Phuket villas - buying, renting and selling
Phuket was first ‘discovered’ in the late 1970s as a tropical Asian tourist destination, and it wasn’t long before the property business boomed to satisfy those who wanted to spend more time – or all of their time – on the island. Phuket now has some of the most expensive real estate in Thailand out side of Bangkok.
The jetset, Bangkok businessmen and expats wanting to spend all or part of their year here all want a piece of Phuket. Add to that investors, property and resort developers and small time businessmen and you realise there’s quite a lot of competition for limited sea views. If you can settle for something inland there is plenty of room for everyone, and plenty of local real estate agents in Phuket to serve your needs. There’s also dozens of projects offering fantastic retirement or investment villas, at prices up to six million dollars, with a steady stream of buyers.
Prime land in the popular areas like Patong, Kata and Kamala was snapped up years ago by Thai entrepreneurs, and is largely given over to resorts and commercial use, while private villas and other property in Phuket is continually under development on the fringes and headlands, such as Kalim Bay near Patong or above Kamala or Surin beaches. Also popular are former tin mining lagoons, some of which have been converted into golf courses with property for sale, and some of which have been converted into pure property developments.
Those wishing to make a home in Phuket who can’t afford to compete with the millionaires who are snapping up property around the marinas or golf courses, can opt for housing developments inland, for example around Chalong, just south of Phuket Town. Others opt to build by themselves in traditional neighbourhoods, which is the cheapest option but fraught with challenges. With beachfront and hillside sites near the pretty beaches of the west coat pretty much fully developed, The East coast, which has very few beaches but looks out across spectacular marine scenery – especially at the north end of the island – is today the focus of increasing amounts of property development.
In this section we cover the main property interests in Phuket.
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Apartments:some areas have highrise or low rise apartments for short or long term rental, it’s the easiest option for acquiring a pad in Phuket... more |
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Villas:the last word in Phuket property, villas are popping up in every vantage point with increasing price tags and trendy designs, ...more |
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Self catering:if you’re staying for just a few months there are plenty of these units for short term rent, often serviced, which is ideal for many... more |
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Land:foreigners can’t own land but many buy through their Thai spouse or a locally registered company. Others opt for a lease ...more |
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Homes:you can create a lovely home in Phuket thanks to the relatively cheap cost of building, buying and furnishing, ... more |
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Home rental:many prefer to rent since you can’t own the land and there are numerous agents offering choices for all sorts of tastes and budgets...more |
