Frequently asked questions
The cross-cutting questions on buying Phuket property as a foreigner — ownership, taxes, financing, rental and how we verify our data. Project-specific questions are answered on each project page.
Can a foreigner buy property in Phuket?
Yes. A foreigner can own a condominium unit outright (freehold) within a building's 49% foreign quota. Land — and therefore a villa's land — cannot be owned freehold by a foreigner; villas are usually held on a registered long lease (leasehold) or through a Thai company. The building, unit and structure of any deal should be confirmed per project.
What's the difference between freehold and leasehold?
Freehold means you own the unit indefinitely and it passes to your heirs — available to foreigners for condos within the 49% quota. Leasehold is a registered right to use the property for a fixed term (commonly 30 years, with renewal options), typical for villas and for condo units outside the foreign quota. They differ in resale, inheritance and financing, so weigh both against your plans.
What taxes and fees apply when buying?
Expect a transfer fee (2%), plus stamp duty or specific business tax, and — at the Land Office — a mortgage registration fee if you finance. There's also an annual land & building tax and tax on rental income. Our transfer & tax calculator estimates the first-year outlay from a price you enter, with 2026 rates.
Can a foreigner get a mortgage in Thailand?
Yes, for a freehold condo, through a few lenders (UOB, ICBC, Bangkok Bank's Singapore branch, and the non-bank MBK). Expect 50–70% loan-to-value, bank rates around 5.5–7.5%, and proof of home-country income. Many buyers instead use the developer's interest-free construction installment plan; compare both.
How do I transfer the money — what is the FET form?
For a freehold condo you must send the funds from abroad in foreign currency and convert them to baht inside Thailand; the Thai bank then issues a Foreign Exchange Transaction (FET) form. The Land Office needs it to register the unit to a foreigner, and it also lets you repatriate the sale proceeds later. It's mandatory for transfers of USD 50,000+.
Off-plan or ready — and is there escrow in Thailand?
Off-plan is cheaper to enter and paid in construction-linked installments, but there's no mandatory buyer escrow under Thai law, so developer due diligence matters. Ready resale costs more but carries no construction risk. Our off-plan guide and 2026–2029 handover calendar show what's building and when it completes.
Is short-term (daily) rental legal in Phuket?
Renting a unit for under 30 days is treated as a hotel activity and needs a hotel licence; without one, daily letting is not legal and enforcement has risen in 2025–26. It's usually only viable in projects run under a licensed hotel-managed programme. Long-term (30+ day) letting is always legal. Our yield calculator flags this per strategy.
What rental yield is realistic?
As a benchmark, long-term rental runs about 5–7% gross and short-term roughly 6–10% gross for well-located managed stock; net is typically 2–4 points lower after management, vacancy, fees and tax. Beware advertised "guaranteed" double-digit yields — model the real net yourself. Total return also depends on capital growth, which our calculator lets you add as an assumption.
Which visa lets me stay long-term as an owner?
Owning property does not by itself grant residency, but several long-stay routes exist — the Long-Term Resident (LTR) visa, the Thailand Privilege (Elite) membership, retirement (O-A/O-X) and others — some with a property-value threshold. Our visa guide filters routes by nationality and situation.
How does The Residence Index verify its data?
We verify each project's facts against primary sources (developer sites, authoritative references) before publishing, flag anything unconfirmed rather than invent it, show a visible last-verified date, and re-verify quarterly. The 0–10 developer score is a transparent 5-criteria composite explained on our methodology page.