Please read through this information page carefully and contact us in writing should you require a clarification on any of these questions and answers.
1. Are there any other costs associated with the purchase e.g. land costs?
Please note that all cost’s quoted below are as of today as set by the land office and all the information below is given in good faith but we always recommend that you get this information clarified by a Lawyer before purchase (Please read our letter of Due Diligence as shown on this website)
At today’s price as set by the Hua Hin Land Office the cost of a 30-year lease is approximately 1.1% of the land lease price.
We use the services of Legal Services Hua Hin (see the “Legal Partner” section on this website) to draw up all the contracts required to purchase a property on our development, this can save a buyer up to 70,000 Baht and we use Legal Services Hua Hin to make sure that our contracts are written to the very high standard that we require.
Thai Country Homes cover the costs of Legal Services Hua Hin to prepare our Sales & Construction contract along with our Land Lease and Maintenance contracts and if buyers want to use their services in relation to other aspects of buying a property, then they will be happy to inform buyers of their costs.
Legal Services Hua Hin can answer clients questions regarding a purchase but it is a buyers prerogative to seek an independent legal review of all contracts before signing.
Legal Services Hua Hin has a fresh customer oriented approach, providing advice & guidance and they have been appointed the legal partner of Thai Country Homes to deal with all legal aspects of our business here in Thailand.
They would be happy to act on your behalf if you are intending to purchase a property at Thai Country Homes, please feel free to contact them with regard to their services and fees.
2. How can a foreigner buy property in Thailand?
Lease Hold
The maximum length a lease can be registered at the land office is 30 years and we will give you 2 further lease extensions giving you in effect 90 years. If you were to sell the property, the new owners can re-assign your lease into their name at a cost of around 50,000 Baht but they would only have the remaining period of your original lease left to run or they can request a new 30-year lease in their name but that would mean paying again for a new lease which at today’s prices would be approximately 1.1% of the land lease price. This cost is divided equally between the buyer and the seller. In the case of your demise, if your children are left the property in your will (it is advisable to make a will in Thailand) then the lease can be re-assigned in their names at a cost of 50,000 Baht. Should the law in Thailand change allowing foreigner’s to buy freehold or buy way of a 99 year lease, then the original 30 year lease can be changed but any costs in doing so would be for the owners account.
Company Set Up
This is a popular way for many foreigners to own their homes in Thailand. As a foreigner you can only hold 49% of the shares, Thai nationals are required to hold the remaining 51%. So you need a Thai partner or Thai friends to hold those shares. The down side to this arrangement are the costs. The transfer fees and taxes are approximately 6.3% and there are annual balance sheet fees to be paid every year. We recommend that you take good independent legal advice before considering this way of purchasing property.
Freehold
Only a Thai national can own land in Thailand, if your partner is Thai, you can transfer the land into their name but as always, we recommend that you take good independent legal advice before considering this way of purchasing property.
3. Is the land full Chanote title?
Yes
4. If modifications were made to the design how is that cost prorated?
We try to be as flexible as we can in design changes and will work around a client’s requests if at all possible within the confines of a development build. If the property size does not increase then we can normally hold the original sales price but if the property increases in size we would price accordingly.
5. Mains power, sewage, telephone & internet are all available?
Yes, mains power and water are supplied by the government or private companies and all electric on our development is under the ground so no unsightly poles and wires etc. internet supply is fiber optic and although land line telephone is available most people in Thailand use mobiles. Sewage is by way of septic tank. Baan Phu Thara cannot be held responsible for the supply of water, electric and internet services provided by external companies.
As we install underground electric on our development the electric company will not install separate meters to each individual property, we have to install development meters so to cover the cost of any service or breakdown in line with other developments with underground electric we add 1 Baht per unit to the amount charged to the development. Baan Phu Thara cannot be held responsible for the electric supply as supplied by PEA regarding power cuts, the temporary loss of a phase (3 phase supply) variations in power or any damage to electrical items caused by any of the above.
Due to our Community Solar system it is impossible to calculate the unit rate as it can depend on how may owners are residing at any one time, the less people residing that the more available electric will be shared by the other properties and power the fitness room and spa saving a cost to the common fee. The development will need to be completed with all properties generating before any savings might be generated.
6. What would be the construction period and how would payments be made?
Our build time is 7.5 months to completion from the agreed start of construction date, however we do request a 2 week period at the end of the 7.5 month construction period for quality checks and snag work to be completed before a client takes over the property.
A reservation fee of 200,000 Baht (Non-refundable) is required to take your preferred plot or plots from sale, in the case of adjoining plots we still only require 1 reservation fee.
After the 200,000 Baht deposit is paid the plot will be marked as reserved for a 30 day period during which time we go to contracts. If contracts are not signed by the end of the 30 day period a further 200,000 Baht will be required to reserve the plot for a further 30 day period, this will be ongoing every 30 days until the contracts are signed.
20% of full sales price is due to be paid 7 days after the signing of contracts.
The remaining 80% less the 200,000 Baht Deposit to be paid in 8 equal monthly payments throughout the 8 month build time with the last payment being made on the completion and handover of the villa.
If living in Thailand payments can be made in cash or bank cheque but most clients who are still living outside of Thailand will transfer money from an overseas bank account and If this is your preferred payment method all charges made by the sending bank or receiving bank in Thailand will be for the purchasers account.
The land is owned by Thai Country Home Hua Hin Co. Ltd and if purchasing by way of a lease, the lease will be supplied by Thai Country Home Co. Ltd.
Transfer for ownership if purchased by way of a lease is normally made after a 30 day notice is given to the land office that the property has been completed and paid for in full, the purchaser has full right to occupy the villa after the last payment has been made.
7. The law in Thailand states we can own the villa but not the land is this correct?
Yes you can legally own the property but not the ground it sits on unless you are a Thai national or if you purchase the land by means of a Thai Company.
8. What are the estate maintenance costs and when are they due for payment?
A compulsory common fee of 3,000 Baht (Estimated) per month is payable by each plot and is to cover the cost of running the development.
This payment covers the cost of the Service Management, 24 hour security guards, maintaining the common areas and roads, communal spa, fitness room, sala, accountant and office expenses. If any residents require assistance with translation or questions regarding to things other than related to the development then please ask our office staff who will be happy to assist residents if they can.
The compulsory common fee is payable in advance until the year end from the completion and handover date and then will be due for payment 12 months in advance on the 1st of January every year.
Our office manager can assist you in arranging your swimming pool and garden maintenance service and we would recommend that you use the service of the contractors who installed the swimming pool and gardens due to a 12 month guarantee period, this gives you the freedom to use alternative companies if you are not happy with their service or can find a more competitive company, we do not tie you into a contract that means that you have to use the development service forever.
We would hope that you use our preferred contractors service for security reasons, as we can more easily control who is coming and going on the development and if they do their job properly hopefully you will keep them but if you are not happy with their service then it is your right to bring in the contractors of your choice or to do it yourself.
The payment for the garden and pool service can be paid monthly directly to the contractor.
Communal Development Facilities:
Fitness center – Spa Pool – Gardens – Roads – Common Area CCTV Cameras – Guard House.
Electric Supply:
Baan Phu Thara will be connected to the Thailand electric grid, so outside of the solar period of generating electricity or if properties have a greater demand than the solar being generated then properties will be supplied by PEA Thailand electric. Baan Phu Thara cannot be held responsible for the electric supply as supplied by PEA regarding power cuts, the temporary loss of a phase (3 phase supply) variations in power or any damage to electrical items caused by any of the above. Due to the fact that Baan Phu Thara have installed an under the ground electric system PEA (Provincial Electric Authority) will not service the system or supply meters to our properties. We have one main meter at the front of the development and then we supply the individual properties by an under the ground connection, negating the need for unsightly poles and wires above ground. We supply digital meters to every property and invoice each property monthly. To cover the development in case of breakdown costs / service costs and the possible need to replace metres in the future, the development will add one baht per unit above the cost charged to them including the FT charge, made by PEA.
Water Supply:
Baan Phu Thara will be connected to the main Pranburi Water supply but during rainy season water can be generated by the rainwater harvesting system to those properties who have installed underground tanks. Please note that Pranburi Water will install their own meters to each property and will invoice monthly and post bills direct to residents and it is up to residents to pay directly to Pranburi Water. if you need advice in translation or how to pay the bill then please please always ask our office staff.
Common Fees:
Cost 3,000 Baht per plot per month.
Services include:
24 Hour Security – Trash Removal – Communal Development Facilities – Cleaning of Common Areas and Roads – Service Manager – Office Staff – Housemaid and Gardener.
The compulsory common fee is payable in advance until the year end from the completion and handover date and then will be due for payment on the 1st of January every year.
The common fee is set to cover the day to day running costs of the development and the total cost will be divided equally between the number of properties on the development, details of costs will be available to residents each January when the common fee will set for the following 12 months.
Garden & Swimming Pool Service:
Swimming Pool cleaned and serviced 2 times a week including chemicals (top up water for property owners account)
Gardens serviced to the number of times per month agreed between the resident and the contractor to include when required watering, grass cutting, trimming, sweeping and the removal of cuttings etc.
The cost of the garden and pool service will be arranged directly with the contractors and be paid monthly to the contractors account, our office manager can assist you with this or you are free to arrange for your own contractors to do this work.
We recommend that for the first 12 months of living in your property that you should use the services of the landscaping company who installed the garden, due to any dispute on the guarantees of trees / grass etc.
Approximate Cost of Garden & Swimming Pool Service & Common Fee
Swimming Pool – 2,000 Baht Per Month – Depending on the size of the pool
Garden Service – 2,000 to 4,000 Baht Per Month – Depending on the plot size and frequency of the service.
Pest Control:- It is the owners responsibility to arrange the pest control on their property. We recommend that you sign a 12 month contract with a pest control company and our office manager can assist you with this. The average cost of a 12 month contract is around 10,000 Baht.
9. Will we be required to sign a rules and regulations agreement and does the development have a sinking fund?
Yes an agreement will be signed at the same time as signing the construction agreement, a copy of this agreement and the construction agreement is available on request.
Yes the development will have a sinking fund, on the completion and transfer of the property a sinking fund payment of 30,000 Baht would be required. This money will be held in a separate sinking fund account and will only be made available once the development has been totally completed, before the completion of the development all the up-keep costs of the roads and common area’s will be for the account of Thai Country Homes Co. Ltd.
A sinking fund is a contingency fund established by owners / management companies to provide for future capital improvements such as road repairs, painting, or for any other unexpected work. We would like to see the formation of a residents association on the completion of the development, which will be made up a cross section of residents who can meet and discuss how and when the sinking fund should be used and ballot all owners with their recommendations. We will be happy for a resident nominated by the residents association to be a signatory of the sinking fund bank account.
10. If we wanted to make the villa on 2 plots how does it work and would we have to pay 2 compulsory common fees?
It is not a problem to build 1 villa across 2 adjoining plots and once you have decided on the location of the 2 plots we would make a drawing for your inspection on how a property would sit on the 2 plots and of course you could make suggestions to suit your taste / needs.
The extra plot size could be used as gardens or to build a separate guest house.
The sinking fund is payable per property, not per plot.
11. Do you supply regular photos of a property being built?
Yes every month we will email photos of the progression of work done or at the request of the purchaser.
12. At what stage of the development will the common area, spa and fitness room be built.
When 50% of the development has been completed. (Completed in 2020)
13. What is included in the furniture package?
Each Villa that is sold has an optional furniture package available to purchase, as the buyer you will get a furniture coupon of a certain value depending on what villa type you have purchased. This furniture coupon is only valid to be spent at Beautiful World Furnishings or The Cabinet. The coupon must be spent in total in one store.
You can choose exactly the furniture you want within the budget like beds, tables, chairs, sofas, tables lamps, etc.
The price of the furniture packages are displayed below and can either be spent buying specific items or a complete package.
Please note that Thai Country Homes has negotiated a 50% discount at Beautiful World Furnishings and a 30% discount at the Cabinet, so for example, an Executive Villa has a furniture package of 450,000 Baht so you can buy up to 900,000 Baht at Retail prices at Beautiful World when purchasing an Executive Villa.
Furniture Packages – Executive 450,000 Baht – Deluxe 400,000 Baht – Boutique 350,000 Baht – Superior 300,000 Baht
14. Are the wardrobes built in as standard?
Yes each Villa is sold with built-in quality wardrobes for each bedroom.
15. What happens if I require the use of a wheelchair later in life?
All of our villa designs are wheelchair access friendly, with wider door access and pathways with ramps.
16. Does the development have a shuttle bus service to Hua Hin?
Once Phase 1 and phase 2 of the development are completed we will be running a shuttle bus service to Hua Hin and return, 6 days a week, days and times to be confirmed.
17. What guarantees do you give on your properties and swimming pools?
In Thailand the standard guarantee period is 12 months but for your peace of mind when purchasing a property with Thai Country Homes we offer a 5 year guarantee on the structure of your property and structure of the swimming pool from the date of the handover of your property. (please see the notes regarding “Structure” below)
Structure of your property:- Piling – Foundations – Post and Ring Beams – Roof Structure (Please note that walls are not considered as structural in Thailand as they are not load bearing)
All other items will have a 12 month guarantee from the date of handover.
Structure of your swimming pool:- The cast from leaking or cracking. Please note that we pile all of our swimming pools to help prevent any movement of the cast due to land swell in the rainy season.
Tiling, grouting and Pool equipment such as pumps, filters, pipework, lights, timers etc. only have the standard 12 month warranty as given by the pool equipment supplier.
Snag Work:- As always when moving in to a newly constructed property, during the first 12 months you will come across items that need to rectified and we will work with you to complete this work with the minimal of disruption, our office manager will arrange for this work to be done. In most cases this will be minor settlement cracks, although we pile the foundations of all of our properties there will always be some settlement. We have found from experience that the solution to minor settlement cracks is to leave them alone to settle out until the end of the 12 month guarantee period, when we come back to inspect your property and complete all the snag work in one go. Obviously, if there are somethings that you cannot live with for that period you can request that our team come back to rectify and our office manager will organise this work to be done.
18. What specifications are included as standard in your villas?
Baan Phu Thara Included Specifications
Q-Con Super-Block Walls
Solar System 3kw – 5kw Invertor
Above Ground Water Storage Tanks
Single Glazed UPVC Windows and Doors with Double Glazing Available as an Optional Extra Up-Grade
Concertina Mosquito / Fly Screening on Exterior Sliding Doors
Inverter Air Conditioning Units
LED Lighting & Emergency Lighting
Safety Electric Circuit Breaker
Elevated Ceilings with LED Up-Lighting
Walk In Closet and Wardrobes
Security Alarm and Automated Safety Lighting
Under Roof Tile Insulation
Smoke Alarm – Fire Extinguisher
Internal Plastered Wall Finish
Internal Walls and Ceilings painted white
High End Tiling Throughout
Internal and External High Quality Remote Control Ceiling Fans
European or Thai Manufactured Bespoke Fitted Kitchen – Please note that the splash back is not supplied by the kitchen company, this comes included in the construction cost, we supply a tiled splash back as shown in our show-house and you can discuss with us if you would like to change the tile that we supply as standard. If you order a special splash back from the kitchen supplier, glass or aluminium for example, then this will be for your account it is not included in the kitchen budget but we will credit to you the cost of our standard tiles.
American Standard Bathroom Furniture
Hafele Internal Door Furniture
Roof Supporting Concrete and Steel Ring Beam
Underfloor Piped Pest Control
Swimming Pool:- Depth 1m 30cm – Executive 12m x 4m Deluxe 10m x 4m THB Boutique 8m x 4m Superior 8m x 4m
Granite Terrace – Car Port – Pathways – Swimming Pool Surround
Landscaped Gardens
Safety 12v LED Garden Lighting
Stainless Steel Gate with Automatic Opening and Safety Stop Sensor
Furniture Packages – Executive 450,000 Baht – Deluxe 400,000 Baht – Boutique 350,000 Baht – Superior 300,000 Baht (please refer to question 13)
Optional Up-Grade Specifications
17,000 Litre underground water storage tank for rain water harvesting which comes complete with a filtration unit.
Double glazed windows and doors
Automated garden water sprinkler system
Air conditioning units with GPS WiFi connectivity
High pressure water pump with invertor motor
CCTV cameras with WiFi connectivity
Over ceiling 3 inch aluminium insulation fitted to all rooms with an air conditioner unit (not fitted in Bathrooms or outside terrace)
2 location Nuvo sound system with WiFi connectivity
Low energy consumption Eco swimming pool pump
Curtain and blinds package
Wallpaper (Price on request)
19. Company Policy Regarding Real Estate Agents Marketing our Development.
Thai Country Homes’ adopts a strict policy of maintaining sales contracts only with real estate agents who demonstrate an exemplary level of professionalism and satisfy our ethical standards, and who will promote our properties to clients fairly and without misrepresentation.
When advertising and promoting our properties, we expect agents to remain fully impartial in relation to the promotion of similar properties in competition with ours, or properties in a similar price range. Any agents who are found to be unfairly promoting competing developments, or who demonstrate unreasonable bias against Thai Country Homes for their own gain will have their contract terminated immediately.
Developments are rightfully able to pay agents any rate of sales commission they deem necessary in order to generate viewings & sales, but we expect agents to remain consistently ethical and professional, working for their clients’ best interests without unfairly promoting properties giving the highest commission at the expense of impartial advice to buyers.