLYY is a data-and-tools platform, not a real estate agency, and takes no paid placement in this content.
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Hero photo by Anna Zviahina 🇺🇦 on Pexels. General information, not legal or financial advice -- ownership rules, commission norms and agency details change; confirm current status directly with each agency and with your own Thai property lawyer before engaging.