Making the move.

[KittenKong]

Not sure that is true. Many of my friends live in condos and love them. Much less maintenance, better security, can just lock it up and leave for a few months if you like, and some are huge. One friend of mine has a condo that's bigger than my house!

Of course noise can be an issue, privacy is less, no private pool/garden, etc.

I recently saw a Pattaya condo advertised as being 997 sqm. Not sure how accurate that figure is though, and at 75MB it was outside the OP's price range (and mine). I certainly have seen condos of 400+sqm with my own eyes and I'm sure that bigger ones must exist.

Some larger condos do come with a private pool and garden area. Not sure who does the maintenance for that, but I imagine some arrangement could be made with the building. I've also seen condos where, along with the main large pool, there is a smaller private pool (still quite large) shared between a few of the most expensive units in the building, some of which of course wont even be occupied all the time.

I wouldn't buy a car immediately. Relatively cheap to rent one when needed. We rented a car for several months before we eventually bought one.

Sounds like a good idea also, especially for someone who wants to do trips to other areas with a period at home in between. Even the big rental names do good monthly rates, with full insurance.

[craigt3365]

I've been in that condo before. It's huge. Private pool on one side, private garden on the other. 2 stories. What an amazing condo and stunning view. I don't think I could even afford the electric and monthly maintenance bills! 555555

The car we rented came with full insurance. 100% coverage. I was nervous about driving here initially...but now know how to "go with the flow"! 55555

[JSixpack]

OP, depends on your lifestyle as to how long 15M will last you. The forum has a lot of threads about budgeting and spending with acrimonous discussions between the Cheap Charlies and the Big Spenders. Live modestly, invest a bit, and you have enough to stay here forever. Re: investing, check on this subforum: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/forum/13-jobs-economy-banking-business-investments/. Amid all the noise, some of the members are actually knowledgeable and rational and do have sound advice to share. Member fletchsmile comes to mind. Consider a Lazy Portfolio:

http://www.obliviousinvestor.com/8-lazy-etf-portfolios/

http://www.bogleheads.org/wiki/Lazy_portfolios

https://secure.marketwatch.com/story/lazy-portfolios-grant-peace-of-mind-to-95-million-investors-2014-08-15

Health care expense must always be taken into account. Check in the Health forum. Insurance is always recommended, but a number of members do advocate self-insurance. The latter means a large liquid asset reserve, public hospitals for major medical, and staying in good shape as best you can.

You weren't definite about what area in which to live. I'd start renting in central Pattaya for the greatest convenience and full-on experience. You don't need a car or even a bike there. Lots of new condos, quite nice, secure, and well-managed, behind Villa market on Soi 15 (off Soi Buakhao). For a beach view, there's View Talay, Markland, or Northshore on Beach Rd., though you should be aware that Pattaya's doomsayers predicted years ago that Northshore will collapse, so it's also on their deathwatch list. Anyway, travel around from central and decide whether you want to stay there (many people do) or move out to Naklua, Jomtienski, The Darkside, or further down the coast.

Edited August 26, 2014 by JSixpack

[Rossco52]

Thank you all for the informative posts most helpful...When I read them I came to the conclusion that one should....keep as much funds as possible in home country (NZ)..Initially rent,and negotiate a reduced rental for longer term...Make sure due diligence is carried out if going into any business venture...(if at all) Re housing I would prefer a villa type situation but this is much more difficult with land,but not impossible !! eg.lease back,or company formation etc..Lots to ponder need to reread posts a few times...Once again many thanks guys...

[Pattaya Lous]

Renting is dead money as you know, and you are making somebody else rich.

Forget Condo's - they are small concrete boxes, noisy and there is nothing you can do about it, expensive maintenance charges, hiked up cost of water and electric, bad shoddy build quality covered up by shiny new tiles and the market is flooded with hundreds of unsold new builds, soon you will be able to buy new cheaper than used.

My advice and I have been buying and selling for ten years: Invest in a house, quiet, peaceful and private and you can carry out alterations to make it your own.

5m B will buy you a nice 2 bedroom house in a walled garden with a small pool if you want it on both the darkside and the lightside (basically both sides of Sukhumvit road) - it's a buyers market at the moment if you have the cash make a few offers then you can gauge for yourself what you can get for your money.

There will be loads of reply's from the condo boys saying you can't own the land in your name etc. etc. - don't listen to them make an appointment with a good Thai legal advisor, they can speak good English and they will explain the safe legal options to property ownership in Thailand and the ways of taking your money out of Thailand if you need to, the key is getting a written letter/record/receipt from your bank when your money comes into Thailand and a clear view of where the money has come from and what it is to be used for, you can then send it back quite easily if you need to, done it several times myself.

I am on my third house and when you sell a house you will always get your money back.

Investments: put 800k B in the bank for your retirement visa it takes away all the hassles in applying for and maintaining your visa in the future - no problems or huge paperwork at all just a quick visit to immigration every 90days they even supply you with a pre printed statement for you next visit and if nothing has changed just sign it and hand it, one hour maximum every time I go.

Kasikorn Bank: go into a branch and discuss investments products that suite you, they have investment plans that are not on their website, I have used three and six month government investment bonds they are TAX free and have been paying 3 to 6% over the past two and half years - golden rule anywhere in the world don't invest more than you can walk away from.

So its a buyers market,and you will always get your money back, think somehow that does not add up.

Go on explain"good Thai legal advisor" and the "legal safe options" in yer own words.

Morelike he will lose the lot in no time at all

Just seen your investment advice too (last paragraph) 3% to 6% over 2 and a half years. The £ if the use is that ,(Aussie dollar even better),did strengthen around 17% last few months against the baht, softened off a bit last week or so,but UK ,US etc will be pushing up interest rates in next few months ,so baht will be on the way down,no use 2% or 3% with a country that bounces around just avoiding a recession

Asking prices at the moment are very much inflated so accepting an offer you will get back you original investment; agreed not much profit if any but you will get your money back I have done it.

Many people in Pattaya are wannabe experts but actually they have never done anything themselves and their learning is done in the bar.

To much for me to explain and off topic, and not a good idea to recommend in open forum.

If careful and listens to people who know the OP will not loose anything.

Over the last ten years I have made money on my investments in Thailand when the interest rates in UK have been around 1%.

Apart from the purchase price of my house and as I still have the house I still have the money. I have not spent any of my capital to live here.

Don't wait for rates to rise in the UK in the next few months it wont happen speak to me again in a few months when you have finished eating your words.

Believe me,

You would be the very last one I would speak to....no I would not even speak to you

That's fine by me don't think I will be short of people to talk to, but good to have met you anyway.

I may send you a private mail in a few months when the UK rates do not go up, and i'l let you know how my investments are getting on.

[loppylugs1]

#35

Too many blocks to add to but this is what I do..

Like this,personally I arrived in Thailand about 5 years ago or so after being booted out of a nearby country because of situation that will develop here ie illegal house purchase (but I was one of the few that was legal)

Money you say and never losing it in house purchase,well I did put 4 mil aside to buy house here in Thailand ,but looked and looked a bit more decided a mugs game as something would be happening along the lines that preceeded me.

Now that 4 mil of which I was going to purchase house here in Thailand, stuck 3 mil on the UK stock market at 27 p a share in company,couple of years ago,went up to 83p after a year or so ,lapsed to 76 at the present time,the other 1 mil made 50% at present time,another half mil placed couple of weeks ago made about 12% last few days. c/w dividends

Did make a fair killing a year before the above but got rid and cashed in shares

Now that is how I like to make money, not on pie in the sky house purhase here in Thailand,and yes still have the gold plated index linked stuff and whatever else

Just comparing like for like,if you want to discuss anything,ask away

....now where are those bar girls...

Edited August 27, 2014 by loppylugs1

[JSixpack]

Believe me,

You would be the very last one I would speak to....no I would not even speak to you

That's fine by me don't think I will be short of people to talk to, but good to have met you anyway.

I may send you a private mail in a few months when the UK rates do not go up, and i'l let you know how my investments are getting on.

I'm glad we got this mutual aversion to speaking all settled. But I think ALL communication needs to be summarily cut. That'll show 'im.