Published on and written by Cyril Jarnias
Papua New Guinea’s real estate market is simultaneously booming, expensive, largely unregulated, and of rare legal complexity. In this landscape where nearly 97% of land is held under custom and prices are skyrocketing, local real estate agencies play a decisive role in securing transactions, guiding buyers and tenants, and filtering risks related to land tenure. Understanding who these players are, where they operate, what they offer, and how they work has become essential, whether one wishes to buy, rent, or invest.
A Demanding Real Estate Market That Makes an Agent Essential
In Papua New Guinea, almost all land is owned by clans or tribes under customary rules. These “customary lands” cannot be freely sold: they are leased, negotiated, and are often at the heart of internal conflicts, especially when a clan member attempts to sell without the agreement of the others. Only a small part of the territory—about 3%—is considered “alienated,” meaning registered and eligible to be bought, sold, or leased via a State Lease, often for a term of up to 99 years.
He clearly advises against dealing directly with customary landowners and recommends focusing on State Leases, considered the safest path. The market is also described as completely unregulated: there are no widespread professional valuation services, nor an official price index. Data is beginning to emerge via a few portals, but it remains limited.
Brian Hull, Executive Chairman of Century 21 Siule Real Estate
Prices themselves have experienced phases of sharp increases, notably during the boom linked to LNG gas projects, with annual growth in the double digits. Even today, rents in Port Moresby or Lae remain high, often quoted as a weekly rate and excluding GST (10%), with high-end apartments easily exceeding several thousand kina per week.
In the local real estate context, selecting a professional agency is a necessity for your legal and financial security. The main portals, such as Hausples.com.pg and myPNGhome.com, recommend prioritizing structured agencies with a physical office, a dedicated trust account for transactions, and a clearly identifiable team of agents.
The Major Agency Landscape: Between International Brands and 100% National Players
The Papua New Guinean real estate market brings together a mix of international franchises, regional groups, and independent local agencies. Several stand out due to their longevity, volume of listings, or geographic coverage.
The Heavyweights in Number of Listings
Some players distinguish themselves first by the quantity of properties they manage, a significant indicator of market weight. Data from Hausples.com.pg provides valuable insight.
| Agency | Main City (Headquarters) | Number of Agents | Number of Properties Listed* |
|---|---|---|---|
| DAC Real Estate | Gordons, Port Moresby (NCD) | 6 | 140 |
| Alpha Property Solutions | Gordons, Port Moresby (NCD) | 1 | 110 |
| Professionals (Hohola) | Hohola, Port Moresby (NCD) | 12 | 87 |
| Strickland RE Port Moresby | Town, Port Moresby (NCD) | 7 | 64 |
| Masterly Realtor | Waigani, Port Moresby (NCD) | 2 | 31 |
| Gateway Hotel & Apartments | 6 Mile, Port Moresby (NCD) | 4 | 26 |
| Budget Real Estate | Town, Port Moresby (NCD) | 2 | 22 |
| Hausples Support | Port Moresby (NCD) | 6 | 19 |
| Arthur Strachan Ltd | Lae (Morobe) | 1 | 18 |
| Kenmore Properties | Town, Port Moresby (NCD) | 6 | 14 |
| Pacific Property Advisory | Port Moresby (NCD) | 1 | 13 |
| Ray White Papua New Guinea | Port Moresby (NCD) | 11 | 12 (erroneous figure) |
Data sourced from a portal survey; they give an order of magnitude and are subject to fluctuation.
This concentration of listings within a few agencies indicates where the most active contacts are. DAC Real Estate, Alpha Property Solutions, or Professionals, for example, have a broad enough portfolio to offer a shared choice across multiple neighborhoods and price ranges.
Well-Established International Brands
Certain brands benefit from the strength of a global or regional network while maintaining a strong local presence.
Century 21 Siule Real Estate
Established in 1973, Century 21 Siule Real Estate is one of the historic names in the capital. Its headquarters is located at “Century 21 House” on Kunai Street in Port Moresby. In addition to being part of the Century 21® Global network (which aggregates over 100 listings for Papua New Guinea), the agency has built solid experience in State Leases, property management, and the sale of residential and commercial properties. Its Executive Chairman, Brian Hull, is regularly cited as an expert voice, notably on the dangers related to customary land.
LJ Hooker Papua New Guinea
LJ Hooker PNG presents itself as the “number one real estate brand” in the country, based on brand awareness studies. Based in Port Moresby (Kina Bank Haus, Douglas Street), the franchise markets both housing and large-scale projects. It is notably responsible for promoting Paga Hill Paradise, presented as the first waterfront residential apartment complex in Port Moresby, with units ranging from 1 to 5 bedrooms. LJ Hooker also highlights the TISA RUA project, a mixed-use building in Waigani with a retail component considered “boutique”, as well as Kaubebe Apartments in Boroko and the Chief Sir Theo Industrial Park in Waigani, offered for around K420,000.
Ray White Papua New Guinea
Ray White, a family-owned business considered one of the oldest in the country, has been present in Papua New Guinea for over 20 years. Its local team numbers over 35 employees, manages more than 200 tenants, and has more than half a century of combined experience. Ray White’s strength also lies in an international network with offices in Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, Hong Kong, China, India, and the United Arab Emirates. For a foreign investor, this dual culture—local and international—facilitates decoding Papua New Guinean practices while remaining aligned with Anglo-Saxon standards of management and reporting.
Professionals Papua New Guinea
Professionals is another group with several branches, notably in Hohola (NCD) and Lae, with offices in Goroka and Mount Hagen. With 12 agents for 87 properties listed in Hohola, the network stands out for its diversified offering: sales, leasing, management, valuations, auctions, and advisory. In Lae, their “Professionals House” building houses premium offices for lease, billed around K7,260 per week for certain floor spaces.
Reference Local Brands
Alongside these major brands, 100% nationally-owned companies are gaining strength and establishing themselves as key contacts, notably for their in-depth knowledge of the terrain and customs.
SIA Property Solutions Ltd
Based in Port Moresby, SIA Property Solutions presents itself as an agency wholly owned by national interests. Its particularity lies in combining several services: sales, leasing, management, market advice, property development, as well as negotiation services for customary lands and regulatory support. It also reminds, in its own communication, that 97% of the country’s land is held under custom and that State Leases typically run for 99 years.
The overall value of the Papua New Guinean real estate market was estimated at between 1.5 and 2 billion US dollars in 2023.
AAA Properties
Located in Lae (Malaita Street, Lot 19, Section 19), AAA Properties emphasizes customer service and integrity. The agency is involved in sales, leasing, and management, with a regional presence in the country’s second-largest city, a key industrial and logistics hub.
Arthur Strachan Ltd
Arthur Strachan is one of the heavyweights in Lae, with over 50 years of local roots. Based on Sixth Street, the agency manages 18 properties listed on some portals, but in reality, it has a much broader portfolio, encompassing residential management, commercial land, sales, leasing, valuations, auctions, and tenders. It operates in Lae but also conducts valuations and auctions across the country, making it a valuable contact for provincial assets.
Bestbuy Realty PNG LTD and Other National Players
Bestbuy Realty PNG LTD operates from Port Moresby as a company wholly owned by Papua New Guineans, with transaction and management activities. Other entities like ARIA Land & Property Development Agents, specializing in land acquisition, or AAA Properties, or Airways Residences PNG (hillside residences near the international airport) contribute to structuring the local supply, particularly in niche segments (land banking, luxury residences, etc.).
The Platforms That Structure the Market
Beyond physical agencies, two portals dominate property search in the country and play the role of meta-agents.
Hausples.com.pg
Founded in 2013, Hausples.com.pg is described as the leading real estate portal in Papua New Guinea. It aggregates listings from major agencies, developers, and owners, for both sale and lease, and claims more than 3,500 properties listed at any given time. The site also offers practical tools like a stamp duty calculator, 360° virtual tours, a direct chat system with agents, and, most importantly, significant editorial work: practical guides, market analysis, survey results, and the organization of an annual PNG Real Estate Expo.
Hausples conducts the PNG Residential Real Estate Survey, the 9th edition of which in 2025 gathered over 1,500 respondents. The results confirm the perception of high costs: about 80% of respondents find prices unaffordable, 87% believe values are too high, and over 80% of potential buyers state they need a loan to purchase a property.
myPNGhome.com
myPNGhome.com presents itself as the first major online marketplace dedicated to real estate properties in the country. Operated by PacificAdsGroup—which also runs PNGautos.com, the leading automotive classifieds—the site covers Port Moresby as well as Lae, Madang, Mount Hagen, Bougainville, Wewak, and Kokopo. It allows users to search for houses, apartments, land, and also to post free listings for sellers. It serves as a showcase for numerous agencies, including Professionals, Ray White, Alpha Property Solutions, Arthur Strachan, and AAA Properties.
Where the Best Agencies Operate: Port Moresby, Lae, and the Rise of the Regions
The most structured agencies are concentrated in the major cities, where State Leases, mining company headquarters, banks, and the emerging middle class are located.
Port Moresby, the Nerve Center
The capital concentrates a large number of agencies, portals, and developers. It is home to the headquarters of Century 21 Siule, LJ Hooker, Ray White, DAC Real Estate, Alpha Property Solutions, Professionals (Hohola), Kenmore Properties, Masterly Realtor, Budget Real Estate, Hausples Support, Pacific Property Advisory, SIA Property Solutions, Bestbuy Realty PNG LTD, and many others.
The emblematic neighborhoods are divided into residential and business areas: Town (CBD), Waigani, Gordons, Boroko, Korobosea, Touaguba Hill, Paga Hill, Konedobu, Ela Beach, Badili, Gerehu, Hohola, Malolo Estate, Tokarara, Napa Napa, as well as peri-urban sectors like 6 Mile, 8 Mile, 9 Mile, and 17 Mile.
The major real estate agencies in Papua New Guinea offer a varied range of property products to meet all needs.
High-end apartments with sea views in prestigious neighborhoods like Ela Beach or Konedobu.
Modern residential buildings, primarily located in the Waigani area.
Individual properties in residential neighborhoods such as Tokarara or Korobosea.
Developed land in business parks like the Chief Sir Theo Industrial Park.
Gated and monitored residences, for example in Islander Village or Malolo Estate.
Some listings illustrate the level of rents and sale prices observed:
| Property Type | Location | Features (example) | Indicative Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waterfront Apartment (Paga Hill Paradise) | Port Moresby, Paga Hill | 1 to 5 bedrooms | ~K 1,500 / week |
| Single-Family House | Touaguba Hill, Port Moresby | 3 bedrooms, 1 bathroom | ~K 2,000,000 for sale |
| Town House | Town, Port Moresby | 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms | ~K 5,000,000 for sale |
| Family Home | Tokarara | 6 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms | ~K 2,700,000 for sale |
| Townhouse in Compound (Islander Village) | Islander Village, Port Moresby | 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms | ~K 6,000 / week |
| Furnished House in Subdivision (Malolo Estate) | Malolo Estate, Port Moresby</td | 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms | ~K 1,200 / week |
These figures show a decidedly high-end market for a significant portion of the urban supply, particularly for expatriates and executives of large companies.
Lae, Second City and Industrial Hub
Lae, in Morobe Province, is the other major real estate hub of the country. It is home to solid agencies like Arthur Strachan Ltd, AAA Properties, Professionals House, or Pacific Palms Property, which manage offices, warehouses, houses, and apartments for an industrial and commercial clientele.
In Lae, the Professionals agency leases premium offices for over K7,000 per week. The residential market, with 2-bedroom apartments around K1,142 per week, also remains high compared to local average incomes, despite levels lower than in Port Moresby.
Regional Cities: Mount Hagen, Wewak, Kokopo, Kavieng…
While structured supply is rarer there, several agencies or portals list properties in Mount Hagen (Western Highlands), Wewak (East Sepik), Kokopo and Rabaul (East New Britain), Bougainville, or Kavieng (New Ireland). Houses are offered for sale or lease, often via the networks of Professionals, Ray White, Arthur Strachan, or via the Hausples and myPNGhome.com portals.
Some examples of regional prices help give an idea:
| City / Region | Property Type | Features (example) | Indicative Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wewak (East Sepik) | Land / Development | Parcel for real estate project | ~K 3,000,000 for sale |
| Mount Hagen | Family Home | 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms | ~K 1,300,000 for sale |
| Mount Hagen | Executive House for Lease | 3 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, 3PK | ~K 1,154 / week |
| Kavieng | House | 3 bedrooms, 1 bathroom | Price on Application |
For investors or residents wishing to escape the land pressure of Port Moresby, these secondary markets can offer alternatives, but guidance from agencies experienced in these zones remains crucial, given the sensitive nature of land titles there.
How the Best Agencies Work: Services, Commissions, and Securing Transactions
Even though the country lacks a regulatory framework as tight as some Western jurisdictions, the good agencies align with relatively standardized practices regarding services and commissions.
A Range of Services That Goes Beyond Simple Transactions
The major names in the sector do not just connect sellers and buyers. They offer a range of services covering the entire lifecycle of a property:
Real estate agencies in Papua New Guinea offer a comprehensive set of services for property sales, leasing, and management. This includes initial free property appraisal, advice on sales or leasing strategy (price positioning, marketing, targeting), and production of materials (professional photography, ad writing, virtual tours via platforms like Hausples). They handle distribution on local portals (Hausples, myPNGhome.com, agency websites) and sometimes international ones, as well as organizing viewings and open houses. For leasing, they manage tenant selection and screening (background checks, payment capacity, references), offer negotiation (price, conditions, timeframes), and serve as an interface with lawyers, banks, the Department of Lands and Physical Planning, and the Land Titles Commission for formalities related to State Leases and title registration. Finally, they handle daily property management: rent collection, repair follow-up, regular inspections, lease renewals, and legal notifications.
Certain players, like SIA Property Solutions, add specialized services, for example support in structuring Incorporated Land Groups (ILGs), negotiation with customary clans, or compliance with foreign investment laws.
Commission Levels and Ancillary Costs
Real estate agency commissions in Papua New Guinea are generally negotiated on a case-by-case basis, but the fee structures commonly mentioned in the country for sales often follow a tiered model, around 5% on the first brackets then 3 to 5% beyond that. Observed practices cite, for example:
– 5% on the first 100,000 kina;
– 5% on the next 100,000 kina;
– 3% on the following bracket;
– then 5% on the remainder.
Agencies also emphasize that these rates are negotiable depending on the ease of sale (prime location, property in good condition, attractive price). For very high-end properties or significant transactions, the commission can be adjusted downward, as observed in other international markets.
Alongside these commissions, other costs burden a transaction:
– Stamp duty between 2% and 5% of the purchase price, paid by the buyer;
– Registration fees (around 0.01% of the value) with the Department of Lands;
– Lawyer’s fees for drafting and reviewing sale contracts or State Leases;
– Notary fees where applicable;
– Marketing expenses (photos, premium listings, brochures), sometimes charged separately;
– For sellers: costs related to early loan repayment, property compliance, etc.
For property management, commission rates are often between 8% and 15% of the monthly rent, to which may be added one-off tenant-finding fees, charged as a percentage of the first month’s rent.
A Legal Dimension That Must Not Be Underestimated
The best agencies also play a filtering role against the country’s specific legal risks. Local laws—Land Act (1996), Land Registration Act, Land (Tenure Conversion) Act, Foreign Investment Act, Land Dispute Resolution Act—are complex, and their interaction with custom can generate high uncertainty.
They emphasize the “compensation mentality” that can lead some customary landowners to demand additional payments after the fact, or even to contest transactions that have already been concluded. Even State Leases can be contentious if the initial transfer of land from custom to the State was contested.
Land Professionals (Thomas ToBunbun, Ken McArthur)
In this context, a serious agency:
– prioritizes properties for which it has been able to verify the chain of title with the Registrar of Titles;
– strongly advises against buying directly from an individual claiming customary rights without a recognized ILG structure;
– works with law firms with local experience (Ashurst, Allens, Gadens, Posman Kua Aisi, Warner Shand Lawyers, etc.);
– ensures that the foreign buyer has obtained, where applicable, the necessary authorizations from the Investment Promotion Authority (IPA) and the Minister for Lands.
How to Choose a Good Agency in Papua New Guinea
In a market where “many claim to be agents” but the profession is loosely regulated, a few criteria help distinguish the best structures from opportunistic players.
Hausples guides and recommendations from professionals like Gayle Nast (Strickland Real Estate) highlight several points to verify.
Concrete Signs of Professionalism
Even before discussing price, it is useful to check some tangible elements:
– Existence of an identified physical office, with an on-site team and public reception;
– Holding of a trust account to receive deposits and rents, separate from the agency’s own accounts;
– Presence on one or more recognized portals (Hausples.com.pg, myPNGhome.com, PNG Yellow Pages, PNG Business Directory);
– Existence of a professional website, professional email address, reachable landline and mobile phone numbers;
– Membership, where applicable, in a professional association like the Real Estate Industry Association (Strickland Real Estate is a founding member).
This is the maximum number of agencies listed on some online professional directories, justifying a rigorous selection process.
The Interview with the Agent: Key Questions to Ask
Specialists advise meeting with several agencies and conducting real interviews before signing an agreement, whether for sale or lease. Among the relevant questions:
To choose a real estate agent in Port Moresby, Lae, or Mount Hagen, it is crucial to ask them specific questions about their local experience, their recent transaction volume (sales/leases over 12 months), the number and price range of properties they manage, and their client network (expatriates, mining companies, NGOs, etc.). Also inquire about their appraisal method (comparables, property condition), marketing strategy (photos, portals, viewings), tenant screening process (income verification, references), and fee structure (commission, additional costs).
A quality agency will then propose a written marketing plan, with a timeline, estimated budget, and a realistic price range, without disproportionate promises relative to the market.
The Long-Term Relationship
A good agent doesn’t just put a listing online. They provide regular reporting to their client, relay feedback from viewings, adjust strategy based on demand, and advise on possible presentation work (painting, cleaning, minor repairs) to maximize price or speed of leasing.
In an environment where security and reliability are major concerns, they must also be able to explain how the property is secured (fencing, guards, backup generators, water tanks) and what typical clientele is willing to pay for these services.
The Role of Agencies in Accessing Finance and Public Programs
Even if their core business remains transaction and management, real estate agencies are often on the front lines to guide their clients towards the available financing mechanisms.
Maximum loan amount for home ownership offered by Bank South Pacific under its First Home Ownership Scheme.
Agencies, faced with the realities of demand, know that over 80% of buyers state they depend on a loan to realize their project. They therefore frequently direct their clients to bank advisors or online loan calculators (offered, among others, by BSP, ANZ, or Westpac) and help them calibrate the budget relative to the price levels observed in target neighborhoods.
Why These Agencies Have Become Strategic Partners
In a country where nearly 10 million inhabitants largely live on customary land, where infrastructure remains fragile, and where accelerated urbanization is pushing the middle classes towards Port Moresby and Lae, the best local real estate agencies in Papua New Guinea fulfill a role much broader than that traditionally associated with their profession.
They:
Professional agents structure a largely unregulated market by bringing minimal transparency to prices, yields, and risks. They serve as a filter against frequent abuses (fake titles, non-consensual sales, subsequent compensation demands). They guide foreign investors within a specific legal framework where freehold is reserved for citizens, but where 99-year State Leases can offer equivalent long-term security. Finally, via dedicated portals, they help disseminate information, educate buyers, and gradually professionalize the sector.
Agencies like Century 21 Siule, LJ Hooker, Ray White, Professionals, Strickland Real Estate, DAC Real Estate, Arthur Strachan, SIA Property Solutions, or AAA Properties are not just intermediaries: they have become, in practice, essential links for anyone who wants to find housing, invest, or develop a project in the country. In this context, taking the time to compare their offerings, references, and methods is not an option, but the first step to moving forward on less mined terrain in Papua New Guinean real estate.
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Cyril Jarnias is an independent expert in international wealth management with over 20 years of experience. As an expatriate himself, he is dedicated to helping individuals and business leaders build, protect, and pass on their wealth with complete peace of mind.
On his website, cyriljarnias.com, he shares his expertise on international real estate, offshore company formation, and expatriation.
Thanks to his expertise, he offers sound advice to optimize his clients' wealth management. Cyril Jarnias is also recognized for his appearances in many prestigious media outlets such as BFM Business, les Français de l’étranger, Le Figaro, Les Echos, and Mieux vivre votre argent, where he shares his knowledge and know-how in wealth management.
