Indeed, Pattaya is considered to be the most, perhaps, sightseeing city throughout Thailand. Not only in the city itself, many excursions are made, but trips to all corners of the country are also organized from here. From here you can also get to neighboring countries - Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia. Especially pleasant for tourists is the fact that the prices for excursions from Pattaya are still much lower than in other cities in Thailand. Probably because there are a lot of such proposals here.

Most tourists, as a rule, are tormented by the question - where to buy these same excursions? Tour operators or street agencies Oh? There are many opinions about this, but in the end, the choice is yours alone. And it will come from personal experience, budget and personal needs.

Any tourist who comes to Thailand immediately has a conflicting opinion about where it is still better to buy excursions. The tour operator represented by the hotel guide, of course, will dissuade you in every possible way from buying excursions from the so-called "street agencies". And on TV, and these agencies themselves will constantly impose on you the idea that their excursions are practically the same, only much cheaper. This kind of information war simply confuses many people and leads them into deep thought.

As for the cost of excursions, it should be noted that due to such increased competition, tour operators began to significantly reduce the cost of their excursions. They try to keep their prices comparable to the prices of "street agencies", and in many ways even succeeded. And for some types of excursions, for example, prices from tour operators are even slightly lower.

Then the question about the identity of tour operator tours and "street agencies" is very, very controversial. This is not always true. And if this happens, it is unlikely that the tour operator will make the cost of his excursion higher in this example. Do not forget that the comfort of street agencies is still much lower in comparison with the tour operator, besides, they miss many "highlights" that are extremely interesting for travelers. It often happens that there is no Russian-speaking guide on the tour, or he is only on some part of the trip.

The trend of sudden economic crises is forcing Russians to look for alternative ways to invest money. And one of the most popular lately is the way of investing money in the purchase of real estate abroad. And due to the relative cheapness and ease of purchase, real estate in Thailand is in special demand. It is worth looking only at the blogs and pages in social networks of happy owners of such housing: the sea, the sun, happy faces, and immediately you want to join this army of people who are satisfied with their lives. In fact, everything is so rosy, and everywhere there are pitfalls. And most often, they pop up already at the first stage - the selection of a reliable real estate agency.

Agency choice

If you are not going to search for real estate on your own, then you will definitely need the help of specialists. All real estate agencies in Thailand can be divided into two parts: legal agencies with a license, paying taxes and certified employees, and "black" realtors who work exclusively for themselves and on their own.

If we consider their activities in general, then you will not see much difference. Both those and others select housing options, enter them into their database and offer them to those who wish to rent. But the differences appear immediately, as soon as you decide not to shoot, but to buy, then you will understand the difference:

• Relevance of information. Thais are famous for their optionality, so changing the phone number, real estate prices and simply “disappearing from the radar” is a common thing for them. The agency, and even more so, has been working in Thailand for several years, is well aware of this national peculiarity, therefore it maintains and updates such information, systematically checking and confirming the data. Private realtors do not bother with this. One fell off, we'll find another.
• Base update. The agency tries to constantly update its databases, looking for new developers and fresh offers. Private traders simply drag everything they can reach into their bases. Therefore, their choice is significantly lower, and its relevance is highly questionable.
• Making a deal. The agency is well aware of the peculiarities of the laws of Thailand, the entire process of registration, with all the pitfalls and nuances. If you are looking for a truly experienced real estate agency, Pattaya or Phuket will be your choice - it doesn't matter, a good agency has branches everywhere. And the state must have a lawyer and other certified specialists. Private traders will hardly help you in making a deal. At most, they will advise the contacts of a familiar lawyer.

Price for cooperation

As for paying for the services of an agency or a private realtor, they all use different options:

• Commission. Just a percentage of the amount. Comfortable for both you and the other side. The most famous and most transparent way.
• Supplement to the amount. Not quite a fair way, when a certain amount is simply added to the price of the house, and you are unlikely to even know which one. In addition, you will most likely pay a commission.
• Commission from the owner of the property. Rare, but perfect for you. If you're lucky, then all commissions will be paid by the selling side.

Do not forget that there are many scammers among private realtors, and it is not always possible to check how honest he is with you. Whereas the agency is trying in every possible way to strengthen its reputation and thereby gain new customers.

We will help

The ThaiInvest company is deservedly considered one of the oldest real estate agencies in Thailand, focused on Russian-speaking clients. We always have up-to-date information, fresh updates of the real estate database and certified specialists who are ready to legally accompany your transactions. Buying and selling real estate in Pattaya and Phuket, assistance in renting and leasing real estate, purchasing villas and luxury housing - for all this you can safely contact.

Welcome to Thailand, the land of your possibilities!

• condo from 700 thousand rubles (secondary), from 1300 thousand (primary)
• houses from 900 thousand rubles (secondary)

Property ownership cost:

• Condo: in addition to monthly payments for water and electricity, you will pay once a year a certain amount for the maintenance of the infrastructure of the condo (20 - 40 thousand baht per year, depending on the footage). In your absence, a certain amount is withdrawn from one counter to maintain email. networks in working condition (in Pattaya 40 baht per month).
• Houses: since a farang (non-Thai) can only purchase a house for a company, it will be necessary to submit accounting names once a year. The services of a lawyer for the preparation and submission of a zero annual report are about 12 thousand baht. There is no property tax unless the property is used for commercial purposes. If you conduct business in a company, then monthly service for small turnovers is 4-5 thousand baht / month.

Black list of real estate agencies in Pattaya (reviews):

“But the other day, we wanted to rent a condo for a friend, we went to Fair Propetiys, so we stood for 15 minutes waiting for attention to ourselves, out of the 12 offers selected on the site, not a single one turned out to be valid, and then the secret spoke to us so rudely that my wife began to cry. The sediment remained unpleasant. It was the first time such a thing was observed in Tai"

"Fair propetiys is actually an office, there are hundreds of them in Pattaya, they just have a good site. And on this site you can often see offers that do not exist in nature. You come to them, and they offer other options. The photos show good furniture and beautiful decoration, you stomp to look, and there is some kind of wretchedness. Just wasted your time. "

"Fair propetiys landlords are not paid money for rented property, motivated by the crisis, tenants are not returned the deposit (deposit)"

The process of buying property in Thailand:

1. Buy American Express Checks

If you stupidly buy checks for $100,000 from one bank at a time, then the bank will most likely report you to the IRS. Buy in a breakdown, in amounts of 300,000 rubles. and nobody needs you.

2. At the airport, upon departure at the customs, you must declare them. Any amount can be exported from Russia in traveler's checks (just do not forget to declare it in writing at customs).

You fill out two copies of the declaration - one goes to customs, the second you have and pay attention - all seals, signatures and release permits must be in the second copy.

You will need this when, if the transaction did not take place and you are taking the checks back, then again, upon arrival in the Russian Federation, you fill out a declaration for the import of checks and attach to it the declaration with which you were released from the Russian Federation.

When transferring money by bank transfer from the Russian Federation from the account, there - some people have problems with the Russian tax, so American Express is the best option.

Also, declarations will be useful to you in case of selling real estate in Thailand, in order to explain the origin of money when entering Russia.

3. Upon arrival at the Bangkok airport, you receive a certificate that you have legally imported checks into the country (this is the place where you need to find certificates, they don’t immediately understand what you need, but with perseverance, everything is achievable). Your data is recorded in a book and a certificate is issued indicating the amount. After passing through passport control, you go down the escalator to the 1st floor and look for the customs department, you don’t have to go far - ask or look on the signs.

4. Before buying property in Thailand, you must obtain permission from the Land Office (as a foreigner) to purchase housing. And it takes 2 weeks.

5. Communicate with the owners or real estate agents - there are many of them.

If you want to buy an apartment without ants and other insects, then look for an option without air conditioning.

6. Having chosen an option, you discuss everything and hope that you are being told the truth! You stipulate in advance by poking your finger in detail what is left for you from furniture and electrical appliances.

7. Go to the bank to open an account, you may need a letter from the migration service.

8. Open an account at a local bank, put your checks in the account there. The purpose of the account should be - for the purchase of real estate, and not for the Deposit. What is this for. After exchanging money and crediting it to your account, you will be given a certificate, which will also be required in case of exporting money from Thailand.

9. Go to the bank with the owner of the condo and a friend (who speaks and reads Thai) or a lawyer - take a check from the bank for a certain amount (for example, 600,000 or 1,000,000 baht - depending on this amount you will pay the transfer. From 600,000 baht you will need to pay 40,000 baht - usually in half). Transfer - these are taxes on the amount of the transaction.

It is important to understand the mentality of the Thais - they cannot say no, and if they change their mind about selling or want a higher price, they fool around for a long time, reschedule meetings, etc. And they can't do things quickly, many condos are mortgaged in the bank - this is a normal practice, but it takes time and money to remove the bank deposit. If you are asked for a large deposit, then most likely the condo is mortgaged in the bank. Therefore, it is better to have several options for buying at the same time.

The amount of the deposit (prepayment upon purchase) up to 10%, they usually ask for as much as possible. The deposit contract must be executed with a copy of the owner's ID, where a sample of his signature is visible and with a copy of the chanote. Otherwise, give a deposit to a person who does not have or is not formally related to this apartment.

I strongly advise you to look at the original chanot (certificate of ownership) - this is a large, slightly yellowish paper with the entire history of your property (who sold it to whom and when, or which bank it pledged or remortgaged). Many condos still do not even have a building permit. And they stand and sell real estate in them, and they manage to sell without a chanot, but only with a house book.

It is best to have a Thai-English speaking, licensed lawyer when handling the transaction.

10. At the Land office (local BTI) you will have to sign a contract of sale, pay the remaining amount by check and you will be given a large paper (such as a certificate of ownership), which will contain the entire history of your home (who, when and to whom sold). In addition, you will also be given a house book - a blue book. The last transfer (sale) must be in your name (in Thai). Feel free to check and find out how your name is spelled in Thai.

11. It is better to transfer all utility bills to a non-cash basis - you conclude agreements with an electric company and a water company, and according to the meter readings, they automatically withdraw money from your account.

• Koh Chang and all the islands are national parks and real estate transactions on them are illegal. Everything is on temporary agreements, on a leasehold basis, etc.

Over the past few years, the flow of tourists to Thailand, and especially to Pattaya, has grown significantly (there is an increase of at least 30% annually). This is due to both the turbulent situation in popular tourist destinations such as Egypt and the general rise in the cost of holidays in the equally popular Turkey. In addition, do not forget that the holiday season in Thailand is almost all year round. The cost of tours to Pattaya is not very high, especially for residents eastern regions Russia: Yekaterinburg, Novosibirsk, Tyumen, Irkutsk, Krasnoyarsk and the Far East, and the flight time is even closer than to the popular resorts of Turkey or Egypt.

The influx of Russian-speaking tourists to Pattaya caused a sharp increase in demand for real estate in the resort. The number of real estate agencies in Pattaya, designed to work with Russian clients, has increased. Even foreign agencies began to open Russian departments.

Unfortunately, the growth in demand also caused the emergence of a huge number of "free" agents (the so-called freelancers), in fact, simply Russian-speaking residents of Pattaya, whose task is only to lead the client to a specific developer in any way.

Appeared on the Pattaya market and "temporaries" - real estate agencies that do not have Thai staff (which is prohibited by the laws of the Kingdom), and often not officially registered, or with employees who do not have a work permit. Contracts with such agencies are illegal and have no legal force.

Some real estate agencies in Pattaya (of those registered in recent years) are affiliated structures of developers, and when contacting such agencies, a Russian client will be able to receive only a “set” from the projects of a particular developer, without receiving alternatives.

The main advantages of contacting a real estate agency in Pattaya:

Yes, it is possible, but there are some peculiarities. Foreign citizens have the right to acquire real estate for themselves in condominiums, but only if it does not exceed 49% of the total area of ​​the condominium itself. To purchase a house, you need to register a Thai company in your name, because. Under Thai law, a foreign citizen cannot own land. The property itself is registered with a Thai company. Thus, you become the owner of the company that owns the property. You can get more detailed information from our specialists, as well as our Thai colleagues, who can advise you via skype, or by answering your questions in writing.

You can reserve the apartment of your choice by signing a reservation agreement on the spot. When reserving an object, a deposit of approx. 50,000 baht. As a rule, within a month from the date of signing the above agreement, a contract of sale is signed. The remaining amount is paid in parts during the construction of the facility or in part after its completion. You can pay in cash on site or by bank transfer. When importing currency into Thailand, you must comply with all the requirements for the legal import of currency or checks. The imported currency must be exchanged for local - baht. Bank transfer carried out from a foreign account to Thai. In both cases, you need to obtain a special certificate from the bank. After the buyer pays transitional taxes, he is issued a certificate - Chanot, certified by the Land Department of Thailand, on the basis of which a foreign citizen becomes the full owner of the apartment.

There are two legal options for purchasing a home:

1. Long-term lease of land for thirty years with the right to a subsequent two-fold extension for the same period, which must be indicated in the land lease agreement. You lease the land from a Thai owner, which is registered with the Land Office.
2. The most common way is to register a Thai company in your name, in which 51% authorized capital must be owned by a Thai citizen. Further, this company acquires a house. Thus, you are the owner of the company on which the house is registered.

The deposit is non-refundable upon unilateral termination of the reservation agreement.

In Thailand, a foreign citizen cannot legally own a land plot, but he can acquire sole ownership of an apartment in a condominium, which he has the right to bequeath. There is no special tax on inheritance in Thailand, but when reissuing ownership apartment must be taxed. To make a will in Thailand, you should have a Thai lawyer. With regard to leased land: in the event of the death of the land tenant, the property located on this land does not pass to the heirs of a foreign citizen. In this case, it is only possible to assume the rights of the lease, but without the right to further extend its term.

Taxes on non-commercial property do not exist in Thailand. There are so-called "transitional taxes", which are paid at a time when buying an apartment.

When buying a property in Thailand, the agency commission is always paid by the seller, not the buyer!

At the time of obtaining the Certificate of Title, the following transitional taxes are payable:

• 0.5% of the estimated purchase price - stamp duty,
• 2% transfer tax,
• 3.3% business tax,
• 1% VAT.

As a rule, these taxes are levied equally from the seller and the buyer, or, by mutual agreement, from one of the parties. This item should be included in the contract of sale of the apartment in advance.

Not, mortgage loans foreign citizens are not provided. Developers can provide you with an installment plan with an initial payment and subsequent monthly payments as agreed. When buying an apartment in a condominium, as a rule, installments are provided for a period of two years.

The cost of rent in Thailand averages from 0.8 to 1.2% per month of the cost of housing. For example, apartments in condominiums costing from 800,000 to 1,000,000 baht are rented for short periods from 10,000 to 12,000 baht per month, and for long periods from 7,000 to 9,000 baht per month.

The rental price may vary depending on the season (demand). The most demanded property is fully furnished. Proximity to the sea also plays a big role.

Maybe. This question is most often of interest to Russian citizens, because. in Russia, the agency commission implies additional costs for the services of realtors. When buying property in Thailand, the developer or owner of the property pays the commission to the agency, not the buyer. Even if you contact the developer directly, the price for you will be the same as you pay through the agency.

For self-purchase of real estate, you need to understand Thai law, as well as own English language. You will not save money, but you will spend more time and effort.

When choosing a real estate agency, ask to see a license, and also pay attention to the composition of office staff. According to local law, not only foreign citizens, but also Thai employees must work in the agency.