chiang mai real estate

Yep Mak Mak is absolutely right for land it is leashold option. I know quite a few people who have done this and are happy. Everyone is different and you have to weigh up your options and plus's and minus's.

Chiang Mai is still relatively reasonably priced compared to other destinations such as Phuket or Ko Samui. It has many of the benefits of a city but not the mass over crowding. Some beautiful countryside. Got a sort of big town feel to it. I love it. Cooler weather too.

You can still buy a low end condo for 1m baht  and a house for 3-10m baht. All depends what you like, what you expect, location and what your status is to enable ownership. Some new developments around but check quality carefully and do your homework as you would back home. The market has risen slightly but not as dranatically as say Phuket or Hua hin etc. You can if you are careful get some good deals.

Building your own home is the best option as far as value for money is concerned as you get what you want and if you use the right construction company better quality too. But using the right company is essential. Chiang Mai builders vary in quality and price. It is down to the individual home and what you have built. No standard costs.  But the sensible person uses a professional company with an office and a good reputation. Who will look after you and has alot of experience in building homes. There is a lot of truth in "you get what you pay for" and particularly here.

Construction costs in Chiang Mai go up and down according to the home, the materials you use and the details. But for reasonable quality 15,000-20,000 baht a square meter; and for a really nice home with good quality finish I would say 20-30,000 baht a sqm. That is finished ready to walk in but with no furniture. You will hear silly figures bandied about by so called armchair experts that you can build for 8000 baht a sqm...be very careful listening to inexperienced and rediculous advice. At that rpice I guess it is a thin walled Thai style bungalow in Udin Thani but nothing like the stanadrds we expect in USA, Canada, Europe or Australia.

Most decent homes in reality will cost in the range 15-30,000 a sqm completed. There are a few good Chaing Mai builders and you can find them on the internet. If you have never built a home before make sure you use a good Chiang mai builder with a reputation and track record.  Save you alot of hassle and wasted money !

Hope that helps you.

Last edited by richardhoward1960 (2009-11-01 08:33:13)