|
Property deal - Interview
John is an Englishman who is in the process of moving
to Thailand with his Thai wife Maew.
Why Krabi?
We've been on holiday here a few times now and both love the scenery
and the sea. It also has a well established western community
which means I can blend in easily but also still has the feeling
that you are in Thailand unlike Pattaya or Phuket.
Why now?
Its something we have planned for several years but kept on putting
off so we have decided that 2008 is the year we will actually
make the move. I still have some contract work in the UK which
I will go back for from time to time, but will be retiring permanently
in a few years.
Are you planning to buy or to rent?
Definitely to buy, it's something we have dreamed of, creating
our own house in Thailand and then taking the time to get it exactly
how we want. I love oriental furniture so look forward to lots
of buying trips all over the country to find furnishings and decorations.
We are also both very keen gardeners so can't wait to get our
hands on our own patch of Thailand and get started.
What type of land are you planning to buy?
This has changed a lot since we first started looking, to start
with we thought it would be possible to buy a nice sized plot
next to the beach, but have now realised that unless we want to
either sell the house in the UK to raise a lot more money, or
live quite a bit further away, then we will have to settle for
something inland. It would be nice to find somewhere with a sea
view but the more time we spend here, the less important this
becomes. Anyway, having spent a bit more time here, we realise
that this is probably better anyway as any beach areas are likely
over the few years to become far more developed and busy. The
mountain scenery is just as spectacular and the beach will only
be a few minutes away.
Are prices what you expected?
Prices are quite a bit higher than we expected and we have found
it difficult to find something with a Chanote title in a good
location within our budget. We are now kicking ourselves that
we didn't buy five or even ten years ago. But keeping things in
perspective, land is still affordable and I believe there is still
room for further increases.
How are you going about your search?
To start with, we were told that it was best to find the land
yourself, and deal only with the owner. We wasted a good few weeks
trying to do this but always seemed to end up with a dead end.
We have now visited quite a few of the local agents and have therefore
been able to see quite a bit more land. One thing concerns me
though and that is that some pieces of land are for sale through
different agents at different prices. There is one piece we were
quite interested in. The first agent who showed us gave us a price
of 2 million per rai, then we saw the same piece through another
agent at 1.5 million per rai. Obviously if we were to buy, then
we would buy through the second agent, but the first agent keeps
calling us and asking us if we are interested as he wants his
commission. I'm just not sure what the normal procedure
is in a case like this. I certainly don't want to make any
enemies.
What factors are important to you?
We want to be within 5km of the beach and Ao Nang, we like peace
but we also need to be close enough to utilities to get a good
reliable electric and internet connection. For me, internet is
really important as it is the connection to my family back in
the UK. We would also like to have a nice view, a good sized garden
and would be great to have some mature trees for shade and ideally
some producing fruit trees.
Have you found anything?
We have found plots that fit most of those criteria but nothing
that fits them all within our budget yet, we are still looking
though and as we get to know the area better we are hopeful that
something will turn up.
What sort of house do you plan to build?
Definitely a Thai style house, we've collected lots of pictures
and photos of what we like and will look for an architect once
we get the land. It won't be anything too elaborate but
large enough for guests to come and stay. Also important to us
is that it is as green as possible, something we need to look
into.
Are you still convinced Krabi is the right place?
Yes, the more time we spend here the more we like the people and
the area.
Do you have any concerns about moving to Thailand?
Well, I follow the news all the time and at first glance it would
seem that the country is in turmoil, but as all our Thai friends
explain, this is just a normal thing in Thailand.
Another thing is that the cost of living seems to be increasing
but it still has a long long way to go before it catches up with
the cost of living in the UK, so I think on our modest income
by UK standards we will be able to enjoy a far higher standard
of living than we would be able to at home.
Do the Land Law regulations concern you?
If you mean that I cannot own the land in my own name, then no,
it doesn't concern me as it will be in my wife's name
and can be passed onto our children as they are half Thai, but
it does annoy me. We will be making some special arrangements,
a lease is possible, so that no matter what happens to either
me or my wife, the land stays under one of our control until our
children are old enough and sensible enough. There is also a Usufruct
contract which a friend told us about but I need to find out about
this.
Do you have a lawyer in Krabi?
We do not have a lawyer in Krabi. We went to see a large legal
firm in Bangkok before we started searching just to get general
advice. I don't know yet whether we would use them or a local
firm to handle the contract.
|
