homehunter

Environmental Assesment is done after the building is completed?? Isnt that ass backwards?? I mean the project is already up and completed so isnt it too late then to say its bad for the area???

Also curious as to which projects as well. I have seen that property plus one on ratchada near ladprao, they had to dismantle an upper floor 'cos it was too high. Now its still sitting empty eventhought the building is finished

As to 50% drop in prices....I definitely will be doing some shopping.

Environmental Impact Assessment (E.I.A.) is required prior to construction commences and most developers will conform to this as any changes implemented by E.I.A. could cost the developer dearly. However, this is Thailand (TIT) and many connections mean loopholes are made if not found!

As to 50% drop in prices..... I do not know any market in the world where property prices are as competitively priced as here in Thailand (like-for-like) so I can not foresee 50% price drops with the current cost of construction increasing not declining. I do however see incentives to buy other than price drops.

This market dictates that buyers choose their developer with care and ensure they have some form of Escrow or equivalent should anything unforeseen happen.

Pattaya has a bad rep created mainly from perpetually repeated sleazy stories. Is it really any worse than Bangkok?

As for sex capital it has its bars and walking street is an eye-opener to most first time visitors but by shear volumn Bkk must surely still be the sex as well as the National capital?

Pattaya, if you have been a visitor for more than 10 years, will seem to be getting worse but if like me you have only seen the past 5 years of its history will have noticed the vast improvements that have been made here. Housing quality has most definately improved as has the choice of accomodation available. Roads have generally improved as has the increase in quality restaurants which has been received very gratefully.

Every growing economy has a negative element trying to cash in on the boom and Pattaya hasn't been spared on this front that is for sure. Progress, I do use the term advisadly, can not be stopped even if we want it stopped. Quaint old fishing village it may have been (mosquito infested swamp was the discription given to my wifes uncle who settled here as a young boy more than 60 years ago) but a thriving tourist city it most certainly is now, that can not be denied. Were it goes from here in the next few years will assuredly set or seal its fate.

All I ask is that everybody embraces the TAT sentiment of cleaning up the image of Pattaya and stop repeating 2nd or 3rd hand stories that spin a negative image and tell people of all the fun times that they have experienced here in Fun City.

It is all very well forming a Ltd Co.at the start, everything appears great. THai shareholders with no powers, only the foreigner as director has the control. Sounds great does it not. Well,in opinion this as I have said before is a SHAM. Thai lawyers should go on to explain that if investigated theThai gov. will IMO close that Co and seize assets i. e house. I have seen this done in Mallorca Spain 6 years ago. THe Germans Nearly took over the Island with all sorts of Cos formations. Spainish and German govs. pounced and many people lost assets and homes. Some traced back to discover dodgy money brought in to buy. Mass exodos of Germams took place. Finally, IMO, when a Ltd Co. is sold the assets are divided between the shareholders, who ,are the Thai shareholders you broght in at the start!!! OUCH I think I know who has got it right.

The Thai shareholders are only entitled to share in the listed capitalisation of the company which in most cases is 1 million baht total providing they have first paid up there share of capital. The additional funding required to build a home or improve land is usually a loan from the foreign shareholder to the company, at a recorded rate of interest to the company of course. These loans need to be officially recorded in the minutes of the company at the meeting of the shareholders and a loan agreement signed on behalf of the company by the elected director. This is my understanding please correct me if I'm wrong.

i recieved some info on another option: barb wire fence. comes in about 50 baht a meter. i believe it'd be a deterrent as much as concret wall, but not as much visual privacy as concrete. i dont mind , as i'm at the end of a quiet street. plant some pretty trees and some scratchy bushes and your in good shape.

Hi buddhafly

Bourganvillea or Fung Fah as it is know here is the prettiest, scratchiest, fastest growing hedge you could find that is readily available everywhere in Thailand at a very reasonable price. You may need to add a low level wire fence to keep out the dogs though!

[ It's a good time for a Thai to buy.

I don't see a lot of deals out there. We certainly aren't in another financial crisis so where are the deals? I have some friends who have asked me about quality housing developments that have good services but i haven't noticed too many deals lately. Anyone know of some deals out there in this regard?

I initially paid basic insurance on only the house (no theft or belongings) and it was about 14,000 for 5 years at a value of 6 million. I haven't put too much in the house yet but will probably upgrade the insurance in due course.

As for the transfer fee I had to pay half which I think is a standard practice so you would want to bargain for at least that.

Another thing I would add is that I paid a one-time moobaan fee of 50,000 supposedly for life but I've heard from other friends in other new moobaans that they were charged for at least the the first couple of years ahead of time. I think this is a result of some home owners in the past not paying the monthly fee.

Si Nam

Si Nam

There are deals to be made everywhere. We are building in the Phoenix Golf & Country Club just outside Pattaya and have luxurious homes starting from 8 million baht up to over 40 million baht. The project will have the best infrastructure with private wells, underground electrics, security plus CCTV, etc..... We have early investor plans with up to 25% discount available for show homes and no these prices are current market values or below, not inflated first and then later discounted!

www.homehuntersasia.com

Can't help you with a name but are you prepared to be onsite every day during construction, regardless of glowing recommendatios of a builder?

Thanks for the thought. I think you're saying that even the most highly-recommended builders here need to be personally supervised non-stop. You may well be right. A lot of people who've built here have told me the same. Yes, I'm capable of being on-site every day - I have a lot of project management experience in housing construction from the oil industry (worked in the Middle East). However, I really don't want to give up a year of my personal time to do this. If I have to do this, there's something wrong with the project. So although there's no simple answer (as another post tells us) I'd still like to see whether there are any possible "niche" solutions for handling my particular project. I've received a few interesting suggestions so far.

Filer

There are very skilled Thai and Western managed firms in Thailand. Check the qualifications of any company and get referrals before final selection.

Also ensure that you receive a detailed Bill Of Quantities that accurately relates to the final technical plans.

In my experience the problems stem from insufficient details in plans and BOQ's as well as the non-existance of a schedule of works. Make sure that you have a very tightly drawn up contract.

We design, build and project manage as well as develop or own villages in the Pattaya/Eastern Seaboard region so we can not assist you directly. The construction side of my business is managed by my British Operations General Manager who is a qualified Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyor (R.I.C.S.) and one of his previous employers was Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II's Household!

Best of Luck - Try to remember this is the Land Of Smiles!!!

There is another way of owning property in Thailand but it requires the developer to set the scheme up or it becomes rather expensive. If your property value is high enough it would still be worth while.

It involves the setting up of a lease and also retaining a share in the land holding company. Anybody that would like to know the full details can e-mail me at [email protected] and I will send an explanation sheet.