Questions to Ask a Phuket Property Developer Before You Buy

Showroom visits in Phuket are designed to accelerate emotion—and deposits. A professional buyer slows the conversation and shifts it to documents. The questions below should be answered in writing (email or letter on company letterhead) and reviewed by Thai counsel before you transfer money. They apply to off-plan condominiums and villa estates alike, with extra emphasis on slope, drainage, and access for hillside master plans.

Developer identity and land

1. What is the exact legal name and registration number of the selling entity?
2. What land title secures the project site? Provide a copy of the title deed.
3. Is the land mortgaged? If yes, how does the sale interact with the lender?
4. For villa estates, what interest does the buyer receive—lease, superficies, or other—and what registers at the Department of Lands?
5. Who owns the access roads and common areas during and after development?

Licences and approvals

6. Provide copies of construction permits and approved plans for the building or phase you are buying.
7. What is the status of condominium juristic person registration (for condos)?
8. Are environmental or hillside excavation approvals complete for this phase?
9. Has the local authority signed off on any required infrastructure (wastewater, roads)?

Payments, escrow, and milestones

10. What is the full payment schedule from reservation to transfer?
11. Which payments are refundable if licences are delayed or quota is unavailable?
12. Are buyer funds held in escrow or a supervised account? Provide the account terms.
13. What measurable construction milestones trigger each instalment?
14. What happens if completion exceeds the contractual handover date—penalties, refund rights, or termination?

Specifications, warranties, and handover

15. What is the delivered specification list versus optional upgrades?
16. What defect liability period applies and who is the contact for snagging?
17. How are common areas—roads, drainage, landscaping, security—handed over to estate management or the juristic person?
18. What are projected common-area fees, and what historical costs exist at completed phases?
19. For pools and retaining walls, who warrants structural performance after handover?

Foreign buyers and condominiums

20. Confirm foreign quota availability for this unit in writing.
21. Describe the funds documentation pathway required for foreign freehold under THAILAND.GO.TH guidance.
22. When will the unit be eligible for individual title deed issuance?
23. Are any units incorrectly sold into foreign quota when they should be Thai quota?

Phuket site-specific engineering

24. Provide civil engineering drawings for slope works, retaining walls, and estate drainage.
25. How does the design handle southwest monsoon peak rainfall on this topography?
26. What maintenance obligation falls on owners for private versus shared drainage?
27. Is estate road gradient suitable for daily vehicle use in wet conditions?

Rental and hotel programmes (if offered)

28. Is participation mandatory or optional?
29. Who operates guests, licences, and revenue distribution?
30. Can owners occupy during high season, and on what notice terms?
31. What happens to the programme if the operator changes or exits?

Comparison: acceptable vs red-flag answers

Pre-deposit checklist

• All answers received in writing
• Thai counsel reviewed sale and purchase agreement
• Escrow or milestone protections confirmed
• Licences and title copies independently verified
• Foreign quota letter obtained (condos)
• Engineering pack reviewed for hillside projects
• Rental programme contract reviewed separately if applicable

FAQ

Should I pay a "reservation fee" before answers arrive?
Treat any payment as at-risk until counsel approves. Many reservation fees are marketed as small but become non-refundable quickly.

Can I rely on a famous brand logo on marketing?
Branding partnerships vary. Confirm which entity contracts with you and which entity builds and warrants.

What if the developer refuses written answers?
That is useful information. Proceed only with extreme caution and independent verification.

Do these questions apply to resale purchases from a developer's last unit?
Yes—plus physical inspection and confirmation that title and quota are immediately transferable.

How to use the answers

File written responses alongside marketing PDFs and compare them to independent title and licence searches. Contradictions between sales answers and official records are common on fast-moving hillside estates—treat gaps as negotiation leverage or walk-away signals, not as minor admin to fix later.

Share the full pack with counsel before signing. Developers who operate transparently expect scrutiny; those who resist it are telling you something about counterparty quality.

Keep a dated log of every question sent and every answer received. If sales staff change mid-negotiation—as happens on long construction cycles—you still have a written record of what was promised before you committed funds. That log becomes invaluable if specifications or handover dates shift later.

Related reading

• Buying Off-Plan vs. Resale Property in Phuket
• Phuket Property Guide: Freehold, Leasehold, Villas, Condominiums, and Local Risks
• A Due Diligence Checklist for Buying a Phuket Villa
• The Costs to Budget for Beyond a Phuket Property's Asking Price