Bangkok is the city where the majority of expatriates in Thailand are based. About 25% of the city’s population is expats. Due to the less onerous nationality restrictions, buying a Thai condo is a popular process with many foreigners.
However a prudent purchaser should ensure they are fully aware of all of the risks before making a purchase. Many foreigners who haven’t have been left with their fingers burnt. In Thailand, real estate agents are not usually licensed, and title insurance is not common. We have many clients coming to us who have ended up buying property from someone who it turned out was not the rightful owner of the title deed.
Buying off plan can sometimes lead to you negotiating a better price, but also is much higher risk. There are many abandoned skeleton properties located around Bangkok. One of the more famous ones can be seen from the banks of the Chao Phraya River, which was left unfinished after the 1997 Asian financial crisis.
Sadly, property fraud, scams and misrepresentation are common, from illegal title deeds to amenities which were promised and purchased not being there such as amenities and sanitation.
It is therefore important if you are considering buying a condo in Thailand you ensure your Thai property lawyer will carry out a full and frank due diligence investigation.
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Flickr photo credit: Abbie Treis
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I’m not easily impressed. . . but that’s impressing me! 🙂