Case: transition from rent to purchase of condo

Family E., Almaty. Wintering 4–5 months/year, rest — rent.

Year of rent

Kata — noisy. Karon — calmer. ~1.1 million baht on rent = cheap test of district.

Criteria

2 bedrooms, view, floor 5+
Short-term allowed
Common fee up to 55 baht/m²
12–15 min to beach

Purchase

6.2 million baht, freehold, company, transfer 11 days, Land Office 18 days.

Now

Dec–March themselves, otherwise management company. Net ~4.8%. Less hassle than villa.

Rent before purchase — our standard for families choosing south vs west.

Why a year of rent

Family E. from Almaty spent wintering 4–5 months per year on Phuket. Instead of purchase “from the map” they rented first in Kata, then in Karon. In a year spent about 1.1 million baht on rent — cheaper than making mistake with district for 6+ million in condo.

Conclusions after rent

Kata — too noisy and dense for permanent wintering with children. Karon — calmer, beach wider, infrastructure sufficient. Criteria of purchase were formed from experience, and not from booklet.

Criteria of purchase

Two bedrooms, sea view, floor not lower than 5th
Short-term allowed in building
Common fee not higher than 55 baht/m²
12–15 minutes walk to beach
Possibility to live themselves December–March, rest — management company

Transaction

Object 6.2 million baht, freehold through company. Transfer of funds — 11 days taking into account holidays. Registration in Land Office — 18 days. Furnishing partially from landlord, partially bought additionally for style of listing.

Now

December–March family lives themselves. Rest of time — management company. Net about 4.8% — lower than villa in west, but less hassle and lower entry threshold. Clients consider that year of rent saved them nerves and money.

Rent before purchase — our standard for families choosing between south and west of island.

Comparison with alternative

Clients considered villa in Layan for 38 million. Refused: no need for garden and swimming pool with 4 months of presence per year. Condo in Karon closed both wintering and rent with lower entry threshold.

Numbers of first year

Four months of personal residence — saving on hotel ~400 thousand baht. Eight months of rent — net about 290 thousand baht after fee. Total object “pays back” part of ownership, but does not replace deposit account — and we tell clients so.

Want the same?

Tell us how often you plan to be on Phuket — we will select rent for test of district or immediately objects for purchase with same approach.