We Bought a House in Thailand

By Almost Retired in Thailand | Feb 27, 2024
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Hey there, I have some exciting news to share with you all. I recently bought a house with my partner, and we're here to give you a tour of our new home. In this article, I'll be sharing some background information about our home search, negotiating the price, and understanding land ownership in Thailand.

We'll also be discussing the economic advantages of buying a home, lease details and inheritance, property tax comparison, and the reasons why we decided to buy instead of continuing to rent. Additionally, we'll be sharing some information about furniture costs and the location benefits of our new home. So, let's get started!

Key Takeaways

  • We recently bought a house in Thailand and will be sharing our home search and negotiating process.
  • We'll be discussing the economic advantages of buying a home, lease details and inheritance, property tax comparison, and the reasons why we decided to buy instead of continuing to rent.
  • We'll also be sharing some information about furniture costs and the location benefits of our new home.

Big Announcement

Hey there, folks! I have some exciting news to share with you all. My partner and I have recently bought a house! We were tired of moving from one rental to another, so we decided to take the plunge and invest in a place of our own.

We haven't moved in yet, but we're in the process of getting all our furniture delivered. We'll be showing you around the house and sharing some details about the purchase.

First up, we got our sofa and TVs delivered, and we're pretty happy with them. The big TV is going on the wall in the living room, and the smaller one is going in the bedroom. All the rooms have air conditioning, which is a must-have here in Thailand.

Now, let's talk about the house itself. My partner found it through a Facebook group for homes for sale. It's a part of a new community that consists of around 14-20 homes. The driveway is gated, and there's a swimming pool and covered parking. But the real selling point for my partner was the view of the mountains.

We negotiated the price down from the seller's asking price of 3.6 million baht to 3.5 million baht, which is about $100,000 at the current exchange rate. We opted for a 30-year renewable land lease, which includes the property. The lease is willable, so we can pass it on to our children.

The property taxes here are incredibly low, only $30 a year compared to the $4,500 we paid in the US. We also had to buy our own furniture, which cost us around $8,000.

We relocated to Hua Hin from Koh Samui, and we're loving the quieter, more laid-back vibe here. It's a tourist area, but it's not as busy as some of the other popular destinations in Thailand. We're excited to start this new chapter in our lives and make this house our home.

Furniture Delivery

Today is a busy day because all of our furniture is being delivered to our new home. We bought a house after my partner, Kim, went on a house search and found this amazing property that she fell in love with. The property is in a new community that consists of about 14 homes and is gated, which adds to the security of the property.

The furniture delivery came with free assembly, delivery, and setup, which is really cool. The first item delivered was our sofa, followed by our TVs, refrigerator, and glass top kitchen table. We also bought glasses, pans, and dishes for our kitchen. All the rooms in the house have air conditioning, and we have a nice small kitchen.

The delivery company provided us with free assembly, delivery, and setup, which is really cool. The pricing was reasonable, and I'll tell you more about what we paid and how the pricing works here.

The furniture delivery was a smooth process, and everything came in good condition. There was a lot of assembly required, but the delivery team took care of everything. We're really excited to finally have our furniture in our new home.

House Tour

So, I'm excited to share with you our new house! We recently bought it and we're in the process of getting all our furniture delivered. Let me give you a quick tour of the house and share some details about the buying process.

First off, the house is located in a new community that consists of 14 homes (possibly 20 when it's done). The driveway is gated and when you enter the property, you see the swimming pool and covered parking. But the best part is the mountain view from the small backyard. It's amazing and we confirmed that the view won't change because everything behind the house is already built.

Now, let's talk about the furniture. We got our sofa and TVs delivered, and we're still waiting for the rest of the furniture. We have air conditioning in all the rooms, a small kitchen with a nice glass top table, a refrigerator, a coffee maker, and cabinets. We also bought glassware, pans, and dishes.

The buying process was pretty straightforward. We found the house in a Facebook group and contacted the listing agent directly. The asking price was 3.6 million bot (about $103,000), but we offered 3.4 million bot and settled on 3.5 million bot. We're on a 30-year automatically renewable land lease, which is included in the price. The property is also willable, so we can pass it on to our children. And if the laws in Thailand ever change and allow ownership, the land lease will automatically turn into ownership.

Lastly, let's talk about location. We relocated to Hua Hin from Koh Samui and we love it here. It's a quiet, active version of Thailand with a lot of night markets, shopping centers, and decent beaches. It's a tourist area, but it's a Thai tourist area, so it's lowkey and feels like a nice relaxing place to live. Plus, property taxes are only $30 a year, which is a huge difference from the $4500 a year we pay in the United States.

Overall, we're really happy with our new house and can't wait to start living in it!

Kim's Home Search

When I decided that renting and moving every once in a while was not for me, my partner suggested that I buy a house. So, I went out looking and found a new community that consists of 14 homes, which I fell in love with. Here is a summary of my home search and buying process:

  • I found the house through Facebook groups that show some homes for sale from time to time.
  • I viewed five or six homes before finding the one I loved.
  • The property has a gated driveway, a swimming pool, and covered parking.
  • The backyard is small and has a washing machine, a water tank with a water pump, and a side yard.
  • The asking price was 3.6 million bot, but we settled on 3.5 million bot after negotiation.
  • We are on a 30-year automatically renewable land lease, which is included in the price.
  • The land lease and the property are willable.
  • Property taxes here are only $30 US per year, which is significantly lower than in the United States.
  • We bought our own furniture for about $8,000, and everything came with free delivery and free setup.
  • We relocated to Hua Hin from Koh Samui, and we love the location because it's a quiet and relaxing place to live.

Negotiating the Price

When my wife and I decided to buy a house, we knew that negotiating the price was an important step in the process. The asking price for the house we fell in love with was 3.6 million baht, which was about $103,000 at the exchange rate. However, the seller was open to offers, so I suggested we offer 3.4 million baht. After some negotiation, we settled on a price of 3.5 million baht, which was exactly $100,000 at the exchange rate of 35 to 1.

The negotiation process was surprisingly easy, and we were able to reach an agreement quickly. We were also able to include some important terms in the contract, such as making the land lease willable so that we could pass it on to our children or whoever we choose. Additionally, if the laws in Thailand ever change and allow for ownership, our land lease will automatically turn into ownership.

One of the reasons why we were initially hesitant about the land lease was that we wouldn't technically own the land. However, we learned that the land lease is essentially the same as ownership for 90 years, which is longer than most people own a house anyway. Plus, the property taxes in Thailand are significantly lower than in the United States, with our annual property tax only being $30.

Overall, negotiating the price was a smooth and successful process, and we were able to secure our dream home at a price that worked for us.

Understanding Land Ownership in Thailand

When my partner and I decided to buy a house in Thailand, we had to navigate the unique land ownership laws in the country. Here's what we learned:

  • Foreigners are not allowed to own land in Thailand, but they can legally buy a condominium.
  • Some foreigners choose to start a corporation, with a Thai citizen owning 51% and the foreigner owning 49%, in order to own land.
  • We opted for a 30-year automatically renewable land lease, which is included in the price of our house. The lease is willable, meaning we can pass it on to our children or whoever we choose.
  • Our land lease and property are written into our contract as willable, and if the laws in Thailand ever change to allow ownership, our land lease will automatically turn into ownership.
  • Property taxes in Thailand are significantly lower than in the United States, with our annual property taxes only amounting to $30 USD.

When searching for our house, we found that many listings are shared in Facebook groups, and we had to contact the listing agent directly since there is no multiple listing system in Thailand. We viewed several homes before finding our dream house in a new community with a gated driveway and swimming pool. The highlight of the property for us was the stunning mountain view, which we confirmed would not change.

We negotiated the price down from the original asking price of 3.6 million baht to 3.5 million baht, which is approximately $100,000 USD. We also had to purchase our own furniture, which cost us around $8,000 USD for brand new items.

Overall, buying a house in Thailand as a foreigner requires some research and understanding of the unique land ownership laws. However, with the right knowledge and resources, it is possible to find the perfect home in this beautiful country.

Economic Advantages

Buying a house in Thailand has several economic advantages. Firstly, the property taxes are significantly lower compared to the United States. While in the US, we paid $4500 a year in property taxes, here in Thailand, we only have to pay $30 a year. This means that we can save a lot of money on property taxes in the long run.

Secondly, purchasing a house means that we no longer have to worry about leasing and moving every once in a while. This not only saves us from the hassle of moving but also saves us money on leasing fees.

Moreover, we were able to negotiate the price of the house and settled on a price of 3.5 million baht, which is approximately $100,000. This is a reasonable price for a house with a swimming pool, covered parking, and a small backyard.

Additionally, we were able to purchase all our furniture with free delivery and setup. Although we had to spend around $8,000 on furniture, it is all brand new and of good quality.

Lastly, the location of our new home in Hua Hin is perfect for us. It is a quieter and more relaxed Thai tourist area, which means that we can enjoy the amenities and attractions without the hustle and bustle of big tourist areas like Phuket.

Lease Details and Inheritance

So, my wife and I have recently bought a house in Thailand. We were tired of renting and moving every year or so, so we decided to buy a house instead. We found our dream home in a new community that consists of around 14 homes, with a gated driveway and a swimming pool.

We negotiated with the seller and agreed on a price of 3.5 million baht, which is roughly $100,000. We paid the money in installments, and the exchange rate was around 35 to 1. We opted for a 30-year automatically renewable land lease, which is included in the price of the house.

Our lease and the property are willable, which means we can pass it down to our children or whoever we choose. Additionally, if the laws in Thailand ever change and allow ownership, our lease will automatically turn into ownership.

One of the reasons why we were hesitant about the land lease was that we didn't own the land. However, the lease is just like ownership for 90 years, which is more than enough time for us. We have all the rights of ownership, and the contract is written in a way that gives us complete control over the property.

The property taxes in Thailand are significantly lower than in the United States. In the US, we paid around $4,500 a year in property taxes, but here in Thailand, we only pay $30 a year.

We had to buy our own furniture, which cost us around $8,000. However, it's all brand new, and we're happy with our purchases.

We love our new home's location in Hua Hin, which is a quiet and relaxing Thai tourist area. It's a good mix of what my wife and I like, and we're excited to start our new life here.

Property Tax Comparison

When I first heard about the property taxes in Thailand, I was amazed at how low they were compared to what I was used to paying in the United States. In Arizona, where I used to live, my property taxes were around $4,500 per year. However, here in Thailand, property taxes are only $30 per year! That's a huge difference.

One of the reasons we decided to buy a house was because we were tired of leasing and moving every year. It was a hassle, especially when my partner had to go back to the United States for the holidays. Now that we have our own place, we don't have to worry about that anymore.

Of course, buying a house comes with its own expenses. We had to buy all of our own furniture, which ended up costing us around $8,000. But it's all brand new and good quality, so we're happy with our purchase.

Overall, we're really happy with our decision to buy a house in Hua Hin. It's a nice, relaxing place to live, and we love the location. It's only about 2 and a half hours south of where we used to live, and it's a good mix of what we both like. Plus, we don't have to worry about high property taxes anymore!

Reasons for Buying

When my partner and I decided to buy a house, it was because we were tired of constantly moving and renting. We wanted a place to call our own and to settle down. We found our dream home in a new community consisting of 14 homes, which will eventually expand to 20 homes.

What drew us to this property was the breathtaking mountain view and the peaceful location. We also appreciated the gated driveway, swimming pool, covered parking, and small backyard. The house itself had air conditioning in every room, a nice kitchen with a glass top table, and plenty of cabinets.

The negotiation process was easy, and we settled on a price of 3.5 million bot (around $100,000). As foreigners, we cannot legally own land in Thailand, so we opted for a 30-year automatically renewable land lease. However, the lease is willable, so we can pass it down to our children or whoever we choose.

One of the main reasons we decided to buy was because we were tired of constantly moving and finding new places to lease. We also wanted the freedom to travel without worrying about finding a new place to live each time. Additionally, the property taxes in Thailand are significantly lower than in the United States, which was a major plus for us.

Overall, we are excited to start this new chapter in our lives and to make this house our home.

Furniture Costs

So, as I mentioned earlier, we bought a house and we're currently getting all our furniture delivered. Everything came with free delivery and free setup, which is pretty cool. Here's a breakdown of what we paid for our furniture:

  • Sofa: delivered
  • TVs: delivered (big one going on the wall and small one in the bedroom)
  • Glass top kitchen table: bought
  • Refrigerator: delivered
  • Coffee maker: bought
  • Nice cabinets: bought
  • Glass glasses, pans, and dishes: bought

All in all, we spent around $8,000 for our furniture, which is a pretty good deal considering everything is brand new.

Now, let me tell you a little bit about the home buying process and how the pricing works. When my partner Kim saw the house, she loved it and immediately messaged me. The asking price was 3.6 million bot (about $103,000 at the exchange rate), but they were open to offers. So, we offered 3.4 million bot and settled on 3.5 million. The negotiation was super easy and we're going to pay right around $100,000 at the end of the day.

As for property taxes, they're incredibly low here compared to the United States. We pay only $30 a year, which is a huge difference from the $4,500 we pay for our property in Arizona.

Overall, we're really happy with our purchase and the cost of our furniture. It's been a great experience so far, and we're excited to finally settle into our new home.

Location Benefits

I'm really excited about the location of our new house. We relocated to Hua Hin from Koh Samui and we absolutely love it. Hua Hin is like a quiet but active version of Thailand. It's a tourist area, but it's a Thai tourist area, so it's a lot lower key than some of the bigger tourist areas like Phuket or Pattaya.

One of the best things about Hua Hin is that it's a really relaxing place to live. There's not a lot of the negative stuff that you might find in some other parts of Thailand. It's got great beaches, nice resorts, and plenty of shopping centers and night markets. There are some areas with bar scenes, but they're not overwhelming, and we're not big on nightlife anyway.

Another big benefit of our location is the property taxes. In the United States, we pay around $4,500 a year in property taxes, but here in Hua Hin, we only pay $30 a year. That's a huge difference!

Overall, we're really happy with our decision to buy a house in Hua Hin. It's a great location with a lot of benefits, and we're looking forward to settling in and enjoying everything it has to offer.