How to buy property in Phuket, step by step
Buying in Phuket as a foreigner follows eight clear steps — shortlist and budget, view and verify, reserve, run due diligence with a Thai lawyer, sign the contract, transfer the purchase funds from abroad, pay by schedule, and register the transfer at the Land Office. A completed home can close in weeks; an off-plan purchase runs across construction with staged payments. Below, the same steps are laid out with the differences between ready and off-plan called out at each stage.
- 1
Search & shortlist
Fix your budget, area and purpose (living, rental or resale), then shortlist projects. Compare like-for-like using price/m², yields, the developer score and area guides.
Browse area indexes → - 2
Reservation
Sign a reservation form and pay a booking deposit (often ฿100k–200k, or ~1–5%) to take the unit off-market while due diligence runs. Confirm in writing whether it is refundable and what it counts toward.
- 3
Due diligence
Engage an independent Thai lawyer to run a title (Chanote) search, check for mortgages/encumbrances, confirm the seller's ownership, verify the condo's 49% foreign quota, and check for unpaid fees.
Due-diligence checklist → - 4
Contract (SPA)
Review and sign the Sale & Purchase Agreement with your lawyer — completion date, defect penalties, what's included, and (for a condo freehold) a clause requiring the funds to come from abroad.
Ownership schemes → - 5
Payments
Usually a single balance after the reservation, settled at or just before transfer.
- 6
Transfer the funds
For a foreign-freehold condo, remit the purchase price from abroad in foreign currency and obtain the FET (foreign-exchange transaction) credit advice — the Land Office needs it to register foreign ownership.
- 7
Registration at the Land Office
Ownership (or the lease / right) is registered at the Land Office, transfer taxes and fees are paid, and you receive the title.
Tax & fee calculator → - 8
Handover & aftercare
Inspect and snag the unit, transfer utilities and take the keys. If you'll let it, set up management and check short-term-let legality. Budget for the common fee and the annual land & building tax.
Yield & payback →
A general overview of the Phuket buying process, not legal advice — always use an independent Thai lawyer for your specific transaction.
Frequently asked
What is the process of buying property in Phuket as a foreigner?
Eight steps: shortlist and budget, view and verify, reserve with a deposit, run legal due diligence, sign the contract, transfer funds from abroad, pay by schedule, and register the transfer at the Land Office. Completed homes move fastest; off-plan adds construction-linked payments and stronger due diligence on the developer and escrow.
Do I need a lawyer to buy property in Phuket?
Strongly recommended. An independent Thai property lawyer verifies the title, checks the contract, confirms the foreign quota or lease structure, and protects your deposit — for a relatively small fee against a large purchase. Don't rely solely on the seller's or developer's paperwork.
How do I transfer the money for a freehold condo?
For foreign-freehold, the purchase funds must be brought into Thailand from abroad in foreign currency and converted locally, so the bank can issue the Foreign Exchange Transaction (FET) form the Land Office requires to register the unit in a foreigner's name. Plan the transfer early — timing and documentation matter.
What's different about buying off-plan vs a completed home?
Off-plan means paying in construction-linked instalments before the home exists, so due diligence shifts to the developer's delivery record, the escrow/guarantee, the contract's completion date and your resale/assignment rights. A completed home lets you inspect the actual unit and transfer quickly, usually at a higher price.
How long does buying property in Phuket take?
A completed-home purchase can complete in a few weeks once due diligence and fund transfer are done. Off-plan runs over the construction period — months to a couple of years to handover — with payments staged along the way.
Do Phuket developers offer payment plans or installments?
Yes — off-plan projects almost always come with a construction-linked payment plan: a booking deposit, a larger sum on contract, then instalments tied to build milestones, with the balance on completion. Terms vary widely (some are heavily front-loaded, others spread more evenly, a few offer post-handover instalments), so the schedule itself is negotiable and worth comparing. Completed homes are usually paid in full on transfer. We map each developer's plan for you.
What deposit is needed to reserve a unit?
A booking reservation typically takes a modest fixed deposit (often a few hundred thousand baht) to hold the unit while contracts are drafted, followed by a larger contract payment on signing. Make sure the reservation terms state clearly what is and isn't refundable.