"Brokerage Fees Are Already High, Now They Want More?": Debate Erupts Over Property Viewing Fees

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Should you have to pay money just to view a house?

When buying a home or finding a jeonse (lump-sum housing deposit) lease, people go on what is called "imjang"—visiting properties in person accompanied by a real estate agent.

Currently, no separate fee is charged for this service, but the Korea Association of Realtors has proposed a plan to receive separate compensation, sparking a heated debate.

Under the current Licensed Real Estate Agents Act, brokerage fees can only be claimed when a transaction is successfully completed.

In other words, even if an agent introduces a property and accompanies the client to the site, they cannot receive a separate fee if the contract falls through.

The association's concept is to receive separate compensation for these property viewings.

It is known that they are considering a method where consumers pay an upfront fee, which is later deducted from the total brokerage fee if an actual contract is successfully concluded.

The introduction of such a viewing fee was previously discussed once last year.

At the time, there was considerable backlash from consumers asking if they were being asked to bear additional costs when brokerage fees were already high.

On the other hand, the real estate brokerage industry maintains the position that a certain level of compensation is necessary since a significant amount of time and cost goes into property viewings.
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.