Straight answers to the questions buyers, investors and sellers ask us every week, written for Koh Samui. Start with the complete buying guide, or jump to the topic you need.
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Buying Property in Koh Samui: The Complete Guide
The process, ownership options, costs and timeline, step by step, from first viewing to the Land Office.
- Buying in Koh Samui
- Ownership & the law
- Checks, costs & money
- Investing & renting out
- Where to buy & living here
- Selling
- Glossary
Buying in Koh Samui
How buying works on the island, by property type.
- Buying Property in Koh SamuiThe complete guide: process, costs, ownership and timeline
- Buying a Villa in Koh SamuiLeasehold land, the house, estates, resale vs new
- Buying a Condominium in ThailandForeign quota, FET form, fees and letting rules
- Buying Land in Koh SamuiTitle deeds, access, slope rules, building your home
- Buying Off-Plan PropertyDeveloper checks, payment schedules, guarantees
- Buying from OverseasRemote viewings, powers of attorney, sending funds
Ownership & the law
What a foreigner can legally own, and how each structure works.
- Foreign Property Ownership in ThailandEvery option side by side, with the law behind it
- Freehold vs Leasehold in Thailand30-year leases, renewals, inheritance and resale
- Usufruct, Superficies, Servitudes & Sap Ing SitThe registered rights that sit alongside a lease
- Thai Title Deeds ExplainedChanote, Nor Sor 3 Gor and the rest
- Building Rules on Koh SamuiHeight, coastal, slope and permit rules
- Thai Company Property OwnershipWhen it's legal, and why nominees aren't
- Wills & InheritanceWhat happens to your property, and Thai wills
Checks, costs & money
Protecting your purchase and knowing the full cost.
- Property Due Diligence in ThailandThe full checklist, and the red flags
- Property Taxes & Transfer FeesEvery fee, with worked examples
- Property Lawyers in Koh SamuiWhat they do, what they cost, how to choose
- Sending Money & the FET FormGetting the money trail right
- Mortgages & Finance for ForeignersThai banks, borrowing at home, payment plans
Investing & renting out
Returns, rules and running costs for rental property.
- Koh Samui Property Investment GuideRealistic yields, strategies and risks
- Hotel Licences & Short-Term RentalsThe 30-day rule, exemptions and condo rules
- Villa Ownership & Running CostsWhat a villa costs to run each year
- Rental Guarantees ExplainedWhat to check before you rely on one
- Tax on Rental IncomeHow rent is taxed in Thailand
- The Koh Samui Property MarketAsking prices by type and area
Where to buy & living here
Choosing an area and settling in.
- Where to Buy Property in Koh SamuiEvery area compared, with its own page
- Living in Koh SamuiSchools, healthcare, getting around, daily life
- Visas for Property OwnersRetirement, LTR, Privilege, DTV and more
Selling
Pricing, paperwork and taking the money home.
- Selling Property in Koh SamuiThe process, seller costs and timing
- How to Value Your PropertyValuation methods and setting a price
- Selling a Leasehold PropertyAssigning a lease, consent and the remaining term
- Sell Your Property with UsA free valuation and how we market your home
Glossary
Thai property terms in plain English.
- Koh Samui Property GlossaryChanote, rai, FET, superficies, Sap Ing Sit and more
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Our guides are general information, not legal, tax or financial advice.