land purchase in the northeast/kquill

Hello,

I am looking for some advice on a land purchase--I am aware of the rules/laws/pitfalls of purchasing land in Thailand for a Thai friend or via a "company" or via a longterm lease, but am now looking in the Kalasin or Kon Kaen areas. Perhaps, kquill, who has said he was living in that area and recently purchased some additional rai can comment, please---I know Pattaya and Bkk price ranges, but in the northeast, I am a bit lost---is there a real estate agent in Kalasin , kquill, you've used or would recommend? Do you have any ideas on land (per rai--2-4 rai), small houses within the city or reasonable proximity--I have read that some rice-producing rai are available for 30-60,000 baht per rai, but that those are quite a distance outside of Kalasin--within the city, can you get a decent, small house in the 400-700,000 baht range??

Much thanks--sammyJ

Dear Sammy,

We already had for a number of years Four Rai, this was basically purchased in-house, i.e' the family. My initial idea was everyone was happy together and that I built on their existing land.

This developed into an internal family feud, I purchased the land from them on more than one occasion and it was not transferred as I wished.

Eventually, I bought the land [ AGAIN ] but this time refused to hand over any more monies until it was transferred, in total, in to Tam's sole name, and that is what I insisted happened.

I developed a Large European House , [and walled it in!!] and built a smaller nice Thai house, for his sister and brothers adjacent, but outside our Fort Knox!

A long while ago, Tam and co bought another 7 rai outside where we are, for similar figures to what you are saying, but that was Rice Land 15 minutes away from where we are, and we have to have someone sleeping up there during the Rice season.

Recently, I bought an additional 2 Rai, approximately 150 yards away, which is classed as Rice Land. I paid for this 150,000 baht, which equates at 75,000 per Rai, and I have just fenced it in with posts and barbed wire, total cost 12,000 baht. including all materials.

We live in a reasonable sized town, It has a town centre, markets, Krung Thai Bank, 7-11., Lake, Park, Full Hospital facility, so my point is, it is not in the " back and beyond".

Because of this, you pay a bit more for the land where we are. [ Although it is not expensive by any stretch]

You can, if you go to the local Land office, have it re-classified, and changed to building Land if you desire and like the location. [ That is any Rice Land that you buy}

There are definitely Houses up for sale, quite reasonable in the 1 million baht range.

There are cheaper smaller ones, but they tend to be packed together on little developments, and from what I have seen, although they are a steel and concrete structure with a good roof, the interiors are very basic.

On another point you mention, I have not seen Estate Agents as such, but no doubt, in big cities they will probably have them such as in Khonkaen

. The rule of thumb tends to be a large board and photograph next to the development that is getting built with an artist impression and prices, by the developer.

Land for sale, especially in the smaller towns and villages, usually because everyone knows each other, is advertised by way of a board on the land to say they are selling or word of mouth.

I don't need to tell you, pressure will be exerted on your partner to ask you for more money than they are selling a Thai for. Your partner needs to be strong on that point with them.

If they win on that point, everything you want or need thereon after, will carry a premium instead of the correct price.

Any more points, please contact me and I will be happy to try and assist. [ It gives me something to do!!]

There are some developments going on around me, so I will go and look again to give you accurate details on what these ones have just getting built.

I actually brought my own Thai builders up here from Pattaya and they used local labour to build our Houses.

Thanks very much for the information and for keeping an eye out for possibilities. I have been "visiting" Thailand for over 20 years and spend approx five months a year there and am in a longterm relationship for over eight years. I know well of the family problem pitfalls of which you mentiona and also have seen that, just as you warn, there would be a "Thai" price and a "farang" price, and sometimes, regardless of how long one might have been together with a lad, you remain uncertain if he (or family) will work hard on your behalf--might they look to make more money for themselves, might they worry how they look to other family or neighbors, etc, or will they just fail to follow strictly or be careless with the directions/guidelines you've given on purchasing something. And, as always, your lad/partner, while wanting to do the right thing, may be pressured into veering "off course" by other greedy family members who will always view me as a "farang" and someone to be taken advantage of at any time regardless of how much I have helped the family in so many ways over so many years. I plan, as time goes along, to look more closely to buying something in the Kalasin area--maybe at first just some riceland and then maybe a smaller house.

Thanks again for your willingness to help--Sammy

Buying Land??

If you read boxers report [ May 22nd Weekly report] on his trip to Isaarn, you can see why I fenced our Land in immediately after purchase! as I mentioned in the above previous post!

A while ago I was looking at land prices just for hoots and found a good source to be the Kasikorn Bank's website. Sorry, I don't have the link anymore. I remember they did have the price info in english (there was a "translate to english" button on the website).
I would guess most of the property is forclosure type stuff but they have property listings from all over Thailand and a real-estate division that handles the sales.

Good point Kenc,

Most banks have the repossession stuff usually on a board, you can always ask.

As you rightly say, it is foreclosure stuff, so therefore if you have ideas of developing your friends land, it could well be no where near where you wanted.

However, for purchasing at a bargain price, its always worth a look.