Best FSBO websites in South Korea

Yes. Private sale, known as 직거래, is legal in South Korea, and no law requires you to use a licensed agent for the transaction. Specific requirements still apply: both parties must jointly file a real estate transaction report with local authorities (or file individually with additional documentation), the transfer must be registered at the district registry office within 60 days of the contract, and an acquisition report to the local government (시·군·구청) is also required within 60 days. No lawyer is mandatory at closing, but professional legal assistance is strongly recommended, especially for foreign sellers. If you do hire an agent, they must be licensed under the Licensed Real Estate Agents Act (Act No. 14334), which requires a qualification exam administered by the Korea Association of Realtors, a registered brokerage office, a minimum age of 20, no disqualifying criminal record, and mandatory insurance or damage compensation guarantees. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) oversees overall real estate policy and regulations.

Agent commissions in South Korea are capped by law, with rates negotiated within the limits rather than fixed. For purchase and sale transactions on residential property, the caps are: under 50 million won, 0.6 percent capped at 250,000 won; 50 to 200 million won, 0.5 percent capped at 800,000 won; 200 to 900 million won, 0.4 percent; 900 million to 1.2 billion won, 0.5 percent; 1.2 to 1.5 billion won, 0.6 percent; and 1.5 billion won and above, 0.7 percent. For higher-value properties, the rate is determined by mutual agreement within a 0.2 to 0.9 percent range for sales. Lease caps are lower, from 0.3 to 0.5 percent depending on value. Sellers typically pay the full commission in agent-mediated transactions, so a direct sale avoids it entirely: a saving of roughly 0.4 to 0.9 percent of the sale price depending on property value.

Four main steps. First, the sale contract must be drafted, often with professional help. Second, both parties must file a real estate transaction report with local authorities, either jointly or individually with additional documentation. Third, the title transfer must be registered at the district registry office within 60 days of the contract. Fourth, an acquisition report must be filed with the local government within 60 days, and the supporting property documentation collected. The process is legal but administratively complex, and the legal documents are in Korean, which makes the language barrier significant for foreign sellers.

No, a lawyer is not mandatory at closing. That said, professional legal assistance is strongly recommended, especially for foreign sellers, because the transaction documents are in Korean and the filing requirements are strict. Lawyers typically charge 0.5 to 1.0 percent of the property value, or KRW 100,000 to 250,000 per hour. A translator or notary for documentation assistance costs extra. These are professional service costs, not platform fees.

Karrot is the clearest free route: posting is free and no transaction fees are charged, and its real estate section accepts direct listings from owners, though any real estate specific fees are not published and pricing questions go to team@karrotmarket.com. Zigbang charges listing fees that vary by property size and location, with no public fee schedule. Naver Real Estate publishes no fee information at all and appears agent-centric. A direct private sale outside any platform has no listing fee, but you carry the full administrative burden yourself.

No. Anyone.com does not operate in South Korea, so this comparison covers local routes only: Karrot, Zigbang, Naver Real Estate, and direct private sale (직거래).