Buying Land And Building House In Chiangrai Phan

[angkhim]

Hi all,

I was there at Sanklang Phan for 1 week at my sis-in-law place and was thinking of retiring there. My sis-in-law has land and house so I'm thinking of buying land to build a house. Any advice on that? Should i buying larger plot of land for rice and fruits plantation? Any idea how this are done and what I should look out for? How much land to buy? Should I just buy land to build a house and forget about plantations.

Thank you vm.

[villagefarang]

Check out the Housing Forum. That should give you plenty to keep you busy.

[hmj]

It has been posted many times before on this forum. The answer to the first question

is: how much money can you afford to lose when 'buying land' and building a house

in Thailand?

The answer to your other questions is: what do you want? Would you like to live

like a farmer in your retirement years? Do you know what is involved?

Do not buy land because your Thai family puts pressure on you to do so. Make sure

that you can live your life and not become an ATM for the family.

In my case I have build up a small holding over a ten year period. When my wife

suddenly died I lost everything. Her brother and sisters wanted to grab the

property and I had to go to Court to give the property to her children.

Now I am single, retired, live in a rented property, do exactly what I like and

I can relocate at a moments notice.

[sceadugenga]

There are safe guards people can take to protect their interest in Thai owned property.

I firmly believe that people like yourself are in the minority, almost all live out their lives comfortably in their Thai homes, an example would be of all the regular posters here on the Chiang Rai forum who "own" houses not one seems to have any complaints.

I totted up what "my" house would have cost me in rent the other day and compared it to the initial cost of construction and I'm ahead of the game anyway.

[angkhim]

Thanks for your posts. As advise by my sis-in-law the land will be registered under her mum's name, me and my hubby's name. Language is a big barrier, after considerations i believe to be better off to buy 1-2 rai of land to build a house and drop the ideas of plantations. Believe this will be a better choice as we do not need to stay there now maybe after 10years later. So no point of having a big land and worry for the next 10years as we will not be there to oversee things. Thinking of just getting a small plot of land and build the house only when we retire in 10-15years later. Any good recommendations? Hoping to stay near Sanklang Phan.

[my friend I]

If you own some land you can get people to do all the work. You get 30% of the crop.

[hmj]

The amphur Phan sub districts, San Klang and Pa Hung just South of it, are very

nice areas to live in if you like country life. They are slightly isolated because

of the wide irrigation canal to the East and the mountains to the West.

San Klang has the Rom Yen area (Cold Spring) which has still some patches of

really lush evergreen forest.

Pa Hung is even better with several long narrow valleys between karst mountains.

The main valley has a road that runs into Doi Luang National Park. Although for

parts this road is in poor shape, it is the only road that connects Chiang Rai

province directly with Lampang province.

One of the best kept secrets of Chiang Rai province can be found in Pa Hung district:

Pha Khong Cave. Pha Kong is not a real cave but an underground river exiting Doi Luang

National Park. Just walk in the river bed for about 100 metres, mind your head for

the low rocks above you and you enter in the forest on the other side.

The natural pine forests on the ridges of Doi Luang can be reached by a fit walker in

about an hour from several starting points.

[angkhim]

Hi, an owner at Sank Lang wanted to sell her plot of land 13 rai for 2 million baht. Currently is used for dragon fruits and rice plantations and no house on the land. My sis-in law will partner 50/50 with me to purchase. Any comment and anything we should look out for? Appreciate all helps.

Thanks.

[villagefarang]

What kind of paperwork does the land have? Any outstanding liens on the property or boundary disputes? Do you have guaranteed access to the property without going through someone else’s land? What about water and power if you want to build there? Why are they selling? What is the surrounding land like and who owns it? Does it flood? There are so many things to look out for, but these few are a start.

[onthedarkside]

What kind of paperwork does the land have? Any outstanding liens on the property or boundary disputes? Do you have guaranteed access to the property without going through someone else’s land? What about water and power if you want to build there? Why are they selling? What is the surrounding land like and who owns it? Does it flood? There are so many things to look out for, but these few are a start.

Excellent precise advice from VF. Follow these basics before you even think about paying any money.

[angkhim]

Thanks VF!

The owners have no children and had aged beside they have another plot of 20 rai so don't mind to sell. The couple have houses in bangkok as well so they are travelling between these 2 places hence find it too much to maintain. As for the land title is Nor Sor 3 but i understand there are a few different kind of Nor Sor 3 so I'm not sure which category is theirs until purchase take place.

Heard there are 3 water pipes at the moment only 2 are on switched, the other can be switch on?...not sure if that's what it's suppose to be called and how it works..Owners are friends of her relatives and feedbacks from relatives there is the plot is quite ok..Surroundings are big farms and houses (though quite far apart). No house is built so if we retire there in about 10-13 years later we have to build our own.

Not sure about power supply though and the rest of questions highlighted by VF i will have to ask my sis-in-law.....

Also owner agreed to pay for the tax for property purchase.

For the land purchase doc, how can i ensure everything is right? Was told they will change name on the title deeds..

Appreciate your help...

Thank you Guys!

[angkhim]

Sorry another question....The deed will be in my sis-in-law (thai) and me and my husband's name. Is that allow and doable?

Thanks vm

[hmj]

A foreigner has no legal rights on land with any "Nor Sor 3" title.

In other words a judge in a Court does not handle disputes concerning Nor Sor 3

titles because a foreigner can not own them.

Being legally married to a Thai citizen gives you a 50% right on a Chanoot title

in case the partner dies.

"Was told they will change name on the title deeds.." It is a ticket not a title!

The name of a foreigner can never appear on a "Nor Sor 3" ticket.

It seems that the tickets have been registered with the Land Department because

tax has been paid. If tax has been paid, application for the Chanoot title can

be filed. It can take years to get this title, unless you have good connections.

"The deed will be in my sis-in-law (thai) and me and my husband's name.

Is that allow and doable?" No, not even on a Chanoot.

"For the land purchase doc, how can I ensure everything is right?" There is no

way to ensure this. Even a lawyer will not give you 100% guarantee.

May I suggest that you get a lawyer (Tanai) to supply you with the correct

information on your "rights" first.

Also consider how the land will be managed during the next ten years when you are

an absent owner. The chances for encroachment by landless people (squatters) are

high and happening all the time. It could be, that in ten years from now,

the squatters have more rights than you have.

My previous post #7 contains an error. Cold Spring should translate as Nam Pu Yen.

Rom Yen is a sub-district of Chiang Kham in Phayao province. My mistake.

[angkhim]

HI Guys,

Can you all help me to visualize the same of a 13 rai land? Hope to get some ideas..Knew that 1 rai is 16000sq but how big does it looks like...

thanks!

[villagefarang]

HI Guys,

Can you all help me to visualize the same of a 13 rai land? Hope to get some ideas..Knew that 1 rai is 16000sq but how big does it looks like...

thanks!

We live on a five rai plot which roughly looks as wide as a football field but twice as long. Put a little less than three of those together and you have an idea what it looks like. 13 rai is a little over 5 acres.

[angkhim]

Thanks VF, your house is a one storey building which i love to have..reasons are similiar to yours. However i am concern flood issues. Is flood affecting Chiang Rai, what one can do to safeguard a one storey house?

[villagefarang]

Thanks VF, your house is a one storey building which i love to have..reasons are similiar to yours. However i am concern flood issues. Is flood affecting Chiang Rai, what one can do to safeguard a one storey house?

Flooding is something one needs to check on locally. Asking about Chiang Rai is far too broad as some places flood and others don’t. The only reliable safeguard against flooding is to build where it is unlikely to flood.

[angkhim]

I've got a problem here, they can't put my name on the Nor sor 3 only my sis-in-law. The land is 13 rai 3 ngan and i wish to build a house on a 3 ngan land in future. The investment is 50/50 between my sis-in- law and me. In future if we're going to sell profit will be 50/50 too, i want to retain 3 ngan to build a house for own stay. How can i protect my interest on this purchase? Though i believe there's none. Not sure how usufruct works and whether it can protects at least the 3 ngan of land and the house or even better for my half share. Understand to build a decent house it's not cheap and is more money than the 3 ngan of land.

Appreciate all helps!

Thanks

[villagefarang]

I am afraid it is down to the old adage of never invest more than you can walk away from without regret. If you are dependent on getting your investment back at some point, then you might do better investing in something else. Even brothers and sisters fight about land, regardless of what they agreed to in the beginning. Even if you could hold onto a small portion of the land, would it be the most pleasant environment in which to live, if it were embroiled in conflict or dispute?

I have seen people purchase land with some vague ideas about the future, only to discover their wants and needs have changed by the time that future arrives. If you want to help out your in-laws fine, but trying too hard to make the arrangement bullet proof may cause hurt feelings and provide little or no security in the future, anyway.

Besides, you are dealing with land that may or may not be upgraded to a Chanote in the future. That is my opinion, anyway.

[angkhim]

Thanks againv VF, that's very true...i had remitted 500k baht for the downpayment yesterday. In fact, our discussion's on the purchase before we went down to wire the money was a little unpleasant. But still go ahead cos yestereday was the deadline given by the seller. Agreed that any money issues with other family member has no guarantte and might hurt relationships...

She suggested that few years down the road if we can make, sell the land...She can look at other area if i want to build house or she might just sell a half rai land to me to build one.

But after some thoughts, I have no children and if i build on her land, the land is still hers as it will only be in her name. The price of half rai is not alot however i had to put in alot of money to build a decent house. And when i pass on, the land and the house is hers and her children. I have no right to give to other.

If the situation is reverse i will just give her some land to build a house to stay... The idea of retiring there came by because my bro and my sis-in-law will retire there and we will join them too. But seems it not a desirable plan. After this incident, believe it will be better not to have money issue with family and also stay apart will keep our relationship better.

[RedBullHorn]

angKhim,

1. As a foreigner, YOU can never own land or put your name on a land title deep, you can however through a lawer register a company to control the sale or purchase of a land and its title deep preferably Chanote title (free hold).

2. 1 rai is 1'600 sqm (not 16'000sq which you wrote or typing error)

which is 40m x 40m (or how ever it is = 1'600sqm).

3. NEVER listen or agree to in-laws about sharing a land purchase...maybe you could agreed to your husband but then you need to heel the advise in regards to never invest on more than you can walk away if things goes south with your marriage.

Edited January 14, 2013 by RedBullHorn