Need help with a home

[Relocated]

This is all new to me, but I've developed strong affection for Chiangmai. I've been working on buying a house there, though not without some challenges. These frustrations might not be anything out of the ordinary. I believe I've grasped the regulations around land and house ownership, including the 30+30 year leasing option. However, I haven't received the lease arrangement paperwork or the agreement between this sweet Thai woman and myself, apart from the actual purchase contract. I understand you might suggest abandoning the whole idea, or wondering if this is just how things work in Thailand. I am sure many have been in a similar situation, some ending up in unpleasant circumstances. Despite that, I'm still committed to making this work. 

What do I need to know please ? Any insights and advice would be greatly welcomed.

[couchpotato]

3 minutes ago, Relocated said:

This is all new to me, but I've developed strong affection for Chiangmai. I've been working on buying a house there, though not without some challenges. These frustrations might not be anything out of the ordinary. I believe I've grasped the regulations around land and house ownership, including the 30+30 year leasing option. However, I haven't received the lease arrangement paperwork or the agreement between this sweet Thai woman and myself, apart from the actual purchase contract. I understand you might suggest abandoning the whole idea, or wondering if this is just how things work in Thailand. I am sure many have been in a similar situation, some ending up in unpleasant circumstances. Despite that, I'm still committed to making this work. 

What do I need to know please ? Any insights and advice would be greatly welcomed.

You have mentioned 30+30 lease, land ownership and house ownership all in one post, and the post is rather convoluted, hard for others to really interpret what you are trying to do. So if you want advice please post in a manner that we can understand.

As a reminder 30+30 leases are not legally valid..whatever you are told. 

[1FinickyOne]

Nobody can predict what might happen in a relationship.

 

I have been lucky and have bought plenty of land and a few homes with my Thai wife - - BUT - I never bought anything here in my families name that had any special agreement. No usufruct etc - but I also never bought anything that I couldn't walk away from... best said, anything I buy is a gift. 

 

if you are planning on a house, make sure to think it through, visit it often at all hours and best to rent right off so you can learn what you like and don't like about the house and the area... 

 

ps - you might want to find out how long the house has been on the market - and what/if your possibilities of resale might be... I once called the number on a sign for 'House For sale'

It had been on the market for so long, the lady could not remember having this house. Moo bahns can be tough for resale. There is a lot on the market. 

 

Best advice - rent and keep looking. 

[jij]

http://29tanin.com

 

Talk to Sumalee

[tkramer]

You can buy a very nice roomy Condo, 100% in your name. If you buy a house, you will never own it. Money down the drain. But if that's okay with you, maybe we should meet up, as I've got the Golden Gate Bridge for sale at a remarkable price. Clear title and everything...!

[novacova]

2 minutes ago, tkramer said:

You can buy a very nice roomy Condo, 100% in your name. If you buy a house, you will never own it. Money down the drain. But if that's okay with you, maybe we should meet up, as I've got the Golden Gate Bridge for sale at a remarkable price. Clear title and everything...!

Yes I am interested in buying this bridge. But first you’ll need to shut it down for a couple weeks and clean it before I come to inspect it, okay?

[xtrnuno41]

You are sure in Chiang Mai? You know there is smog for 3/4 months, attacking your health.

Not long ago, saw a darn nice house and really cheap. Then i checked place and understood why.

Price was already low, but still even negotiable.

Legal, Thai law, lease period is 30 years. After that you have to RENEW and CAN be done, but if owner says "no" then it is the end. After that one you can do it again for 30 years, but same conditions. So 90 years totally, BUT if owner says "no", it is off. You can also say "no".

Only a usufruct can be set for (your) live. You still dont own. You die and land is back to owner. Only Thai can own the land. House can be your name, but if it is on leased land, you have to break it down after lease then.

Makes no sense, I think, to split it up. You are now buying, house/land in a Thai relation? House and land then on woman's name, but then with usufruct. Or are you buying condo? Condo has other regulations.

[LukKrueng]

1 hour ago, xtrnuno41 said:

You are sure in Chiang Mai? You know there is smog for 3/4 months, attacking your health.

Not long ago, saw a darn nice house and really cheap. Then i checked place and understood why.

Price was already low, but still even negotiable.

Legal, Thai law, lease period is 30 years. After that you have to RENEW and CAN be done, but if owner says "no" then it is the end. After that one you can do it again for 30 years, but same conditions. So 90 years totally, BUT if owner says "no", it is off. You can also say "no".

Only a usufruct can be set for (your) live. You still dont own. You die and land is back to owner. Only Thai can own the land. House can be your name, but if it is on leased land, you have to break it down after lease then.

Makes no sense, I think, to split it up. You are now buying, house/land in a Thai relation? House and land then on woman's name, but then with usufruct. Or are you buying condo? Condo has other regulations.

I think you're confusing laws from different countries... AFAIK in most Western countries the longest lease possibly is 99 years. In Thailand it is only 30 years. If you want to re-lease there property once the 30 years are up, you can, as you said, if both parties agree. And you can keep re-leasing the property as many times as you and the owner agree on it, no limit to 3 times.

As for removing the house at the end of the lease - that will be according to your agreement with the owner. Actually, according to the law whatever is on the land at the end of the lease (fixed things, not movable and personal belongings of course) now belongs to the owner of the property.