Farang buying a house with a Thai lady

[lavidaloca]

I second the above suggestions. But getting a condo is the best (and safer) route. Otherwise, a legal advice from a lawyer will make things clearer. Good luck.

[johnjar]

Buying a property is a considerable investment for most people.The USUFRUCT gives you a lifetime right to live in/on the property if the relationship goes south, is still valid until the usufructuary expires.It also gives you more options than just a condo. It is very easy to do, and relatively cheap and only takes a few days with a good lawyer..

[Mod edit. Linking to other forums is not allowed.]

[alanhass]

I second the above suggestions. But getting a condo is the best (and safer) route. Otherwise, a legal advice from a lawyer will make things clearer. Good luck.

Buying a condo is far from safer.
Over the past 2 years values have taken a dump and while that's ok for a buyer it's definitely not good if you ever need to sell it on again.
Condos are also a minefield of bad quality and problems.
Currently we have three committees from several condo developments looking for construction companies to come in and rip apart their buildings to fix bad workmanship from the original building companies.
Everything from sinking floors to cracking walls and pools.
Apart from all that their is a constant risk of bad neighbours and things like fires from shoddy electrics.
Personally having lived here for a decade and having to deal with dozens of condo owners and hearing their tales of woe I would never ever live in a condo.




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[lavidaloca]

Sorry to hear about that. I guess this is a safer option in terms of security versus purchasing a house and lot under the name of your Thai wife. If we are talking about the reliability of a condo structure, it is of course best to go for a reputable condo developer in the area to avoid issues like that.

[alanhass]

Sorry to hear about that. I guess this is a safer option in terms of security versus purchasing a house and lot under the name of your Thai wife. If we are talking about the reliability of a condo structure, it is of course best to go for a reputable condo developer in the area to avoid issues like that.

There is no such thing as a reputable condo developer. They are all faceless corporations with no culpability.

All the condos my mates construction company have been consulted on for repairs or assessments were built by so called "reputable developers"
Too many people use the "I can't own land in Thailand" comment to put people off building a house.
Ask yourself this,
Is it any less risky to put your land in the wife's name here and the house in your name and sign an usefruct for long term lease. This gives you rights and should you divorce you are still fully entitled to your share of the house or just make a pre nup stating that she keeps the land and you get the value of the house where she can either buy u out or sell it and pay u off.
Plenty of options out there and if you stay married which is what everyone actually hopes to do when they marry well there is no problem at all.

Now bring that back to the Farang world.
You get married, you buy or build a house on a plot. A few years later you divorce and lose half of everything.
Same same
No more or less risk here or at home.

By building your own home you get to see the quality as it's being built so you know exactly what your getting and you don't get the drummer in the condo next door waking u at 4am or the twat with the cigarette or crappy overloaded socket setting fire to the entire building where the fire brigade (if there is one) take an hour to get there and run out of water before they reach your room.
You also get a nice garden and a full privacy.


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[Spitfire]

If you are in a stable marriage, have some spare baht to gamble/invest in your futures, then why not take a chance and buy a house together. I have already accepted that the house we live in belongs to my wife and I simply pay the monthly mortgage, better to pay her than some faceless landlord their mortgage via renting. There is no such thing as safety when buying such things (especially here) and there is an element of risk whatever country you are in...good luck if you are male keeping your own house if you divorce in the UK.

I (and my wife) see our marriage as a team effort when it comes to this sort of thing, needs both of us for it to work. Admittedly, I have been married to my wife now 15 years and it is a very stable marriage. It (the house) is an asset for her and if she dies her will stipulates that it is to be sold and the equity goes to me. If I go first and there is anything left to pay then my insurance will cover it and she either has a house to live in forever or she can sell it and move on. Sometimes you have to take a chance and not always listen to the doom mongers. Yes, there are many horror stories but there are also many happy successful stories too and those that are sadly victims of the horror stories have often shown examples of very poor judgment or excessive trust to someone.

If, however, somehow my wife and I end up divorced then I can walk away as I accept that it is not mine and would prefer a clean break anyway rather than some acrimonious and lengthy load of BS in which only the lawyers profit. The old adage here that you shouldn't spend anything that you can't instantly walk from and turn your back on whilst saying "pfft", is very true. No guarantees here on many fronts and this is one of them. The mistake many make is that they spend stuff they can't really afford to lose...big mistake. If it goes tits-up for me here I can walk away from my whole current life having only lost what I've earned whilst working here and a bit of monthly interest chunk-change that I take out from the UK. Don't get me wrong, it would be a hit but it's one that could be taken (if needs must) and despite it really sucking I'd remain financially viable. I would describe myself as in deep here, but not so deep I can't just say "What the hell!" and bail.

As for a condo...no way Jose.

[dundrillin]

Totally agree with Alanhass and Spitfire.

[bluelagoon]

The best thing if you plan to get married, is to put the house in the name of a family member before marriage. Thus you live as a guest and in case of a split up, you don't get ripped off.

I don't understand that at all. Are you saying instead of putting it in your future wife's name you put it in the name of another member of her family ? Sounds very secure.........................

No my friend, put in in the same of a member of your family...not the wife's family.

[StevePIraq]

You can be in a stable marriage today and the biggest S... tomorrow, especially in Thailand. I know I am going through it. Many years good now two of hell.

Never ever put a property solely in your wife's name or any of her family. If not married make a formal pre nup agreement, if she will not sign a pre nup don't marry. Is she signs you can state how you want the property and any other assets split should this unfortunately be necessary.

[pik]

Forget it! Do Not Buy.
USUFRUCT is Useless if you Can Not enjoy.
Family barking, dogs barking and more
Quality of our life is what it is important.
Do Not Buy!

If you Buy a Condo, Please Name a family member from your home country as CoOwner So she/he will get it when you go to hell or heaven

Enjoy Your Life BeHappY
rich_p

[HHTel]

Tell me. Why is a usufruct useless?

[johnjar]

Tell me. Why is a usufruct useless?

HHTel...I agree! Usufruct beats all the other options hands down, it gives you lifetime security, your name is on title as a usufructee, and will go to your family when you expire.

[buksida]

That's only providing that the local land office honours it.

[johnjar]

A land title with the local land office and their usufructee stamp on it is a legal binding document, cannot see any circumstances or never heard of any, why they would not honour it.

[buksida]

It happens, land office bosses change, as do 'rules', nothing is set in stone here and 'law' is only down to the judge upholding it.

The old adage "only spend what you can afford to lose" is especially applicable to property in Thailand.