There is no official ranking of estate agents in Phuket, so compare facts you can check. Empire Estates Phuket Co., Ltd. was founded in November 2021, is registered with Thailand’s Department of Business Development (no. 0835564013827), has a walk-in office in Choeng Thale (Cherng Talay), works in English, French and Thai, and handles sales, long-term rentals and property management.
Everything below can be checked independently: the company record at the Department of Business Development, the office on Google Maps, and the listings on this site, which are counted live from our database.
Whichever agency you use, judge it on facts rather than slogans: a company you can look up, an office you can visit, reviews written on a third-party platform, people who speak your language, and a clear line between the agent’s job and your lawyer’s. Here is each test, how to run it, and our own answer.
| Criterion | Why it matters | How to check it | Empire Estates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Company registration | Thailand has no long-established licensing system for estate agents, so the company record is the main public check of who you are dealing with. | Search the 13-digit number on the DBD DataWarehouse (Department of Business Development). | Empire Estates Phuket Co., Ltd., DBD no. 0835564013827 |
| Time in business | An agency that has worked through several high seasons has a track record you can ask about and reviews spread over time. | Registration date in the DBD record; dates of the oldest reviews and social posts. | Founded in November 2021 |
| Physical office | A fixed address means staff you can meet, documents you can drop off and somewhere to go if something goes wrong. | Google Maps listing and Street View — or simply walk in. | 37/8 Srisoonthorn Road, Choeng Thale, Phuket 83110, Thailand |
| Independent reviews | Reviews posted by clients on a third-party platform are harder to fabricate than testimonials hosted on an agency’s own site. | Read the newest reviews on Google Maps, and how the agency replies to critical ones. | Google Business Profile, linked from this page |
| Languages | Land Office documents, juristic-office rules and many contracts are in Thai; you need someone who can explain them in your own language. | Ask for a call in your language before you travel. | English, French and Thai |
| Live inventory | A dated, current inventory shows an active agency rather than a website full of properties sold long ago. | Check listing dates and ask whether a specific property is still available. | 215 properties for sale and 363 for rent, counted live |
| Local specialisation | Prices, buildings, developers and flooding or access issues vary from one bay to the next; depth beats island-wide claims. | Ask which areas the agency works in most, and test its knowledge of one building or street. | West coast first: Bang Tao, Laguna, Layan, Cherng Talay, Surin and Kamala |
| Separation from legal work | Your lawyer should act for you alone, not for the agent, the seller or the developer. | Ask who chooses and who pays the lawyer, and whether the agent earns anything from that choice. | We are not lawyers; we encourage every buyer to appoint an independent Thai lawyer of their own choosing. |
| Who pays the commission | You should know before the first viewing whether you, the seller or both will pay a fee. | Ask for the answer in writing. | On sales, our commission is paid by the seller, not the buyer. |
Use the same nine questions with any agency you are considering — including us. A good agency will answer all of them without hesitation.
Empire Estates works on four things only: helping buyers purchase villas, condos, houses and land; finding long-term homes for tenants; managing rental properties for owners; and selling properties on behalf of their owners. Keeping the scope narrow is deliberate — it is what a small, local team can do well.
Pool villas, condos, houses and land across Phuket. We explain the ownership options honestly: freehold condo units within a building’s 49% foreign quota, registered leases of up to 30 years per term for villas and land.
Browse properties for saleVillas and condos rented by the month or the year, for families, remote workers and retirees settling in Phuket — with the lease, the deposit and the inventory explained before you sign.
Browse properties for rentShort-term, long-term or hybrid management of villas and condos: marketing, guest or tenant care, housekeeping, maintenance and a monthly owner statement. Commission-based, agreed in writing.
Property management in PhuketA free market valuation, professional photos, multi-platform marketing, accompanied viewings and negotiation support — with no upfront fees for owners.
Sell or list your propertyBuying in Thailand is safe when each professional does their own job. We find and show properties, negotiate and coordinate; an independent lawyer chosen by you checks the title and the contracts; the Land Office registers the transfer. Here is the sequence, without shortcuts.
Budget, areas, timing, how you will use the property and which ownership route fits (freehold condo or leasehold villa). We aim to reply to every inquiry within 24 hours.
Properties that match the brief, with the drawbacks as well as the strengths: road access, noise, building age, common-area fees, rental rules.
A member of the team comes to every viewing and answers in English, French or Thai — including with sellers, juristic offices and developers’ sales teams.
We negotiate on your behalf and make sure the terms of any reservation deposit — amount, refund conditions, deadline — are written down before you pay anything.
Your own lawyer verifies the title deed and its encumbrances at the Land Office, the permits, the foreign quota for condos, and reviews every contract. We supply the documents.
Ownership or the lease is registered at the Land Office. Typical costs are a 2% transfer fee plus either 3.3% Specific Business Tax or 0.5% stamp duty, and withholding tax — split by negotiation.
If you want to rent the property out, our management team can take over; if you sell one day, we can list it. Neither is a condition of buying through us.
Foreign condo buyers must bring the purchase money into Thailand in foreign currency and keep the bank’s proof of the transfer (the FET form or a bank credit advice) for the Land Office. Your bank and lawyer confirm the exact paperwork.
Empire Estates is run by its two co-founders, who live in Phuket and work directly with clients. You will not be passed between call centres or franchise offices: the people who answer your first message are the people who come to your viewings.
Co-Founder
Brings deep local knowledge of the island and its property market, and guides clients through every step of their search with a personal, attentive approach.
Co-Founder
Combines years of living in Phuket with real-estate experience in villas and condominiums, helping international buyers and investors make confident decisions.
Our office is in Choeng Thale (Cherng Talay), the sub-district in Thalang that takes in Bang Tao, Laguna, Layan and Surin. These are the areas we know best, building by building; we also work across the rest of the island, from Kamala to Rawai and Phuket Town.
37/8 Srisoonthorn Road, Choeng Thale, Phuket 83110, Thailand. Monday – Saturday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM; Sunday: Closed. Visits are welcome; booking ahead makes sure the right person is in.
Open in Google MapsA long west-coast beach with Boat Avenue and Porto de Phuket nearby — villas, condos and family homes in every budget.
Bang Tao area guideThe integrated resort behind Bang Tao beach: hotels, a golf course, lagoons and branded residences with on-site management.
Laguna area guideThe quieter northern end of the bay, known for large private villa estates and a calm, low-rise feel.
Layan area guideThe inland villages and main road around our office — local markets, schools and good-value homes a few minutes from the beaches.
Cherng Talay area guideWe also cover Surin, Kamala, Kata, Karon, Kathu, Chalong, Rawai, Nai Harn and Phuket Town.
Knowing what an agency refuses to do tells you as much as its list of services. These are the lines we do not cross, because crossing them puts buyers’ money or legal title at risk.
We do not give legal or tax advice, act as your lawyer or run title searches in your place. An independent Thai lawyer, chosen and paid by you, should check the title deed and review every contract.
What a lawyer should checkThai companies in which Thai shareholders hold shares on a foreigner’s behalf so that the foreigner can control land breach the Foreign Business Act B.E. 2542 and the Land Code. We do not arrange or sell them.
Nominee company risksRental income depends on the property, its licence and the season. We give written estimates, not guarantees — and we encourage you to read any developer “guaranteed rental” scheme with your lawyer.
Investing in PhuketRenting by the night or the week normally requires a hotel licence, and most condominium buildings forbid stays under 30 nights. For condos we recommend monthly or yearly rentals instead.
Short-term rental rulesPut the criteria above to us directly — by phone, WhatsApp, email or at the office. We will answer in English, French or Thai, usually within 24 hours.
