Eight checks before buying a house in a housing estate
A show house tells you how a home could look. It does not tell you how the land was prepared, who the developer is or what the estate will cost to run. These eight checks cover the points that most often cause problems later.
In short
- Check what the land was before the project, and whether a road or expropriation is planned nearby.
- Ask for the land allocation permit and the approved project plan, and compare them with what is being built.
- Insist on the standard sale contract and keep every brochure and advertisement.
1. The land's history and future plans
Find out what the site was before the project: low-lying land, a pond, a swamp, or land where the topsoil was dug out and sold. Such land needs proper filling and compaction, or it may sink.
Ask the district office and the Land Office whether a new road, a widening or an expropriation is planned nearby. See Developer hid a planned expropriation.
2. Location and surroundings
- Is it a pleasant place to live, with shade and green space?
- Is the layout crowded? Are the side roads very long?
- Is it close to a source of noise, smell or polluted water?
- Does the entrance open onto a main road, or onto a narrow soi that jams at rush hour?
For foreign buyers. A foreigner generally cannot own land in their own name, including a plot in a housing estate. If you are buying with a Thai spouse or partner, or considering a lease, get advice on how the ownership will be structured before you pay a deposit.
3. The developer
Look at the company's financial position and its other projects. Visit an older estate by the same developer and talk to residents. Search for complaints and court cases.
4. The permit, the project plan and the allocation scheme
Ask the sales office for copies of the land allocation permit, the approved project plan and the allocation scheme. Check that the roads, drains, parks and facilities being built match those documents. Be cautious with a project that cannot show them.
5. The utilities
- Main and side roads wide enough for the number of households
- Electricity, water supply and telecom lines able to serve the whole estate
- A drainage system and a wastewater treatment system that work
- A park in the right place, properly landscaped
- A clubhouse, fitness room, pool or tennis court that suits the price of the houses
What the developer must build and maintain is explained in What a housing estate developer must provide.
6. Common fees
Ask how much the common fee is, usually quoted per square wah per month, and what it pays for. Compare it with similar estates nearby.
7. The standard sale contract
A developer selling plots in a housing estate must use the standard contract set by the Central Land Allocation Committee. If you are given a different contract, ask for the standard form. Terms that depart from it and are worse for you have no effect.
8. The brochure and advertisements
Keep the brochure, price list and screenshots of advertisements. If the developer later fails to provide what it advertised, or what its sales staff promised, these are your evidence. See What the sales agent promised is part of your contract.
Legal references
- Land Allocation Act B.E. 2543 (2000), as amended, section 34 (standard contract)
- Consumer Case Procedure Act B.E. 2551 (2008), section 11 (advertising as part of the contract)
This explainer gives general information about Thai law as at 14 October 2026. It is not advice on your situation. Interest rates and amounts in court decisions reflect the law when each decision was made. Contact the office before you act.