$14 million dollar home for sale in Chiang Mai

[Goshawk]

it does indeed look quite nice... but $14m nice?! not so sure...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RBN0gksqi8

[Bung]

Funny how some people value their homes when they go to sell. especially thais who always shoot for the moon with homes on the market for years. We've all seen the empty, run down and overgrown properties with owners not budging on price.

there is a place in my moo baan, It's ok, not my style (hollywood mansion) and I reckon it was about 4-5 mill to build land included. (I just built there myself) I went past it the other day and there's a sign on the gate reading for sale 14.5 million baht.

Fair enough but what made me laugh is the sign was painted with a 1"brush and on the scrappiest looking bit of plastic that was laying around the yard. it looks like 3 year old did it.

You would think if you are asking 14.5 mill for your big, beautiful house you would make a decent sign....I actually thought there was a 1 in front of the number by mistake....

[hellodolly]

The key is to build it yourself, have contractors that you can squeeze for every little baht, make it impossible to guess valuation, and then make up reason why you must sell. Also, the key is to make it seem like you are actually losing money. Since no zillow, let's say he spent $4 million on the house; however, he is the architect and likely values his time. I am surprised he didn't list it for 20 million, gets good press coverage; free publicity. In a few months/years, sell for $9 million and still walk away with bank. What does this tell me? This guy is smart and selling....so he thinks the top in housing is in or within a year.*

*note: everything i said might be completely BS. However, what is really true in this world?

Well you may be on to some thing there.

Also it could be he had contractors that he squeezed for every thing they did to be quality and built to last. Would be nice to know the size of the property and what else is on it. I do how ever find it hard to call a 1,384 sq meters building a home. Mind you a bowling alley and an in home theater could take a few square meters as well as an indoor Olympic swimming pool.

[hellodolly]

Well I was considering purchasing it then I realized I might not be able to afford the air con.

55555555

[Iwantto]

If 14 million dollars is pocket change, then why would you look for a house in Thailand, especially Chiang Mai.... Seems like the risk is much greater than the reward.... I assume most people who consider 14 mil as pocket change would stay in first world countries where you dont have to worry about being randomly killed in the streets, robbed by your Thai wife... or the million other issues that come with being a farang in Thailand. Thailand is a vacation place for these people, not somewhere they retire.

I think for 500 mil baht (what Ive heard the asking price is) his only market will be Thais from Bangkok or rich Thais abroad (if there is such a thing) I really cant see a farang dropping 14 mil dollars on this place... Just seems EXTREMELY stupid.

[RaysFan]

According to the website "no less than 763,000 per sq. m." That puts the minimum price he will accept as........... 1,055,992,000. That is 33.15 mil dollars as of today. So asking price is probably 1.1 or 1.2 billion baht.

hahahahahaha good luck with that buddy. The only market will be Thais, and that is a small, small, small, small market. I bet less than 100 people here can afford to dump 1.06 billion baht into a house.... Especially a house outside Chiang Mai.

[onthedarkside]

Time to weed out the more inflammatory posts - 4 posts removed. Let's stay on the house sale part of the topic. Thank you.

//edit// make that 5 posts

[Johpa]

Like to know how Howie made all his money!

RAZZ

Its true, oven mitts. But Howard is a surprisingly down to earth fellow, at least the few times I have met him at the local noodle shop.

What ! ! ! With his electric bill, he can still afford noodles ?????

It only shows that he knows the best lunch spot in the neighborhood. On occaasion we also get the long term guests at the Four Seasons coming to eat at the same nameless roadside shop that serves far better Thai food than does that resort. There are a few, not many, wealthy people who will forego pampering in exchange for good food and end up sitting next to a poor schmuck like me.

[Bung]

Rich Thais would never buy a house for that kind of money once owned by a Farang.

It's a spirit thing. The monks would have to work overtime sorting the place out.

[MB1]

If 14 million dollars is pocket change, then why would you look for a house in Thailand, especially Chiang Mai.... Seems like the risk is much greater than the reward.... I assume most people who consider 14 mil as pocket change would stay in first world countries where you dont have to worry about being randomly killed in the streets, robbed by your Thai wife... or the million other issues that come with being a farang in Thailand. Thailand is a vacation place for these people, not somewhere they retire.

I think for 500 mil baht (what Ive heard the asking price is) his only market will be Thais from Bangkok or rich Thais abroad (if there is such a thing) I really cant see a farang dropping 14 mil dollars on this place... Just seems EXTREMELY stupid.

his only market will be Thais from Bangkok or rich Thais abroad (if there is such a thing

Think about that guy that used to be prime minister and was from Chang Mai and is now in exile, ya just never know...

[muchogra]

The owner may perhaps be a fnancial adviser who thinks making money is easy. Perhaps, now, he's at the end of his rope? But the habit never really dies?

[Dante99]

The owner may perhaps be a fnancial adviser who thinks making money is easy. Perhaps, now, he's at the end of his rope? But the habit never really dies?

Absurd speculation no where near the truth.

[bristolgeoff]

I will ask a few friends and club together ,maybe we can meet the price

[hellodolly]

If 14 million dollars is pocket change, then why would you look for a house in Thailand, especially Chiang Mai.... Seems like the risk is much greater than the reward.... I assume most people who consider 14 mil as pocket change would stay in first world countries where you dont have to worry about being randomly killed in the streets, robbed by your Thai wife... or the million other issues that come with being a farang in Thailand. Thailand is a vacation place for these people, not somewhere they retire.

I think for 500 mil baht (what Ive heard the asking price is) his only market will be Thais from Bangkok or rich Thais abroad (if there is such a thing) I really cant see a farang dropping 14 mil dollars on this place... Just seems EXTREMELY stupid.

his only market will be Thais from Bangkok or rich Thais abroad (if there is such a thing

Think about that guy that used to be prime minister and was from Chang Mai and is now in exile, ya just never know...

Kind of hard to believe what it would be like to be able to look at$15 million as pocket change but there are a lot of people that can do that. I defiantly am not one but I have known some very wealthy people over the years who could do that. I took a tour through the Hertz castle in California it is so big that they have four different tours going through it. I knew one family that had a house that cost $1 million to build in Seattle during the depression. The garage had room for 12 cars and servants quarters above it. There are people out there who can do it. The thing is are they willing to buy one all ready built or built it themselves.

I watched the video and it defiantly was high end workmanship and materials.

Not exactly sure what people find wrong with Chiang Mai. Just because you are a multi Billionaire is no reason not to like Chiang Mai.

But as I said earlier I couldn't afford the air con.

[Rungthip]

I have been out there and it is a stunning property!

[Dante99]

If 14 million dollars is pocket change, then why would you look for a house in Thailand, especially Chiang Mai.... Seems like the risk is much greater than the reward.... I assume most people who consider 14 mil as pocket change would stay in first world countries where you dont have to worry about being randomly killed in the streets, robbed by your Thai wife... or the million other issues that come with being a farang in Thailand. Thailand is a vacation place for these people, not somewhere they retire.

I think for 500 mil baht (what Ive heard the asking price is) his only market will be Thais from Bangkok or rich Thais abroad (if there is such a thing) I really cant see a farang dropping 14 mil dollars on this place... Just seems EXTREMELY stupid.

Very few people bother with considering risk and reward with pocket change.

Randon killings are not exclusive to Thailand and getting robbed by your wife is quite common in the first world to use your term.

To you and the others who have questioned the value, I suggest that you may have no ability to do so on the simple basis that you have no knowledge of or of the value of the art objects included in the price which are worth millions.

[YoungBrit]

There are actually quite a few rather expensive homes in and around Chiang Mai.....

http://www.prestigepropertyasia.com/home/residential/four-seasons-chiang-mai/

[jackr]

The TV mechanism costs $25k

He could hire a little guy to push that thing up for a lot less.

Nice place, but.

[elektrified]

"...rich Thais abroad (if there is such a thing)..."

There is.

Obviously you don't get it.

[elektrified]

There are actually quite a few rather expensive homes in and around Chiang Mai.....

http://www.prestigepropertyasia.com/home/residential/four-seasons-chiang-mai/

That is the same place...

I believe the property market tops out at about 60 million THB in this area. I've never heard of a property selling for more. And......if you check the court auctions (which is a real indicator) you will see that some of those same properties which ended up as subjects of law suits, defaults, etc. could never be sold again for even close to that price. In Thailand they have a system where the property can go to auction multiple times to protect the interests of the banks, etc. And furthermore, shills are discouraged here because serious bidders must put up the amount of the opening bid in cash to get a number to participate in the auction.

Sure there are beautiful properties for sale at outrageous asking prices. But some have been for sale for 5-7 years or more. And remember, only a Thai citizen can buy them which makes International property listings worthless.

[YoungBrit]

There are actually quite a few rather expensive homes in and around Chiang Mai.....

http://www.prestigepropertyasia.com/home/residential/four-seasons-chiang-mai/

That is the same place...

I believe the property market tops out at about 60 million THB in this area. I've never heard of a property selling for more. And......if you check the court auctions (which is a real indicator) you will see that some of those same properties which ended up as subjects of law suits, defaults, etc. could never be sold again for even close to that price. In Thailand they have a system where the property can go to auction multiple times to protect the interests of the banks, etc. And furthermore, shills are discouraged here because serious bidders must put up the amount of the opening bid in cash to get a number to participate in the auction.

Sure there are beautiful properties for sale at outrageous asking prices. But some have been for sale for 5-7 years or more. And remember, only a Thai citizen can buy them which makes International property listings worthless.

Sorry it is, my mistake! Thought it looked similar!

[HaleySabai]

Its true, oven mitts. But Howard is a surprisingly down to earth fellow, at least the few times I have met him at the local noodle shop.

...well, whats more down-to-earth than farm animal shaped oven mitts?......geeze, and I thought the 'American Dream' was a hoax....mmm

[Gonzo the Face]

I have been following this thread for some time now, and there is something that has been bothering me about it. I have finally figured out what it is that has been keeping me awake for the past several nights

Now for those of you who may just be a little thinking impaired , try and follow along.

Howie made ka-zillians of bucks selling Oven Mitts with animal figures on them.

The oven mitts that I have seen come as one in a pak.

If you had a mitt for your hand that was heavily insulated on one side and the animal figure was on the other side. That would not be interchangable to the other hand. Cuz if you grabbed the hot pat with the animal side you would be burned.

Say the majority of people are right handed and the mitt palm was insulated, you couldn't then change the mitt to the left hand , because after inserting your thumb into the mitt you would be grabbing the hot pot with the non-insulated side of the mitt.

ergo

there are a number of left handed people out there who have a need for a left hand animal mitt. So for some enterprising person he should be able to make the left handed mitts and still make several million bucks anyhow.

Next week an idea for a possible porno mitt.

For what its worth , as an aside, I do like the looks of the property and house, and I do respect Howie primarily for his calling this "Howie's Homestay" Whata Homestay...... finding a backpacker for a homestay of $1,000 a night ........ Whata Guy ! !

PS for those that may be thinking impaired......

[junglechef]

Kiss your first billion goodbye as they are animal SHAPED oven mitts that fit on either hand but good try and as Butch Cassidy said "you keep thinking, that's what your good at" just before they jumped off the cliff

[Gonzo the Face]

Kiss your first billion goodbye as they are animal SHAPED oven mitts that fit on either hand but good try and as Butch Cassidy said "you keep thinking, that's what your good at" just before they jumped off the cliff

Awwwww Shucks........ I guess I'll just have to put that on the shelf with the franchised funeral home project....... Don't puttem in the groun..... keep em around....

[Throatwobbler]

It is a beautiful looking place. I'm sure there are some people with that kind of money who would be interested. Unfortunately it isn't me unless I've got a lot more hidden under the mattress than I thought.