Before investing in Thailand real estate, you must first understand the general procedures for buying real estate in Thailand. Although most of the procedures for buying property in Thailand are similar to those in Hong Kong, it should be noted that there is generally no brokerage commission for buying a property. Also, the cost will be borne by the seller or developer. Therefore, it is best to seek help from a real estate agent if you want to buy a property in Thailand.
Procedure 1: Property Search
Investors can first search for their favorite real estate in Thailand online. Most real estate websites in Thailand will provide trend information on property prices, rents and rental yields. After investors have selected their favorite real estate, they can contact real estate agents for help. If possible, investors are advised to visit Thailand to inspect the environment in person.
Procedure 2: Hiring a Lawyer and Opening a Thai Bank Account
After you have learned about the real estate information, house type and title period from the real estate agent, you can hire a lawyer to handle legal affairs for you. And remember to open a Thai bank account.
Procedure 3: Deposit
Before paying the deposit, the buyer needs to sign the reserved housing unit document and ensure that the important terms such as the unit number, property price, and payment method on the document are clear and consistent. After that, you can pay 5%-10% of the property price as a deposit by transfer or check.
Procedure 4: Paying the down payment
Before paying the down payment, the buyer must sign a sale and purchase contract with the seller and clearly state the date of ownership transfer in the contract.
Procedure 5: Applying for a mortgage
3 to 6 months before the handover, the buyer can choose to apply for a mortgage for the Thai real estate in a Hong Kong bank, but the interest rate and repayment period of different mortgage plans are different. If you want to apply for a mortgage at the Bank of Thailand, you must pay attention to the fact that you can only borrow up to 50% of the property price.Also, the interest rate is relatively high. Therefore, the best way is to apply for a mortgage from a Hong Kong bank, and then transfer the funds to a Thai bank account for buying a property. However, be careful not to convert Hong Kong dollars into Thai baht in advance, otherwise you will not be able to obtain the FET form (the necessary document for the transfer of title).
Procedure 6: Property acceptance
After receiving the notice from the developer, the buyer can go through the formalities of taking over the building within the specified time. When taking over the building, the buyer may have to pay a one-year management fee, a one-time maintenance fund, water and electricity meters, and the deed tax for handing over the building. In addition, the exact delivery date will be notified.
Procedure 7：Handing over the property
On the day of handover, the buyer will receive the key. The bank will also pay the total amount of the loan to the developer and the balance of the property price must also be paid before then.
