Buying a Condo in Pattaya as a Foreigner — Process, Costs and Paperwork

Buying a Condo in Pattaya — The Process From Viewing to Handover

Buying a condo in Pattaya has five stages: view the actual unit → pay the reservation fee → sign the sale and purchase agreement → pay the instalments or arrange financing → transfer ownership at the Land Office. For a completed, ready-to-transfer unit the whole thing takes a matter of weeks. The two documents that matter most are the condominium title deed and the debt-free certificate from the juristic person.

This page covers each stage in plain language, the transfer-day costs buyers routinely forget to budget for, and the specific requirements that apply to foreign purchasers.

The five stages

1. View the actual unit — see the specific unit you intend to buy, not only the show unit. Check orientation, view, noise and mobile signal inside the room, ideally at two different times of day.
2. Reservation fee — this locks the unit and the price. Get a receipt stating the unit number, the price and the refund conditions in writing.
3. Sale and purchase agreement — read the transfer deadline, the penalties that apply to both sides, and exactly what is included with the unit (furniture, appliances).
4. Instalments or financing — Thai buyers can apply for a mortgage as usual. Foreign buyers typically pay cash or finance from abroad.
5. Transfer of ownership — at the Land Office, with the debt-free certificate from the juristic person. Fees and taxes are settled and the title is issued in your name.

Costs due on transfer day

Beyond the purchase price, budget for the following. Who pays which share is normally agreed in the contract:

Transfer fee — calculated on the Land Department's appraised value, commonly split equally between buyer and seller.
Seller-side taxes — specific business tax or stamp duty, plus withholding tax.
Initial sinking fund contribution — a one-off payment on transfer.
Common-area fees in advance — usually one year up front.
Water and electricity meter and deposit fees.
Mortgage registration fee — only if you finance the purchase.

How foreign freehold ownership actually works

Thai law allows foreigners to hold condominium units in their own name, provided that foreign-held units do not exceed 49% of the total saleable area of the building. The remaining 51% must be held by Thai nationals or Thai entities.

The key condition is that the purchase funds must be remitted into Thailand from abroad in foreign currency and converted to Thai baht locally. The receiving bank issues a foreign exchange transaction certificate, which must be presented at the Land Office on transfer day. Without it, the unit cannot be registered in a foreign name.

Before committing, ask the project directly how much foreign quota is still available. If it is full, the remaining option is a long-term lease, which confers substantially different rights from ownership.

Buying direct from the developer

Dealing with the developer directly means you work from the same data the sales team uses — the units that are genuinely available, the current price, the promotions actually in force, and the remaining foreign quota — without a middleman's interpretation.

The Twin Tower on Jomtien Beach is sold by A.D House Co., Ltd., the developer of the project. To ask about availability, current pricing or to arrange a viewing, call 1142.

Project at a glance
Project	The Twin Tower — formerly AD The Grand Jomtien Beach Pattaya
Type	Condominium, twin towers (Building A and B), 31 storeys
Location	Jomtien Beach, Bang Lamung, Chonburi (Pattaya)
Unit sizes	26 / 40 / 44 / 46 / 58 / 65.75 sqm — studio, 1 and 2 bedroom
Highlights	Gulf of Thailand sea views · rooftop pool · pet friendly · inside the EEC
Foreign ownership	Freehold in your own name, within the legal foreign quota
Developer	A.D House Co., Ltd.
Contact	Call 1142

Frequently asked questions

How long does buying a condo in Pattaya take?

For a completed unit paid in cash, the period from reservation to transfer is usually a matter of weeks. If you need bank financing, allow roughly another three to six weeks for the loan assessment.

Can a foreigner get a mortgage from a Thai bank?

It is considerably harder than for Thai nationals, as most Thai banks restrict lending to foreign buyers. Foreign purchasers therefore usually pay cash or finance from their home country, remitting the funds into Thailand in foreign currency so the bank can issue the required certificate.

What visa do I need to buy a condo in Thailand?

Buying a condominium unit is not tied to a visa type. A foreigner can hold freehold title even when entering on a tourist visa, provided the funds are correctly remitted from abroad and the building's foreign quota is not full.