I don’t know what y’all plans are for the future (retirement??? :shock: )…me…I’m gonna get me a piece of land on an island somewheres and scuba 'til a shark eats my face…I think I’ve mentioned this in a previous thread…
I also believe some folks in this here community have indeed invested in their Dreamland… so I thought a thread to talk about the pros and cons, the dos and donts, the willy and yes, the nilly, of investing in foreign lands…share your experiences or like interests…where ya gonna go…I’m thinking Siam, but seems lotsa 'umosans relish Bali…what’s the poop…is it easier to buy land in Indonesia? What should we set our sites on…what’s it gonna cost…as nothing is known, all info is needed…
My friend who happens to live in Thailand (is also married there) says that it is very difficult for foreigners to purchase property there; in fact he does ‘own’ an apartment and some farming land somewhere, but it’s all registered in his wife’s name …
I think in Malaysia it’s not a big problem, most issues can be settled easily with, well, money.
There are ways around those Thai laws, naturally enough. Something to do woth buying into a company but not having a major shareholding. Sounds spooky, but there is some weird other clause about who gets what rights to decide on your holding.
I’m totally up for Thailand myself. Got two mates who’ve just bought into palacial mansions in Koh Samui as investments. I’m never going to get even near that league, but a good old 250 baht type bungalow near a nice beach . . . Koh Tao would be my call.
I mentioned this before, but a friend of mine (the guy who first got me to Asia) owns a house in Phuket where he runs a scuba diving and other adventure business. He’s a 60-something year old non-Thai American, as is his wife. He quit practicing law in California and moved to Phuket where he bought his house – but he’s also been spending time there for decades and speaks fluent Thai, so it might be harder for newcomers.
Friend of mine bought land and built a house on Boracay, Philippines. He’d been going there and had leased a house for many years enabling him to make close connections with locals. He formed a corporation with one of the locals (an artist) who minds his place for him when he’s not there.
He spends several months each year with his family on this tropical paradise and in fact, is there right now.
