skipdivils

What is your budget?

What type of home do you want?

What type of land do you want?

If you want land with a million dollar view, you will have to pay a million dollars. If you are okay with land that is not super prime, and a modest 2 bedroom villa, you should be able to find somehting. Again, what is your budget?

Let me know. I may be able to suggest a few things.

Benson,

What exactly is <deleted> about the OP? Could you be more specific?

Here here....

I second almost everything you said. Funny how there aren't the usual reams of cynical responses from the members of this forum. How refreshing to hear an opinion like yours.

If more expats who live on Samui shared your wisdom, the island would be a far better place. I guess these people just can't see that it is folks just like them - the ones who only bitch and do nothing positive or constructive themsevles - that drag down the vibe of the whole island.

Samui is one of the only places I have been in the world where I spend much more time hanging out with locals than with other expats. And that says a lot. That is also why I love the place so much. If I spent all my waking hours in grungy bars hanging out with only other expats who share the same cynicism and bad attititude, then yeah, I would badmouth the island and its locals too I guess. But spending time with locals that have become good friends over the years is much more preferable and rewarding.

Okay, so you hear the stories of land prices 'doubling every year' which really isn't true. You also hear ones about developers who are selling out villa projects all over the place.

But from those who KNOW, what is the real deal? Out of the hundreds of new villas that are for sale in various projects around the island, how many of these villas are actually selling? Is there a big enough demand for all the villa development currently on the island? Or are many of these places never going to sell?

Are prices going to keep going up and up? Or is the bubble about to burst?

What is the reality, in your opinion?

I just received two quotes for building a villa on Samui. The first one was for 15,000 baht per square metre and the second on was for 25,000 baht per square metre.

I am wondering if the first one seems cheap and will result in a poorly finished villa, or is it that the second one is high and I am overpaying for construction. Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks.

There are so many villas being built on Samui these days. So many little developments. Are they all going to be sold? Is the place being overbuilt? Is the demand really as high as it would seem?

Opinions please...

Thanks for the help.

But the Skype thing may not work for me in a net cafe. I need to call regular land lines. And then I would need to pay somehow.

My real question is, what is the best way to call long distance from Thailand to back home. And most importantly, how much does it cost per minute?

Does anyone know?

Thanks

Hi,

So what are people paying for long distance to call back to Europe? What about the US?

Is there any VOIP service in Thailand yet, particularly in the Samui or Phuket areas? What is the best way to call people back home? What is the best rate to call a land line?

I mean, 20 Baht per minute calling from an overseas call shop is getting old. How much are these shops really paying for their long distance? Isn't 20 baht a minute a little much???

Help please.

Toss in another 2 or 3 million to landscape the place and buy nice furniture, you're looking at close to 20 million baht.

what kind of landscaping cost 2-3 million baht for less than 1 rai? are you planting gold trees?

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He also said furniture...nice furniture. That, plus the landscaping (which could include a nice pool too) could easily come to 3 million baht for a high end joint.

Finally...a post on this forum from someone who KNOWS what they are talking about.

Pretty refreshing compared to most the bitter expats who reside on this forum, spouting all the scary stories about 'you WILL get ripped off' etc. etc. Although there are people who do get ripped off blatantly in Thailand I venture a guess that they are outnumbered by about 100 to 1 by those who have followed the law, and had no problem buying and owning land and/or a house in Thailand.

Thanks major for shedding the light on the situation.

I have read numerous reports of a 2nd airport to be built on Samui. Does anyone know where this stands? Where is it going to be? Do you think it will actually happen? If so, when?

Instead of going through the trouble of house developing it, which by the way you can't because you are a foreigner, just sit on it a few years and sell it. You changes are good you make a decent profit without any work at all. Land is easier to sell than already finsihed houses, believe me, i know.

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By the way Khun Jean. Thanks very much for the response. This is exactly what I was hoping to get out of this post. I feel bad that it has degenerated into such insanity. I really do appreciate your advice.

If anyone else out ther has any constructive advice that would be great. Thanks

Some of you people really are funny. Hippies??? A true hippie would sure not judge someone by reading a post that they had bought a piece of land and want to build and sell some villas. A true hippie would have a more open mind and perhaps listen more to the plans that this person may have for the land, rather than accusing the person of being a crook.

By the way, I don't remember any of you answering the question, are you native Samui folk? Oh no? Really? But yet you lay claim to the island that you have been a part of destroying. Strange really.

And for all of your information:

1. I am not from England, but I am not even sure why that would matter.

2. I don't plan to destroy the environment. In fact, my plan is to have 1 rai lots per villa built into the natural environment in order to retain as much of the natural beauty as possible when developing land.

3. I plan to move to Samui with my wife and baby girl and live there for a very long time. I would say forever, but who knows what tomorrow brings. It must be nice though to accuse others of flying in, 'stealing' money by destroying land and then flying away when most of you have probably been there less than 10 years yourselves.

4. Although I am a hippie at heart, I do admit to being a total hypocrite. If any of you took the time to think about your own lives, you would probably come to the same realization. That is if you are not too self-righteous and cynical. As a matter of fact, I used to live in a hippie commune on Vancouver Island in order to protest the logging going on out there. Now I am buying and developing land. As I said, I am a hypocrite, just like all of you. Only difference is, I can admit it.

5. If you don't like the commercialism and development of Samui, then it is real easy...LEAVE. That's right, you weren't born there, you don't own the place, and the development that is happening is inevitable now (already crazy developed) and unstoppable. The only thing to hope for is some responsibility by the part of the developers, which I hope to be able to bring to my projects. And if I succeed in builiding in a way that harms nature as little as possible, than i feel I am being more responsible to the island than just sitting around bitching and complaining about it like many of you seem to do. If you don't like what is happening, do something about it. And if the place is too commercial for you, move. Find another island that suits your 'hippie' lifestyle a little better. Or are you happier with your little conveniences and plastic bottled water, but just can't accept the fact that this makes you a hypocrite.

I can't wait to come to Samui to live. I have some beautiful friends there (both Thai and foreign) and although I would love to live in a forest and not harm mother nature in the least, I have a wife and baby who aren't quite game for that, so I gotta get by doing the best I can. And yes, I need and want to make decent money (as do all of you) and yes, I need a place to live, and yes, I will build other places to live and welcome new people to this island that I have fallen in love with over the past 12 years.

And my number one goal in all of this: to -NO MATTER WHAT- never end up a bitter and cynical ex-pat who hates everyone (foreigners cause they come in and destroy things) and Thai (cause you just can't trust 'em). Must be a long and lonely life living that way. Never want a part of it.

Why don't you get some information before you start stuff like this.

This is what Samui really needs, some more clowns who come down here, buy some land, build some villas, don't have a clue at all and than &lt;deleted&gt; off again.

Welcome to the English circle of local real estate crooks.

No thanks for your insight and understanding skipdivil.

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You sure are one ignorant ######er. You know absolutely NOTHING about me yet you take time out of your apparently miserable day to berate me and judge not only my business sense, but my character as well. Please tell me...how the ###### do you know that I am going to build some villas, then ###### off? Please explain to me how you know what my life plans are. You ignorant piece of shit. And while you're at it, please explain to me why I am a real estate crook?

And also, how long have you been living on Samui? Were you born there? Or are you just another old cynical foreign piece of shit who pretends that they discovered this island, and have sole rights to live there and enjoy it. And by the way, do you live under a coconut tree? On the beach? In the jungle? Oh, that's right, wait a minute, you live in a place with four walls and a roof. I guess you are just part of the problem of which you speak...that being people coming in to enjoy the life on Samui and needing a house to shit in like everyone else. See, the problem with losers like you is they are way too stupid to see the hypocrisy of their silly thoughts and ideas. It would make me puke, but I am too busy laughing at what a miserable existance you must lead, thinking yourself so almighty and so priveliged to have been granted sole access to the island.

I hope when I go there to live you will grant me a tourist visa as apparently it is up to you who else can now go and live on the island. Thanks for the help and kind words, you ignorant &lt;deleted&gt;. The only problem with permanent life on Samui will be trying to avoid people just like you! But that will be tough, cause it seems like there are lots of you...or maybe just the ones on this forum.

Hi all,

Just bought 6 rai of land on Samui. It south of Lamai, a little inland near Namuang waterfalls. Just curious, does anyone know how much money can be made by devloping the land. I have electricity, water, and have just had a road put in. Now am considering selling villas. I would guess the best way would be to pre-sell them based on blueprints and designs.

Only thing is, I am new to the whole developing thing, and have yet to get serious about researching the process. So my question is very general.

If I were to take one rai of land per villa, and have nice places designed, how much profit is there to be made for each villa I sell? I know there are a lot of factors involved here but I am looking for the general overall numbers. Say it costs 6 million to build the villa/pool on a one-rai plot. Then there is the cost of the land (2 million) and road/electric/water (which I have already done) and then the cost of selling it (agency fees, advertising, etc.).

If anyone could give me a rough breakdown of how much profit there is to be made for each villa sold, it would be greatly appreciated. Also, any suggestions on what you think would be the best way to develop the land, that would be great too. Thanks.

p.s I'm a bar owner not a real estate agent or developer....(and don't buy a bar!!)

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Don't buy land either. Don't even consider it.

You want land, buy some in a country that lets you buy land. A no brainer.

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Or pay a good lawyer 20,000 - 30,000 to setup a company properly that then buys and owns the land. Don't listen to Khun Larry.

And MaliceinWonderland, I am heading to Lamai in a month to close my recent land deal. Me and a buddy are grabbing 6 rai. I totally agree with your train of thought. Would love to have a beer and chat more when I visit in late June. What bar do you own? I'll pop by and have see you. Would love to hear more about your ideas for the land thing.

Just wondering what it is like down on the southern part of the island. Is Hua Thanon a nice place? Are there any beaches down there? Nice ones?

Is it being developed like crazy like up in the north end of the island or is it a little more chilled and peaceful?

Are there many tourists or foreigners living down that way? I am thinking of moving there and would like a house in the hills, and am thinking maybe down there is a little quieter and less developed than the rest of the place. your thoughts?

Thanks.

Hey Khun

What is it like down in Hua Thanon? What is going on there these days? Is it developing like crazy like up north or is it a little more remote and chilled?

Is the beach down there nice at all? I am considering moving down that way. Want a decent house on the hills sort of thing. Is it a nice place for that?

What about a place like Phuket or Samui or Koh Chang?

Don't you people think that you the prices of houses on those islands are going up? I think you could make some return there after 12 months, because you can sell them Foreigners, not Thais. So they want a '2nd hand property' because they don't want to go through the building process. I think there will be more and more of these people in places like these 3 islands, and Krabi too actually.

Yeah, I heard that it is busier than ever for this time of year.

What is the general feeling in Samui these days about the new bombings in the south?

How do you think this will affect the tourism on Samui?

People who don't know anything about a situation, except for a small report in the newspaper really should just shut the ###### up.

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No freedom of speach there then

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###### you darkling, you ignorant ######.

People who don't know anything about a situation, except for a small report in the newspaper really should just shut the ###### up.

R.I.P. Sammy. There are many who will miss ya and your heart of gold.

Got your PM, sent you one back. Thanks...