Buying A House In Pattaya

[ExpatOilWorker]

I am warming up to the idea if buying a house in Pattaya and have already done enough ground work to find the market confusing.

Simple question, what is the best way to find a house at a decent (fair) price in Pattaya?

I am not looking for the perfect show room house and most agents seem to list their properties above fair value. I have driven around and called street advertisements, but a lot of hit and misses.

My budget is about 2 million baht and I am very flexible with location. Even at the dark side if the house is right.

Any suggestions?

[Orac]

Have you looked on the noticeboards in Carrefour and The Avenue??

[jori]

Best buy it in your girlfriends name then. There was a snippet in one of the broadsheet newspapers last week about house buyers in company names being made to get a business visa.Now that would be expensive

[Langsuan Man]

Best buy it in your girlfriends name then. There was a snippet in one of the broadsheet newspapers last week about house buyers in company names being made to get a business visa.Now that would be expensive

Here we go, the topic is barely two posts old and FUD, makes it's appearance

If you can't give a citation other than one of the broadsheet newspapers please don't post your own biases, especially in answer to a new member who just might believe you

[jori]

Best buy it in your girlfriends name then. There was a snippet in one of the broadsheet newspapers last week about house buyers in company names being made to get a business visa.Now that would be expensive

Here we go, the topic is barely two posts old and FUD, makes it's appearance

If you can't give a citation other than one of the broadsheet newspapers please don't post your own biases, especially in answer to a new member who just might believe you

I am sure there is someone else here too who saw the piece,not really interested personally.

[taff33]

Best buy it in your girlfriends name then. There was a snippet in one of the broadsheet newspapers last week about house buyers in company names being made to get a business visa.Now that would be expensive

Here we go, the topic is barely two posts old and FUD, makes it's appearance

If you can't give a citation other than one of the broadsheet newspapers please don't post your own biases, especially in answer to a new member who just might believe you

I am sure there is someone else here too who saw the piece,not really interested personally.

Why bother to post then :jerk:

[kevkev1888]

In that price range I would defiantly recommend the darkside.

If fact after being over here 3 years now in 2 locations I would never move back to the bright side.

Peace, quiet, nice local community, can be anywhere in Pattaya in 15 Min's on the bike.

Perfect.

[toenail]

I have lived/worked in Pattaya-Naklua area for 6 years. I rent but I also am tempted to buy a condo or house. A farang can own a condo; a house he cannot - it has to be in a "company's name" which has added costs - and don't forget the yearly "maintenance fee and (I think) higher utility bills (I don't know why). BUT!!!! You do get more for you money when buying a house. Though you see houses for sale for 2 million and up...many of them have been on the market for three years. Seems like there are hundreds up for sale but I do know all the reasons except the Europeans are not flocking down to Pattaya for their winters anymore and everyone wants the "new" housing development.

If I was buying a house I would move into one that is finished and has been around for 5 years or more to see that the community is being kept up and completely finished. Watch out for flooding also.

Next, I would rent a house in the neighborhood that I chose to move into befor buying. (amazing the scoop you can find from the neighbors when you live in the place). Next, look for all the hidden expenses by talking to someone that already lives there - not from the salesperson.

[daveyravey]

My advice would be to drive around the many estates on the darkside until you find a site that you are liking. Then start talking to people there. I know on the site i live two houses have just sold about one third cheaper than the new price and they now have furniture and aircon etc, and they are already set up in a company, so its cheap as french fries to buy.

Dont go to agents cos their job is to get as much money from you to make as much commision as possible. Word of mouth goes long way here buddy.

[neilf]

In that price range I would defiantly recommend the darkside.

If fact after being over here 3 years now in 2 locations I would never move back to the bright side.

Peace, quiet, nice local community, can be anywhere in Pattaya in 15 Min's on the bike.

Perfect.

ok give me an area / location please sounds ok to me

ta

[Naam]

Best buy it in your girlfriends name then. There was a snippet in one of the broadsheet newspapers last week about house buyers in company names being made to get a business visa.Now that would be expensive

Here we go, the topic is barely two posts old and FUD, makes it's appearance

If you can't give a citation other than one of the broadsheet newspapers please don't post your own biases, especially in answer to a new member who just might believe you

I am sure there is someone else here too who saw the piece,not really interested personally.

i have been visiting Thailand for 30 years and i am living permanently in Thailand since 6 years. during the afore-mentioned period i have read a wealth of broadshit pieces not only in Thai broadsheet newspapers but also in postings by Thaivisa members.

[LennyW]

I have lived/worked in Pattaya-Naklua area for 6 years. I rent but I also am tempted to buy a condo or house. A farang can own a condo; a house he cannot - it has to be in a "company's name" which has added costs - and don't forget the yearly "maintenance fee and (I think) higher utility bills (I don't know why). BUT!!!! You do get more for you money when buying a house. Though you see houses for sale for 2 million and up...many of them have been on the market for three years. Seems like there are hundreds up for sale but I do know all the reasons except the Europeans are not flocking down to Pattaya for their winters anymore and everyone wants the "new" housing development.

If I was buying a house I would move into one that is finished and has been around for 5 years or more to see that the community is being kept up and completely finished. Watch out for flooding also.

Next, I would rent a house in the neighborhood that I chose to move into befor buying. (amazing the scoop you can find from the neighbors when you live in the place). Next, look for all the hidden expenses by talking to someone that already lives there - not from the salesperson.

Slightly wrong there Toenail, A foreigner can own a house no problem in Thailand, it is the land beneath that cannot be in a foreign name, not a major problem though, many competent real estate lawyers around town can advise you on this, i recommend you consult a lawyer if and when you choose to go ahead with a purchase.

Usually the utillity bills in a housing community are paid directly to the government authourities (ie: you have your own meters) and consequently there are no exagarated fees, these usually occur in condos, however, there may be one or two exceptions.

Some new developments just off Sukhumvit / Jomtien area are launching at sub 2M, Jomtien Green Park just 100m up from Sukhumvit on Chaiyapruek 2 is now building phase 2, the first lot sold out in about 1 month !!

Take your time and have a good look around, you will find what you are looking for .

Feel free to PM me if you want some more specific advice.

[johninbkk]

I have lived/worked in Pattaya-Naklua area for 6 years. I rent but I also am tempted to buy a condo or house. A farang can own a condo; a house he cannot - it has to be in a "company's name" which has added costs - and don't forget the yearly "maintenance fee and (I think) higher utility bills (I don't know why). BUT!!!! You do get more for you money when buying a house. Though you see houses for sale for 2 million and up...many of them have been on the market for three years. Seems like there are hundreds up for sale but I do know all the reasons except the Europeans are not flocking down to Pattaya for their winters anymore and everyone wants the "new" housing development.

If I was buying a house I would move into one that is finished and has been around for 5 years or more to see that the community is being kept up and completely finished. Watch out for flooding also.

Next, I would rent a house in the neighborhood that I chose to move into befor buying. (amazing the scoop you can find from the neighbors when you live in the place). Next, look for all the hidden expenses by talking to someone that already lives there - not from the salesperson.

Slightly wrong there Toenail, A foreigner can own a house no problem in Thailand, it is the land beneath that cannot be in a foreign name, not a major problem though, many competent real estate lawyers around town can advise you on this, i recommend you consult a lawyer if and when you choose to go ahead with a purchase.

Usually the utillity bills in a housing community are paid directly to the government authourities (ie: you have your own meters) and consequently there are no exagarated fees, these usually occur in condos, however, there may be one or two exceptions.

Some new developments just off Sukhumvit / Jomtien area are launching at sub 2M, Jomtien Green Park just 100m up from Sukhumvit on Chaiyapruek 2 is now building phase 2, the first lot sold out in about 1 month !!

Take your time and have a good look around, you will find what you are looking for .

Feel free to PM me if you want some more specific advice.

There are (2) sayings that fit this subject , Location, Location, Location & you get what you pay for..... Especially when buying property in this Country, not just Pattaya. Great advice in another post, and that was, to only buy in a deveploment that has been completed for 3-5 years and see what your investment will look like once the developer has gone. Also what can be built next door. Good luck. I think there is no better time to buy property here as there are some fantastic bargains out there. Go get'em

[mikebell]

I bought a lovely house in Bang Saray. If I had my time to go over again, I would rent. We are brainwashed (in UK) to believe that rent is dead money. Before I bought, I rented. One house - 3 bed bunalow/small garden/two baths was 25K + water/elec per month. That is 300,000 pa. n my 4 million house that is 13.33 years of rent before you add in Company rip-off tax charges (15000 pa to collect 200 baht tax!) + maintenance charges of 18000 for pool/security. It is probable that only after about 18 yrs of renting do you start to save money. Have you got 18 years left in you? Some would argue that on your death your house could be sold to benefit your (Thai) wife/farang off-spring. It just joins the long list of unsold millstones in this area.

I went to the landlord of an identical house on the Dark Side. (same estate as the 25K one. I offered 15K (anticipating we would compromise in the middle at 20K.) He snatched my hand off - so pay back time put back more than 20 years. Add in the instability in the country; the racism. I would love to be able to do a smart exit maybe losing a month's rent if necessary.

Think TWICE before you BUY.

[kevkev1888]

In that price range I would defiantly recommend the darkside.

If fact after being over here 3 years now in 2 locations I would never move back to the bright side.

Peace, quiet, nice local community, can be anywhere in Pattaya in 15 Min's on the bike.

Perfect.

ok give me an area / location please sounds ok to me

ta

I'm currently on Suckhumvit 15 but really anywhere on the darkside from Nakula to Jomtien and you will find similar.

Although the more central sois like nemplabwan and siam cc are really getting very busy and built up now, thats why I moved more to the outskirts.

I would say don't go right out to the lake, while its nice out there the trip to town is a bit much.

Somewhere not too far over the railway line is just about right for me.

[FarangBuddha]

At that price point, you're looking at older housing estates or townhouses. There is nothing wrong with this as there are some well maintained older estates...check out ones with "Ratanakorn" in the name. They have built allot of places on the Farside and many are nice places to live. I live in one myself, and there a a couple houses for sale/rent.

[jori]

I bought a lovely house in Bang Saray. If I had my time to go over again, I would rent. We are brainwashed (in UK) to believe that rent is dead money. Before I bought, I rented. One house - 3 bed bunalow/small garden/two baths was 25K + water/elec per month. That is 300,000 pa. n my 4 million house that is 13.33 years of rent before you add in Company rip-off tax charges (15000 pa to collect 200 baht tax!) + maintenance charges of 18000 for pool/security. It is probable that only after about 18 yrs of renting do you start to save money. Have you got 18 years left in you? Some would argue that on your death your house could be sold to benefit your (Thai) wife/farang off-spring. It just joins the long list of unsold millstones in this area.

I went to the landlord of an identical house on the Dark Side. (same estate as the 25K one. I offered 15K (anticipating we would compromise in the middle at 20K.) He snatched my hand off - so pay back time put back more than 20 years. Add in the instability in the country; the racism. I would love to be able to do a smart exit maybe losing a month's rent if necessary.

Think TWICE before you BUY.

Yes this is a great post ,although not interested in buying I feel pity for someone throwing their money away. If you talk to one of the main realtors when he has not got his realtors hat on (ie stood outside having a fag) it will not take much to realise that your on a hiding to nothing.

Anyway if your interested in buying why not aim higher than the 2 million you have got. There is one advert on the boards in Carrefore ,Foodland etc asking for 10 million for the place,some guy been advertising it for ever and a day,(down to black and white photos now,run out of coloured), offer him a million and a half , when he gets over the shock that even at that price its overvalued,offer him another quarter of a million for the furnishings, he'll bite your hand off.

With the Thai Baht now falling in value,I'd wait another few months see how far it falls. There are no bargains out there,just ball and chains that you will never get shut of.

[FarangBuddha]

With the Thai Baht now falling in value,I'd wait another few months see how far it falls. There are no bargains out there,just ball and chains that you will never get shut of.

Don't know where you get your information or your bias against buying but they're both over-generalizations. Depending on one's circumstances and time-horizon for living in Thailand, both buying or renting a condo or house can make sense. As in any real-estate market, there are fairly priced properties and over-priced ones...good locations and bad ones, etc. Well located and maintained houses in good estates are bought and sold all the time. In my moobaan alone, there are regular re-sales. Of course, there is allot of over-hang from the property boom of a few years ago when many people likely over-paid for properties in over-inflated western currencies. Since they have been ripped a new one two ways, they often have to over-price their resales in the hope of finding a sucker and maybe breaking even on their original purchase. However, there are just as many or more houses for sale that were not bought for inflated prices to begin with and are now for sale at fair prices.

Also, for well maintained and located properties, now is a good time to buy as prices are very reasonable and there are many hungry sellers in the market right now,.

[jori]

With the Thai Baht now falling in value,I'd wait another few months see how far it falls. There are no bargains out there,just ball and chains that you will never get shut of.

Don't know where you get your information or your bias against buying but they're both over-generalizations. Depending on one's circumstances and time-horizon for living in Thailand, both buying or renting a condo or house can make sense. As in any real-estate market, there are fairly priced properties and over-priced ones...good locations and bad ones, etc. Well located and maintained houses in good estates are bought and sold all the time. In my moobaan alone, there are regular re-sales. Of course, there is allot of over-hang from the property boom of a few years ago when many people likely over-paid for properties in over-inflated western currencies. Since they have been ripped a new one two ways, they often have to over-price their resales in the hope of finding a sucker and maybe breaking even on their original purchase. However, there are just as many or more houses for sale that were not bought for inflated prices to begin with and are now for sale at fair prices.

Also, for well maintained and located properties, now is a good time to buy as prices are very reasonable and there are many hungry sellers in the market right now,.

How do you know it's a good time to buy? people were saying that 3 years ago,more in fact and prices still fell,they will still keep falling. One's time horizon is twelve months in Thailand,that is as long as the leash extends before a new one is bought,anything after that could and eventually will happen with ownership,visa regulations and a host of other possibilities.Try living through the nightmare of ownership in a foreign land and getting your property confiscated through no fault of your own,just what you thought was good solid advice off a lawyer turns into a nightmare ,and it was the foreign company held houses that led the way into that particular mess.

Yes i have a deal of sympathy for those who bought at the peak 5 or so years ago,they have lost a packet but why encourage others to join them?,there is comfort in numbers,but Christ be a realist it's a failing market .

The houses all sold out on a new development probably were all Thai bought ,Thai financed through most probably the K bank,and face it there is no market for the second hand property, there are thousands for sale,not just in the hundreds,and not a hope in hell of ever selling

[Naam]

Anyway if your interested in buying why not aim higher than the 2 million you have got. There is one advert on the boards in Carrefore ,Foodland etc asking for 10 million for the place,some guy been advertising it for ever and a day,(down to black and white photos now,run out of coloured), offer him a million and a half , when he gets over the shock that even at that price its overvalued,offer him another quarter of a million for the furnishings, he'll bite your hand off...

...and he'll leave all the 3,857 bottles in his stocked wine cellar for free, throws in a one year old Ferrari and perhaps his mia noi before he hurries to Swampy to catch a plane to Manchester.

question: that stuff you ingest... is it legal? if yes i'd like to know where to buy some.

[jori]

Anyway if your interested in buying why not aim higher than the 2 million you have got. There is one advert on the boards in Carrefore ,Foodland etc asking for 10 million for the place,some guy been advertising it for ever and a day,(down to black and white photos now,run out of coloured), offer him a million and a half , when he gets over the shock that even at that price its overvalued,offer him another quarter of a million for the furnishings, he'll bite your hand off...

...and he'll leave all the 3,857 bottles in his stocked wine cellar for free, throws in a one year old Ferrari and perhaps his mia noi before he hurries to Swampy to catch a plane to Manchester.

question: that stuff you ingest... is it legal? if yes i'd like to know where to buy some.

Yes ,you replied in the same tone last year to half price offerings then from previous sale price (yes the seller took half his asking price),same dog too. OK , knock a million off the suggested offering price for the one above,see how it goes,nothing to lose,everything to gain.

[Johan78]

Like other posters have said have a look at the notice boards outside Friendship, Foodland, Foodmart, Carrefour, Avenue etc, or just drive around looking for "for sale" signs.

If you want to be in town there is a nice village between soi Buakaow and 3rd Road (south end) with town houses, the 2 storey ones going for around 2M I think.

[Darrel]

If you want to be in town there is a nice village between soi Buakaow and 3rd Road (south end) with town houses, the 2 storey ones going for around 2M I think.

Do you mean the Village or somewhere else? The Village seems rather run-down and dilapidated to me. Maybe I was there on a bad day.

[Johan78]

If you want to be in town there is a nice village between soi Buakaow and 3rd Road (south end) with town houses, the 2 storey ones going for around 2M I think.

Do you mean the Village or somewhere else? The Village seems rather run-down and dilapidated to me. Maybe I was there on a bad day.

No, the other (west) side of 3rd road, think it might be called Piamsuk Village, similar to The Village though.

Sure you can call both of them run-down but a bit of paint and a new kitchen and bathroom doesn't cost a lot (doesn't have to anyway) and makes a huge difference and you have to remember what price range we're talking about. Plus like someone pointed out the advantage with buying somewhere that's been there for a while is that you have a lot better idea about what you're actually buying.

[moo9]

I have lived/worked in Pattaya-Naklua area for 6 years. I rent but I also am tempted to buy a condo or house. A farang can own a condo; a house he cannot - it has to be in a "company's name" which has added costs - and don't forget the yearly "maintenance fee and (I think) higher utility bills (I don't know why). BUT!!!! You do get more for you money when buying a house. Though you see houses for sale for 2 million and up...many of them have been on the market for three years. Seems like there are hundreds up for sale but I do know all the reasons except the Europeans are not flocking down to Pattaya for their winters anymore and everyone wants the "new" housing development.

If I was buying a house I would move into one that is finished and has been around for 5 years or more to see that the community is being kept up and completely finished. Watch out for flooding also.

Next, I would rent a house in the neighborhood that I chose to move into befor buying. (amazing the scoop you can find from the neighbors when you live in the place). Next, look for all the hidden expenses by talking to someone that already lives there - not from the salesperson.

In our case, maintenance fees are much lower for the house, as well as electricity per unit.

If you have a reliable partner, the house is the better choice, but consider safety issues!

Real "cheap" house can be found but still 3.5 Mio for a good one storey and 4.5 - 5 Mio for a 2 storey will give you rather good quality and surroundings.

[Basil B]

...and he'll leave all the 3,857 bottles in his stocked wine cellar for free, throws in a one year old Ferrari and perhaps his mia noi before he hurries to Swampy to catch a plane to Manchester.

Not another builders mate on the way back, must be a first to have money in his back pocket.

[Naam]

Anyway if your interested in buying why not aim higher than the 2 million you have got. There is one advert on the boards in Carrefore ,Foodland etc asking for 10 million for the place,some guy been advertising it for ever and a day,(down to black and white photos now,run out of coloured), offer him a million and a half , when he gets over the shock that even at that price its overvalued,offer him another quarter of a million for the furnishings, he'll bite your hand off...

...and he'll leave all the 3,857 bottles in his stocked wine cellar for free, throws in a one year old Ferrari and perhaps his mia noi before he hurries to Swampy to catch a plane to Manchester.

question: that stuff you ingest... is it legal? if yes i'd like to know where to buy some.

Yes ,you replied in the same tone last year to half price offerings then from previous sale price (yes the seller took half his asking price),same dog too. OK , knock a million off the suggested offering price for the one above,see how it goes,nothing to lose,everything to gain.

now it's suddenly 1 million off the asked 10 millions and not (as you suggested before) offering 1½ million? i'd say you change your figures fast and with all [undue] respect your claims sound quite ridiculous.

having said so, i admit that dreamers might exist who are not in touch with reality and have wet dreams about the price they can sell their homes for, but they are a minority.

[jori]

Give this a bit of thought. You bought a house,which the country expressively forbids. You set up a fake company to circumvent the law to buy this house,you know it,everybody else knows it, if and when they wake up to that fact,which I am sure they are aware of, see how much it will be worth then,basically it's worthless now, there are so many properties for sale, just the very amount makes it that.

It is only worth as much as somebody is prepared to pay for it,there are no buyers ,so no million here , no million there,wishful and wasteful talk on a subject that's never going to happen.

There are so many smoke signals coming up at the moment ,I wonder just how long before Johnny Foreigners wings are going to be cut back ,with criminal clearance (not I ,I may add ), the introduction of business visas being introduced for foreign held company houses being discussed in a state wide newspaper, Even the condo owners may have a shock awaiting with the 51/49 % rule not being observed.

You may well be paying eventually for its removal

Edited February 1, 2011 by Rimmer

[ExpatOilWorker]

Thanks for advise so far and if anybody know or hear of any houses for sale in the 2 million baht range, please let me know.

The house will be in the wifes name, so the ownership problem is a non-issue. I am well aware that I will never have direct ownership of the house and I don't intent to buy it as an investment. I simply need a base in Pattaya for when I am in Thailand, hence the 2 million baht limit.

[LennyW]

Thanks for advise so far and if anybody know or hear of any houses for sale in the 2 million baht range, please let me know.

The house will be in the wifes name, so the ownership problem is a non-issue. I am well aware that I will never have direct ownership of the house and I don't intent to buy it as an investment. I simply need a base in Pattaya for when I am in Thailand, hence the 2 million baht limit.

I have sent you a PM.