Condo Pattaya

[mrvs145056]

I am interested in hearing from people who have purchased a condo in the Pattaya region constructed by Height Holdings, I am still undecided to buy or rent( foreign / Thai company, I have heard stories about other complexes, not Height Holdings falling into a very poor state after all the initial fan fare of selling has passed, with owners left with poor facilities , empty pools and nothing can be done, I am just interested to find out if there is any merit to these stories , also buildings that take way longer to finish then advertised, is buying of the plan in Pattaya a dangerous game , thanks

[KittenKong]

What particularly attracts you about buying off-plan? Offhand I can think of a lot of disadvantages but not much upside, especially if you factor in the huge commissions and advertising budgets that you are probably paying for. Personally I dont like the design of modern buildings very much either.

There are many resale units for sale and these have the advantage that "what you see is what you get", and you can get it straight away. Some good buys can be had from vendors who are keen to sell, though you do have to be wary of the many very overpriced units around.

[mrvs145056]

I was interested in off the plan only because it would be a new condo, if there are substantial savings to be made in resale I am certinally interested, do you think it's best to come over and look or is there a site specifically for resale condos, looking for two bed , not to old , open to area but like to be within 15 minutes of the beach and fishing

Edited September 15, 2014 by mrvs145056

[robertthebruce]

DEFINETLY comer over and look around, and don't make any rash decisions, lots of bargains out there...

Well worth doing some research..

All the best

[KittenKong]

I was interested in off the plan only because it would be a new condo, if there are substantial savings to be made in resale I am certinally interested, do you think it's best to come over and look or is there a site specifically for resale condos, looking for two bed , not to old , open to area but like to be within 15 minutes of the beach and fishing

There are hundreds of real estate agents in Pattaya and nearly all have websites. These will give you an idea of what is available but many asking prices will be ridiculously over the top.

There are also many classified-ad type sites (including one that is part of this forum) though many advertisers on them are actually agents, more or less disguised.

I would never buy any property in Thailand without seeing it as descriptions provided are rarely honest or complete, or even accurate. Dont believe anything you are told by anyone connected with the sale. Dont be afraid to make a very low offer. Negotiate hard.

Property in Thailand is very easy to buy but very hard to sell.

[JohnC]

Have a look at Saun Sawan, it's only five years overdue with no completion in sight!

[trogers]

I was interested in off the plan only because it would be a new condo, if there are substantial savings to be made in resale I am certinally interested, do you think it's best to come over and look or is there a site specifically for resale condos, looking for two bed , not to old , open to area but like to be within 15 minutes of the beach and fishing

Try changing your statement from '...would be' to '...might be'.

[mrvs145056]

Thanks , that's all been very helpful, I always wondered if you low ball over in Thailand , again thanks

[mrvs145056]

Thanks , that's all been very helpful, I always wondered if you low ball over in Thailand , again thanks

[cheeryble]

It is important to know the building has a high take-up rate or a few of you will be paying the upkeep of the whole building.

I've also noted new condos tend to have higher common fees than older, even though there should be less maintenance.

Add to that.....you optimally would like to find a building with a resident committee already running. Sometimes buildings are more or less run by the developer, and it may be that snagging is done at residents expense rather than developer's.

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Edited September 16, 2014 by cheeryble

[Theo007]

Personally I would never purchase an "off the plan" condo in Pattaya, have heard far too many horror stories. Know of one major development where they are trying to sell condos when they have absolutely no hope of obtaining EIA approval. Surely it should be illegal to put these properties on the market prior to all the required permits etc. have been obtained?

[ToddinChonburi]

I would recomend renting for six months to give yourself time to shop around, Look very close at the model they provide. if you see very poor work in the model then run. I looked at a condo and you could not open the closet doors, they hit the side of the bed so you were never going to get the drawers open. looked at another that had no sink or cook top. The lady said I could put my own on the balcony.

Quality of construction here is another story, maybe best looking at an older building you will get more sq meters at a better price and you can always remodel. New stuff small and high priced.

[AsiaPropertyWorld]

There are a huge number of condos and apartments for sale in Pattaya and at Asia Property World we have over 3,000 listed here http://asiapropertyworld.com/thai-properties/condo-apartment-for-sale-pattaya

Condos and apartments of all shapes and sizes to suit most budgets. Some are brand new but most have had at least one previous owner. The condos on our web site have been listed by both private owners and by some of the leading Real Estate Agents and Developers in Pattaya.

There is some good advice above and I would suggest spending some time looking around and maybe rent in the area that interests you first to see if it is as suitable as you first think. Unless you find a unit that has that "wow" factor take it slowly and don't forget to bargain over the price.

Good luck with your search.

P.S. You could use our "Match Maker" service http://asiapropertyworld.com/matchmaker so that we automatically send you an email if a new listing is made that matches your search criteria.

[Lotustrbo]

My 2 cents :

5.5 years ago I purchased a condo in Na Jomtien, as I wanted to be a little bit out of town ... helping me was a friend that had lived in Thailand for many years, unfortunately he's no longer with us ... but I digress. One thing he told me was never to buy off spec unless the property was 90% complete and even then you are running a risk. Further as you stated in your post you never know what you're really going to get in the long run. We went to see buildings that were less than 5 years old and they looked horrible and others looked nice. What I decided to do was to buy in a building that was 20 years old ... why ? Well it was still stunning, the grounds amazing, the private beach access was a plus and the two pools are always up and running, not to mention the staff has been there for years. My advice would be if you are going to buy off spec ... go and see other developments they have done that are a few years old, at least that will give you some type of litmus test as to what your property may look like in a few years’ time. As others have said don't rush into something as there is plenty on the market. I ultimately decided to purchase not what I wanted but something I could make into exactly what I wanted and I am extremely happy that I did. Good luck to you in your venture, Thailand is an amazing country with amazing people and an amazing culture ... Amazing Thailand :-)

L

[martinnanno]

Many god comments before. I would add that it could be helpful to hire an agent to assist you in the search, and that is on your side in stead of on the sellers side (commission...). The experienced ones can save you a lot of time and money. But there are many that just look for the quick commission buck in stead of longer term customer satisfaction...

I can recommend DDPlus Housing Co., a specialized and independent firm. If you google it you will find their website.

[cheeryble]

My 2 cents :

5.5 years ago I purchased a condo in Na Jomtien, as I wanted to be a little bit out of town ... helping me was a friend that had lived in Thailand for many years, unfortunately he's no longer with us ... but I digress. One thing he told me was never to buy off spec unless the property was 90% complete and even then you are running a risk. Further as you stated in your post you never know what you're really going to get in the long run. We went to see buildings that were less than 5 years old and they looked horrible and others looked nice. What I decided to do was to buy in a building that was 20 years old ... why ? Well it was still stunning, the grounds amazing, the private beach access was a plus and the two pools are always up and running, not to mention the staff has been there for years. My advice would be if you are going to buy off spec ... go and see other developments they have done that are a few years old, at least that will give you some type of litmus test as to what your property may look like in a few years’ time. As others have said don't rush into something as there is plenty on the market. I ultimately decided to purchase not what I wanted but something I could make into exactly what I wanted and I am extremely happy that I did. Good luck to you in your venture, Thailand is an amazing country with amazing people and an amazing culture ... Amazing Thailand :-)

L

Agree very much with the above comment.

The newer condos I've seen have poor materials compared to the old (eg teak or marble floors), are often stuck in tight enclosed locations unlike the better old ones, and with their laminate floors and furniture the new ones will soon need renovating themselves.

The better option is to buy or do a bulletproof high quality Reno in a well located older building with reasonable management.

I note that a really high quality Reno in an older building is cheaper than these little econo condos in new ones.

Also newer buildings tending towards small units for working Thais so difficult to find good area.

As this gets earliest I therefore think there will be price catch-up ie a rise in older buildings.

I think there will be price catch-up.

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[mrvs145056]

I hear a lot of different views about were to come to , I think it down to Pattaya area or Krabi , any comments appreciated , just trying to narrow the search before I come over , I like the idea of buying a shell making it home , is this an option in both areas , I plan in relaxing more the partying, some fishing , I am single , 51 and no kids, just want to kick back and smell the roses whilst I can

[KittenKong]

I hear a lot of different views about were to come to , I think it down to Pattaya area or Krabi , any comments appreciated , just trying to narrow the search before I come over , I like the idea of buying a shell making it home , is this an option in both areas , I plan in relaxing more the partying, some fishing , I am single , 51 and no kids, just want to kick back and smell the roses whilst I can

Come, rent, get a car, look around the various areas.

Dont even think about buying anything until you have lived in one area for at least 3 years and really like it.

I suspect that you may find that being a permanent renter will suit you best. Unless, like many others before you, you find some Thai person to help you spend your money.

[mrvs145056]

I haven't found anyone to spend my money over here in 35 years, some play hard to get, I play hard to want, ( lol ), thanks for the good advice, I am going to fly over and check at Krabi( Koh Lanta looks like me , thanks to all for the advice and help

[AsiaPropertyWorld]

I haven't found anyone to spend my money over here in 35 years, some play hard to get, I play hard to want, ( lol ), thanks for the good advice, I am going to fly over and check at Krabi( Koh Lanta looks like me , thanks to all for the advice and help

Of course the market in Krabi is much smaller than in Pattaya with relatively few condo blocks at the moment. Here http://asiapropertyworld.com/thai-properties/condo-apartment-for-sale-krabi are those that we currently have listed for sale that you might like to browse through to get an idea of local prices.

Good luck with your search.

[chris2004]

Don't buy off plan and don't buy as a thai company (it's illegal). There are plenty of new empty foreign quota condos you can choose and move straight into.

[mrvs145056]

Thanks, I have narrowed the area down to Krabi district , when I find something I like and at a good price I will fly over for a look, thanks

[mrvs145056]

Can someone tell me about Cha Am thanks