Foreign Investors Videos

Lou Dobbs' take on foreign investors.

Tamarind Hills | Intro Phuket apartments are defined as multiple dwellings within a single building, they are otherwise commonly known as flats, units or condominiums. The big difference between apartment and condo properties is in the actual ownership of the Phuket property. Thai law forbids foreigners owning land but has special laws allowing up to 49 per cent of a condo development to be sold with freehold titles to foreigners, whereas Phuket apartment projects offer only a 30 year lease with the option of two 30 year lease extensions. In Phuket apartments sometimes refers to upmarket condominiums, in many instances the only difference is the price, related to location, style and facilities. Phuket has two types of luxury apartments, those affiliated with international brands, such as Laguna on Bang Tao Beach and those developments with local brands, such as Royal Phuket Marina. There are thousands of Phuket apartment blocks available to buy or rent either long or short term with the majority being found along the West Coast, the South, Phuket Town, and now the central areas of the Island. Prime locations for condos in Phuket include the South hotspots of Patong, Karon, Kata and East western coastal areas such as Layan, Bang Tao, Surin and Chalong. The tropical lifestyle many are seeking in Phuket no longer comes cheaply, and condos near the popular beach areas are in high demand with foreign investors and expats. Phuket is well established in the foreign investing property market, which has resulted in a large number of experienced real estate companies supported by good English speaking agents. Buying a condo in Phuket is more practical for buyers who want to retire here as well as buying to rent out their property. Phuket apartments that are serviced apartments have good rental returns, and are popular with visitors, particularly family groups with good facilities that have more space, and features than a comparably priced tourist hotel. Unlike other places in Thailand, many of the superior condo projects in Phuket are almost entirely made up of foreigner tenants and their expectations for professional management are high. But do your research carefully and make sure there is a proper building maintenance program and maintenance fees will be duly collected. This should not be a issue when dealing with reputable companies, but there are many potential pitfalls that unsuspecting Phuket apartment buyers could face. To find the good companies visit www.phuketpropertydirect.com. ShareThis

Tamarind Hills Foreign investors can be reassured that the former risks are now gone when looking for Phuket Real Estate for sale, as there are signs of a maturing market. With Phuket now one the best known resort destinations in Asia, the days of being an undiscovered paradise are long gone and with it the early speculators as the property market settles down. Buyers looking for the next big thing are now looking at other islands like Koh Samui and Krabi, but astute investors with a longer term outlook will find Phuket very agreeable as a result of a robust and maturing rental infrastructure. Phuket Real Estate has received strong interest from foreign investors and expats who want their own slice of Phuket , despite the temporary set backs of tighter ownership regulations and the political instability coming after the 2006 coup. Initially it was the wealthy Thai nationals that snapped up a great deal of the land during Phuket s first boom, this dominated the commercial property business, including resorts, and retail space in the popular tourist centres. Now the focus is more on residential villas and luxury condominiums as second or retirement homes for the wealthy. The investment on Phuket is set to continue growing with further new developments appearing, although at a slower rate relative to other markets like Pattaya, due to a majority of the good quality land with beach frontages and views already built up. The entry level into the Phuket property market is no longer cheap, where it hasn t experienced the mass budget apartment development of other markets like Spain in the 1980 s. Thankfully the property development and investing on Phuket has been far more upmarket and tasteful. Phuket Real Estate is considered a relatively secure investment with favorable long-term returns predicted. Factors such as accessibility, location, style and size are each significant when looking at Phuket Real Estate for sale. The key factor for investors, is the reputation and professionalism of the developer, Phuket features a higher standard than anywhere else in Thailand, a country not known for high standards of quality, largely attributable the international nature of the industry. Many of the leading companies on the island are managed by experienced overseas developers with capable local staff, and can be found on www.phuketpropertydirect.com. ShareThis