Buyer guide
Taxes, fees and ownership costs
Understand the one-off and recurring costs of owning Thai property: transfer taxes, sinking funds, common-area fees and rental-management charges.
Transfer taxes and stamp duty
The Land Office charges a 2% transfer fee on the value it assesses for the property. When you buy a condominium from a developer, the standard contract splits it equally between you and the developer, and the developer pays its own taxes on the sale. In a later resale the seller pays specific business tax or, after five years of ownership, stamp duty instead. Your lawyer confirms the exact split before signing.
Sinking and maintenance funds
At handover buyers pay a one-time sinking fund (common reserve) and up to 12 months of common-area maintenance in advance. These are fixed by the juristic person and vary by project size and facilities.
Fund remittance fees
Sending foreign currency to Thailand usually carries correspondent-bank fees and a local conversion charge. Your advisor can introduce banks familiar with property remittances to keep costs predictable and documentation clean.
Rental management charges
Branded-residence and rental-pool schemes charge a management fee, often 20–40% of gross rental revenue, plus marketing and housekeeping. These are disclosed in the hotel management agreement and should be modelled before purchase.