14 hours ago, KhunHeineken said:

Yes, numbers that do not support your argument that all is fine and well in Thailand's property market.

That much smaller number is still a big number. 😂

Even with some wants or needs and pricing, there's still so many to chose from in the rental market as well.

I hope they keep building here. It puts downward pressure on rents. Build more, I say. 😂

As another posted said, your reading retention skills are bad, or likely just selective. I've recently posted at least 3 or 4 times that the housing industry is super important to Thailand's economy and the government is not handling it well with the company crackdown, which will be detrimental to it and all the related industries tied to it.

So, since that is my thinking, posted on AN a number of times, how do you jump from that to posting that my 'argument' is the property market, part of the huge and important housing industry, is 'fine and well'. And, once again, stop taking it upon yourself to decide what my thoughts are on something--as you are always making wrong assumptions, always cherry-picking and distorting what I post, always deflecting when you post a real howler that I call you on.

What I have said, in addition to the above:

1. We are in Thailand and there are still Thai buyers for all types of property. It's a large country of over 71 million. There are also still foreign buyers buying foreign quota condos and buying houses or condos in their Thai spouse's name--that was the case with the last condo we sold. My Thai spouse and I just finished building a house, and it is registered in my spouse's name. Conditions were not good during the covid period but people still bought and sold property, including my spouse and myself, who bought and sold 3 properties--1 condo and 2 houses. It's the same today, people are still buying and selling property, both Thais and foreigners. We recently sold a house to a Thai buyer. It doesn't mean the property market is 'fine and well'--it just means that it's still going on, there are still buyers and sellers.

2. National data is just that--national data, compiled from local data. Despite all your protestations to the contrary, it is local data that is important for local, individual transactions--whether you are buying a condo, a house, a used car, etc. When I ask you how it is relevant that there are, say, 5,000 used Honda City's for sale nationwide and 200 used Honda City's for sale in Chiang Mai, and I am looking for a used Honda City for sale only in Pattaya, you deflect with the ludicrous 'product recall' data, or some such nonsense, knowing full well that the numbers are simply a numbers count only, and nothing else. For a local transaction, it is local data that you want, that's what is important and relevant. How many of 'X' are for sale in my local area? Not how many in CM.

3. I will continue to maintain that buying a property is a whittling down process when a buyer's many criteria are factored in. A large number reduces to a smaller, manageable number. And, same with renting. It's really no different if you go car shopping. Hundreds of different models on the market. But, you are likely looking for a specific type, say an SUV. That immediately eliminates everything that is not an SUV--pickup trucks, sports cars, vans, convertibles, sedans, etc. You likely also a have a size in mind--those that are too big or too small drop out. And, price will further reduce the models, as all that are too expensive are eliminated. The last time we shopped for an SUV, it came down to just two models. Since then, a number of Chinese models are now available so we will have more choices next time around, but it will still be a small number, probably 4 or 5 at the most. The last time we shopped for a condo, the same thing--it reduced to just a few. There are some new condo projects now so the number might be bigger but, like the SUV choices, not a large one.

4. Renting vs. buying is directly tied to each individual, couple, or family's own circumstances. For the umpteenth time, there is no one size fits all. Renting might be the better option for a single guy, buying might be better for someone married to a Thai and living here long-term. For many, buying has more than just financial considerations as many like to own the space they live in. It's whatever works best--and neither you nor I can say what that is for someone we don't know. We can only say what works best for us. For you, it's renting, for my spouse and myself, it's owning, for all the many reasons I have stated in other posts, with financial not being the main one.

2 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

I know RE, as been at it for 44 yrs, and even have my RE license in USA,

You're not in Kansas now, Toto. 😂 😂

11 hours ago, CallumWK said:

Probably posted somewhere on the forum already.

Thaiger

Foreigners say they were advised into nominee scheme by l...

A nominee network investigation leads to arrests of 13 foreigners who illegally owned properties in Hua Hin, Prachup Khiri Khan.

It's a warning that "The Great Thai Land Reset" has started.

Get the popcorn.

3 minutes ago, KhunHeineken said:

It's a warning that "The Great Thai Land Reset" has started.

Get the popcorn.

No reset, just a few bargains coming to market from motivated sellers, if they can even sell. I have my doubts.

53 minutes ago, KhunHeineken said:

In the current circumstances, facing arrest, charging, sentencing, deportation, and blacklisting, or signing over the property to the Thai lady, which one do you think most will chose?

It's only prudent because many are under duress now.

They have allowed themselves to become victims of the very system that should have set off alarm bells for them years ago, and thus they should not have bought the property in the first place.

Again, for those looking to buy now, is your advice for the foreigner to put the property in the Thai lady's name?

That statistic is only for marriages. What about the many in defacto relationships? Would that demographic raise the statistics, considerably?

Never heard of any, never read of any, really? Is it all just a myth?

You have contradicted yourself.

You said you don't know of any, now you say you do know of some that it didn't work out because they post such on AN.

Which one is it?

When I say I don't 'know' of any, I was referring to personally knowing any--anybody reading my post would have understood that, including you. Why do you play such stupid games? The rest was answered in my other post--try your reading retention skills again.

51 minutes ago, KhunHeineken said:

I think you will find, the world over, people invest their money is something that they can actually own / control, which is not the case with Thai property. 🙂

Mostly yes.

But at the end of the day only money talks, and the fact is that some foreigners have made and are still making tons of money in the Thai property market. All investments have risks that successful investors are usually aware of.

55 minutes ago, KhunHeineken said:

I think you will find, the world over, people invest their money is something that they can actually own / control, which is not the case with Thai property. 🙂

It is the case with a foreign quota condo. It is in your name and you 'own and control' it, including the right to sell it, which I have done about 18 or so times in Thailand.

1 hour ago, KhunHeineken said:

I think you will find, the world over, people invest their money is something that they can actually own / control, which is not the case with Thai property. 🙂

Since you have NO experience, you can only state, you have not done well in 'Thai property' Others, inclusive, have done very well, legally.

Since not a fan of trusting Thai partners, you could probably do very well in the condo market, if you understood it, and made a wee bit of effort. Other do every day.

As pointed out, seems a very nice hobby for some. I would have to move, so doesn't interest me.

I could see myself & wife being landlords again or flipping condos as a hobby and generating a few baht. But don't want to live where condos are readily available.

4 hours ago, Yumthai said:

Mostly yes.

But at the end of the day only money talks, and the fact is that some foreigners have made and are still making tons of money in the Thai property market. All investments have risks that successful investors are usually aware of.

Money was made in the 80's, particularly on the islands, but those days a long gone.

Thailand's property market is currently in a 4 year decline. (link previously posted)

4 hours ago, newnative said:

It is the case with a foreign quota condo. It is in your name and you 'own and control' it, including the right to sell it, which I have done about 18 or so times in Thailand.

As usual, you are not being forthright.

Foreigners, collectively, can only have a 49% interest in condo blocks, that is not fair and equal ownership, and certainly not complete control, as out voted every time.

4 hours ago, KhunLA said:

Since you have NO experience, you can only state, you have not done well in 'Thai property' Others, inclusive, have done very well, legally.

I researched it thoroughly, and it wasn't for me. Wouldn't touch it with a barge pole.

Some members are now coming out of the woodwork so say they walked away from it years ago as well.

As I mentioned, money was made in the 80's, particularly on the islands, but those days are long gone. Thailand's property market is currently in a 4 year decline. No money to be made now, if fact, many selling now may well sell for less than what they bought in for.

4 hours ago, KhunLA said:

Since not a fan of trusting Thai partners, you could probably do very well in the condo market, if you understood it, and made a wee bit of effort. Other do every day.

I'm single, so putting a property in a Thai lady's name is irrelevant to me.

Even condo's are a poor investment. As said, the purchase price money for a condo here, left back in Australia, earns way more than my rent, so why would I bother buying, which comes with other costs, and risks?

4 hours ago, KhunLA said:

As pointed out, seems a very nice hobby for some. I would have to move, so doesn't interest me.

That was the past. Nothing moving now.

Many left with a declining asset they can not liquidate.

4 hours ago, KhunLA said:

I could see myself & wife being landlords again or flipping condos as a hobby and generating a few baht. But don't want to live where condos are readily available.

In the current market, you would lose.

Even Thai tourism is down. That's tomorrow's expat retiree.

59 minutes ago, KhunHeineken said:

As usual, you are not being forthright.

Foreigners, collectively, can only have a 49% interest in condo blocks, that is not fair and equal ownership, and certainly not complete control, as out voted every time.

Wrong. There is nothing in the Thailand Condominium Act that requires a condo board to have a majority of Thai owners sitting on the board. At the AGM, owners, Thai or foreign, can vote for any owner, Thai or foreign, running for the condo board. At the last condo project we owned at, the condo board had a majority of foreigners, not Thais.

We have owned condos in Thailand at 15 different projects, 1 in Rayong, 2 in Bangkok, and the rest in Pattaya. Spouse also manages a condo for an absentee owner at a 16th project and we attend the AGMs on her behalf. So, we have had experience with 16 different projects in Thailand, possibly more than you do as one who has never owned a condo in Thaiand.

Every one of the projects was being run at least adequately, most more than that. The View Talays were no-frills operations but the 4 different VT projects we lived at were all being maintained--grounds kept up, building cleaning done, pools cleaned and maintained, elevators serviced and kept working, security at the gates, condo office staffed, etc. At this point we just have the Bangkok condo and it is being maintained very well, with excellent staff.

We never encountered what you describe--foreigners being outvoted on some issue. Not saying it doesn't happen but that has not been our experience. What we found was that both Thais and foreigners were vested in maintaining an asset that we had put a lot of our hard-earned money into. Perhaps you might get some of that in very small, older projects with very cheap condos and inadequate condo budgets, or in a Nirun-type project--I don't have any of that experience.

9 hours ago, KhunHeineken said:

I never suggested I know the answer, I know no one does, but I do know a few guys that were done over.

I also suggest that the media reports you see with the balcony jumpers, all over Thailand, on many occasions, would be due to financial loss to a Thai lady, which would include buying a property and / or a business for her. I'm sure it's not just for a new iPhone or motorbike. Have you ever read such articles, and read between the lines?

Many have had to go home and back to work, or go home and onto benefits. Do you deny this happens?

Once again, I did not claim to know an accurate statistic, and was perfectly happy for a member to take a guess. I would put it at around 70% to 30%. That's 70% failure / scammed, 30% successful relationship / marriage.

I highly doubt that it is anywhere near 70% of foreigners that paid for property owned by a Thai partner end up being scammed. As you say, you don't really know and all you can do is guess based upon media reports. The media will only report on the failures, not the successes.

Edited yesterday at 01:31 PM1 day by donx

9 hours ago, Dan O said:

Until you sell you have no profit, just a cost and a speculated value. If you cant sell or the market stays depressed then you have money spent on the front end and some land but thats about it.

You can say this about any investment be it stocks, bonds, crypto currency, etc.

I don't really have many friends here in Thailand. I focus on my kid mainly. But, even I know personally of 2 foreigners who lost their homes in the wife's name due to gambling. Plus I've heard stories told of others. For those of you who say "well I don't know anyone who lost it all" It doesn't mean it's not happening. From what I've seen gambling debts is the number one reason.

The 4 chanotes I've paid for are in the kid's name. Putting the house in GF's name is a suckers game. Sure, there's some lifers here who have done it and it's all roses, it's fine. You have the wealthy retirees who don't sweat it putting a 6 mil baht house in GF's name hoping for the dream life. No big deal for them, but it's the guy who sold everything at home and believe they found the dream girl here and lose it all.

Now about home sales. I've spent a great deal of time searching for another home and over time it's interesting to see the same homes year after year with the for sale sign withering away in front. I looked at a home in a village, 10 yrs old and never lived in. And this is in an up and coming area. The price of land has exploded. You've got people who aren't serious about selling but put some crazy high price tag on it and wait and see.

37 minutes ago, EVENKEEL said:

I don't really have many friends here in Thailand. I focus on my kid mainly. But, even I know personally of 2 foreigners who lost their homes in the wife's name due to gambling. Plus I've heard stories told of others. For those of you who say "well I don't know anyone who lost it all" It doesn't mean it's not happening. From what I've seen gambling debts is the number one reason.

The 4 chanotes I've paid for are in the kid's name. Putting the house in GF's name is a suckers game. Sure, there's some lifers here who have done it and it's all roses, it's fine. You have the wealthy retirees who don't sweat it putting a 6 mil baht house in GF's name hoping for the dream life. No big deal for them, but it's the guy who sold everything at home and believe they found the dream girl here and lose it all.

Now about home sales. I've spent a great deal of time searching for another home and over time it's interesting to see the same homes year after year with the for sale sign withering away in front. I looked at a home in a village, 10 yrs old and never lived in. And this is in an up and coming area. The price of land has exploded. You've got people who aren't serious about selling but put some crazy high price tag on it and wait and see.

Gambling & substance abuse, including alcohol, has lead to a few folks I know in USA losing it all. Definitely not a Thai thing.

I'd say about 20 mix couples here I know personally, and all are or were doing fine. Surely some have been scammed, I just don't know any.

My first wife would have surely scammed me, if he father didn't like me. He was in home construction, actually built my first house at basically cost. Work was sporatic, so I asked what he needed for steady income. Rice husking machine, so I bought him one. Back in 2000, only cost 40k THB, so $1000. Cheap price for having a house built.

That POA helped avoid getting scammed, as I sold the house without the ex's input.

14 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

Gambling & substance abuse, including alcohol, has lead to a few folks I know in USA losing it all. Definitely not a Thai thing.

I'd say about 20 mix couples here I know personally, and all are or were doing fine. Surely some have been scammed, I just don't know any.

My first wife would have surely scammed me, if he father didn't like me. He was in home construction, actually built my first house at basically cost. Work was sporatic, so I asked what he needed for steady income. Rice husking machine, so I bought him one. Back in 2000, only cost 40k THB, so $1000. Cheap price for having a house built.

That POA helped avoid getting scammed, as I sold the house without the ex's input.

Those 20 couples all doing fine doesn't mean gambling hasn't complicated things. Would you go around telling others if your wife had gambling debts?

2 minutes ago, EVENKEEL said:

Those 20 couples all doing fine doesn't mean gambling hasn't complicated things. Would you go around telling others if your wife had gambling debts?

Still had their assets, new vehicles, kids off to Uni, if having, so no outward money problems. Couples have problems. I thought the issue was 'losing it all', not marital issues.

Losing it all via illegally buying home, and then the resident troll brought losing it all into the thread, to wife scamming.

Now gambling. Not unique to Thais. What other Thai bash should we go for, wife cheating, or farang husband caught at massage parlor more like it.

Carry on ...

Edited 12 hours ago12 hr by KhunLA

22 hours ago, KhunLA said:

I can judge the price on the market price of similar properties that have sold recently. That's how savvy people shop, current buy/sell price margins.

That's why my 1st Thai sold very quick, actually before it was listed. Quickest & easiest money that RE office ever made. I was motivated, selling with POA, just like these folks, with nominee companies will be motivated. And I still made a tidy profit, more because of the exchange rate, and was paid for in USD.

2nd house took a while, 3 years, due to unique design, across from BBQ wat, and scamdemic, along in middle of nowhere, so only a retired or self employed person would by it, as a long commute to town.

I know RE, as been at it for 44 yrs, and even have my RE license in USA, so if you want to buy something, let me know. I could always use 3 or 1.5% of a sale price 🙄

Even though expired, my buddy would give me my cut.

Valid points when you are looking to buy or sell but neither have anything to do with profit. Profit is what you realize after you sell. Up until that point you're estimating value but thats it.

13 hours ago, donx said:

You can say this about any investment be it stocks, bonds, crypto currency, etc.

That is correct, until its sold profit does not exist

9 minutes ago, Dan O said:

Valid points when you are looking to buy or sell but neither have anything to do with profit. Profit is what you realize after you sell. Up until that point you're estimating value but thats it.

Unless you're an idiot, RE is profitable, especially land in TH.

No estimate, if researching the buy/sell prices, before buying & selling. How hard is that ?

Or pay rent the rest of you life, and give your money to someone else. With the replies, I can understand why people either work till the keel over, or retire with little to no nest egg.

Rent, continue to borrow money, to buy flash depreciating toys, to impress the 'not really friends' you have. Die poor, miserable, but join a forum to share your fear of all things, because misery just loves company.

On topic as always ... buy a house illegally with a fake company

Edited 10 hours ago10 hr by KhunLA

18 hours ago, newnative said:

There is nothing in the Thailand Condominium Act that requires a condo board to have a majority of Thai owners sitting on the board.

Once again, you are misleading readers. 51% Thai quota versus 49% foreign quota is a well know fact, and the Thai law.

2 hours ago, KhunLA said:

Unless you're an idiot, RE is profitable, especially land in TH.

No estimate, if researching the buy/sell prices, before buying & selling. How hard is that ?

Or pay rent the rest of you life, and give your money to someone else. With the replies, I can understand why people either work till the keel over, or retire with little to no nest egg.

Rent, continue to borrow money, to buy flash depreciating toys, to impress the 'not really friends' you have. Die poor, miserable, but join a forum to share your fear of all things, because misery just loves company.

On topic as always ... buy a house illegally with a fake company

Your posting nonsense to avoid your misstatements. I never said real-estate is or isnt profitable. What I said is your claim of profits based on unsold units is bs. You may estimate unrealized value but you have no profit until you sell. Your claims lead me to think you are talking bs.

1 hour ago, KhunHeineken said:

Once again, you are misleading readers. 51% Thai quota versus 49% foreign quota is a well know fact, and the Thai law.

That's ownership (in floor area) rules, not condo board member rules.

Do you really not read the replies as insinuated earlier, or do you manage to convince yourself they're saying what you think rather than what has actually been written.

1 hour ago, treetops said:

That's ownership (in floor area) rules, not condo board member rules.

Do you really not read the replies as insinuated earlier, or do you manage to convince yourself they're saying what you think rather than what has actually been written.

Floor area, or committee, it's still lipstick on a pig, but I wish the member well trying to off load his properties in the current climate. 😂

19 hours ago, donx said:

I highly doubt that it is anywhere near 70% of foreigners that paid for property owned by a Thai partner end up being scammed. As you say, you don't really know and all you can do is guess based upon media reports. The media will only report on the failures, not the successes.

I stand by my assessment.

If not 70%, what percent do you put it at?

Or, are you suggesting no one has ever be scammed out of property here?

Edited 6 hours ago6 hr by KhunHeineken

34 minutes ago, KhunHeineken said:

I stand by my assessment.

If not 70%, what percent do you put it at?

Or, are you suggesting no one has ever be scammed out of property here?

You're persistent, I'll give you that.

Putting house in GF's name is a suckers game. Unless....unless you have kids together and chanote can be transferred to the kid at a later date. I wonder how many foreigners can lay their hands on the chanote thay paid for. Just because you think all is good doesn't mean it is.

8 minutes ago, EVENKEEL said:

You're persistent, I'll give you that.

Putting house in GF's name is a suckers game. Unless....unless you have kids together and chanote can be transferred to the kid at a later date. I wonder how many foreigners can lay their hands on the chanote thay paid for. Just because you think all is good doesn't mean it is.

Yes, definitely a suckers game.

How many right now would be considering selling their shares in their Thai company to their Thai lady for 1 baht, so they don't get arrested, and think they will still be able to live in their property? 😂

3 hours ago, KhunHeineken said:

Once again, you are misleading readers. 51% Thai quota versus 49% foreign quota is a well know fact, and the Thai law.

Yes, everyone knows it's 49/51. Duh. What everyone might not know is what I posted--there is nothing in the Thailand Condominium Act that requires a condo board to be majority Thai. You conveniently ignored what was the most important part of my post. And, how exactly is stating a fact misleading? Just more deflecting on your part.

3 minutes ago, newnative said:

Yes, everyone knows it's 49/51.

I wasn't sure you knew.

4 minutes ago, newnative said:

What everyone might not know is what I posted--there is nothing in the Thailand Condominium Act that requires a condo board to be majority Thai.

So, the condo board doesn't have to be majority Thai, but the majority of the building must be Thai owned.

Once again, lip stick on a pig.

Getting back on topic, the OP title is "buying a house via the company route - is it still possible?"

Would you advise the OP to buy a house through the company route?