AI property search in Asia: what agents and buyers should know

Why property search in Asia is harder than it looks

Search for a villa in Bali or a condo in Phuket and you'll often find the same property listed many times. It appears on international portals, local sites, agency websites and social media, frequently with different prices, photos and descriptions. Some of those listings are months out of date. Some are for properties that sold long ago.

For an international buyer, the problems stack up quickly. Listings are written in different languages and priced in different currencies. Land is measured differently from one country to the next. Thai listings often use rai and square wah, where one rai is 1,600 square metres and one square wah is 4 square metres. Bali land is commonly quoted in are, where one are equals 100 square metres.

Ownership rules for foreigners also vary widely, and a listing rarely explains what an overseas buyer can actually hold.

For agents, the problem runs the other way. A good agent in Phuket or Manila may have exactly the property an overseas buyer wants but no practical way to reach that buyer. International advertising can be expensive, and referral arrangements often take a share of the agent's commission.

These are the problems I set out to address when I founded Kinnara in 2021.

How AI property search in Asia helps buyers

AI is good at work that involves large amounts of messy, inconsistent information. Property data across Asia fits that description well. Here's where it makes a practical difference.

Searching in plain language

Traditional property search relies on filters such as country, price band and number of bedrooms. Most buyers don't think that way. They think in terms of a three-bedroom villa near an international school, a short walk from the beach, with room for a pool. Language models can interpret a request like that and turn it into a structured search, including the details that standard filters miss.

Making listings comparable

Before a buyer can compare a villa in Bali with a condo in Bangkok, the basics need to line up. AI tools can convert currencies and land measurements, translate descriptions and pull out key details, such as land size, building size and title type, into a consistent format. A pile of listings becomes something a buyer can actually compare.

Spotting duplicates and outliers

The same property listed by five agents at four different prices confuses everyone. Software can match listings by comparing photos, descriptions and locations, and it can flag prices that sit well outside the range for similar properties nearby. An outlier isn't always a problem, but it's always worth a question.

Verified listings: the part AI can't do alone

Kinnara connects international buyers, investors and lifestyle seekers with verified listings across the Asia-Pacific, and the platform now carries more than 25,000 of them.

It's worth being clear about what verification on any property platform can and can't mean. In general, a platform can check that a listing comes from a genuine agent or developer, that the property appears to be available and that the details hang together. That removes a lot of noise and wasted time.

No platform can replace a buyer's own due diligence. Title checks, zoning, building permits and the legal structure of a purchase are matters for an independent local lawyer or notary. AI can notice that a listing mentions leasehold rather than freehold. It can't tell you whether the lease is properly registered or whether local rules allow the villa to be rented to holiday guests.

In my view, the best role for AI in property is to take the noise out of the search, so that buyers and their advisers can spend their time on the checks that matter.

Comparing property markets across Asian countries

One of the biggest advantages of a single platform is the ability to search across countries at once. Kinnara's primary markets are Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines. The platform also covers Vietnam, Malaysia, Cambodia, India, Australia, the UAE and parts of Europe, with villas, condos, land, houses, commercial property and hotels.

Cross-border search is useful, but buyers need to understand that the rules change markedly from one country to the next. A few general examples:

• Thailand: foreigners generally can't own land directly, but they can own condominium units freehold, provided foreign ownership in the building stays within 49 per cent of the total unit area. Land is often held through registered leases, which are limited to 30 years per term.
• Indonesia: freehold title, known as Hak Milik, is reserved for Indonesian citizens. Foreign buyers usually use leasehold or other permitted title types, and informal nominee arrangements carry serious legal risk.
• Philippines: land ownership is restricted to Filipino citizens and companies that are at least 60 per cent Filipino owned. Foreigners can own condominium units, provided foreign ownership in the project doesn't exceed 40 per cent.
• Malaysia: foreigners can generally buy property above a minimum price threshold, and that threshold varies from state to state.

These are simplified summaries. Rules change, and there are exceptions and conditions in every market. Treat them as general information only, and get independent local legal advice before you commit to any overseas purchase.

What a zero-commission model means for agents

Kinnara doesn't take a sales commission from agents. Instead, agents can choose subscription or premium network access.

I think this matters for a few reasons. When a platform takes a percentage of each sale, its incentives can drift towards pushing volume. A subscription model keeps the relationship simpler. The agent pays for access to buyers and tools, and keeps the commission they earn.

It also changes the maths for agents working with international buyers. Cross-border deals often take longer, involve more questions and need more support along the way. If a slice of the commission goes to a referral platform, many agents decide those buyers aren't worth the effort. Keeping the full commission makes that extra work worthwhile.

My background in sales and real estate, including leading Prestige Pinnacle Realty, shapes this view. Agents know their local markets far better than any platform. Technology should help them reach buyers, not stand between them and their clients.

Practical tips for agents listing for international buyers

• Keep listings current. Remove sold properties promptly, because stale listings damage trust quickly.
• State the title type clearly. Say whether it's freehold, strata or leasehold, and give the remaining lease term.
• Use square metres. Include local units if you like, but always give metric sizes for land and buildings.
• Show the real property. Use recent photos and be accurate about distances to beaches, schools and airports.
• Respond quickly. International buyers are often comparing several countries at the same time.

Where a property concierge still matters

AI can build a shortlist. It can't walk a site, judge a neighbourhood or reassure a first-time buyer purchasing in an unfamiliar country. That's why Kinnara pairs its platform with a concierge service that helps match buyers with the right properties and agents, and helps with finance. Kinnara also has an office in Phuket, Thailand, and partners with developers, which is relevant for buyers looking at new projects.

I believe that combination is what makes cross-border buying workable. Technology narrows thousands of options down to a handful. People then help with the decisions that follow.

A checklist for international property buyers

• Decide on your purpose first. A lifestyle home, a rental investment and a long-term hold can point you to different countries and property types.
• Understand what foreigners can legally own in that country before you fall for a property.
• Engage an independent local lawyer or notary who acts only for you, not for the seller or developer.
• Check title, zoning and permits. For leasehold, confirm the remaining term and the extension terms in writing.
• Budget for taxes, transfer costs and ongoing fees, which differ widely between countries.
• Visit in person, or have someone you trust inspect the property, before paying a deposit.
• Understand how you'll move money into the country and, one day, back out again.

As someone who speaks both English and Indonesian, I'm very aware of how much can be lost when buyers and sellers don't share a language or a legal system. Good tools and good people help close that gap.

About the author

Adrian Campbell is founder and CEO of Kinnara, a global property marketplace connecting international buyers with more than 25,000 listings across 44 countries. An Australian entrepreneur based in Indonesia, he has more than 15 years of experience in property, sales and capital raising. Read his biography.

This article is general information only and is not financial or legal advice.