What are the main steps to buy a condo in Thailand?

Reserve the unit, do due diligence on the title and building, confirm foreign-quota eligibility and funding, sign the SPA, budget the transfer taxes, and register ownership at the Land Office with the debt-free letter and (for foreign buyers) the FET form.

Can a foreigner complete the whole purchase remotely?

Some steps can be handled by a trusted representative under a power of attorney, but the funding rules still apply — the purchase money must arrive from abroad in foreign currency to obtain the FET form. Take independent advice on appointing an attorney for the Land Office.

What is the one thing most likely to stop a sale?

Unresolved title or charge issues and unpaid common-area fees: the Land Department needs a clean title and the juristic person's debt-free letter to register the transfer. Catching these in due diligence, before signing, is what keeps a sale on track.

Buying a condo in Thailand: a foreign buyer's checklist

The condo-buying journey in Thailand runs from reservation to registration. This checklist walks the main stages in order, with the related guides linking to the detail behind each one.

Reviewed by TransferDueLast reviewed 9 June 2026

1. Reserve the unit

A purchase usually starts with a short reservation agreement and a small deposit that holds the unit while contracts and checks are prepared. Read the reservation fee's refund terms before paying, and confirm the basic facts — unit, area, price — that the later contract must match. For a new-build reservation, consumer-protection rules in force since 2025 limit when a developer may keep the fee.

2. Do your due diligence

Before signing the binding contract, verify the essentials: the title deed and current registered owner, any mortgage or encumbrance, the building's foreign-ownership quota, the juristic person's debt-free letter, and the unit's common-area fees. This is the stage that catches problems while you can still walk away.

3. Confirm you can own it as a foreigner

Get the juristic person's certificate that the unit is within the building's 49% foreign quota, and plan your funds: money for the purchase must come from abroad in foreign currency so the bank can issue the FET form the Land Department needs.

4. Sign the sale and purchase agreement

The SPA is the binding contract — price, payment schedule, transfer date, mortgage-release, tax allocation, and default remedies. Because Thailand offers no default escrow, agree how your deposit and instalments are protected and write it in. For an off-plan unit, scrutinise the developer and the project's permits.

5. Budget the transfer costs

Plan for the charges due at the Land Office — the 2% transfer fee, specific business tax or stamp duty, and the seller's withholding tax — and confirm in the SPA who bears each. The transfer fee and an individual seller's withholding tax are charged on the official appraised value; SBT and stamp duty on the higher of the appraised value or the declared price. A temporary transfer-fee reduction applies only to Thai-national buyers, so foreign buyers should budget the full 2%.

6. Register at the Land Office

On transfer day the parties settle the price and taxes and register the new ownership at the Land Department, which requires the debt-free letter and, for a foreign buyer, the FET form. Once registered, the unit is yours and the deed reflects the transfer.

Frequently asked questions

What are the main steps to buy a condo in Thailand?: Reserve the unit, do due diligence on the title and building, confirm foreign-quota eligibility and funding, sign the SPA, budget the transfer taxes, and register ownership at the Land Office with the debt-free letter and (for foreign buyers) the FET form.
Can a foreigner complete the whole purchase remotely?: Some steps can be handled by a trusted representative under a power of attorney, but the funding rules still apply — the purchase money must arrive from abroad in foreign currency to obtain the FET form. Take independent advice on appointing an attorney for the Land Office.
What is the one thing most likely to stop a sale?: Unresolved title or charge issues and unpaid common-area fees: the Land Department needs a clean title and the juristic person's debt-free letter to register the transfer. Catching these in due diligence, before signing, is what keeps a sale on track.