Thank you both, it’s good to have honest information about your experiences for others to learn from 🙏🏽

Really helpful and honest interviewee. Really kind of him to be so open. It really helps people thinking of moving overseas.

An extremely accurate and informative vlog. Lots of great points based on experience. Keep them coming.

Once I retired at 50 I travelled the World for 2 years then decided not to stay in one place for a long time. Rental is the way to go Nice house

I have always said rent rent rent if you are living overseas 🇬🇧

What a nice, honest fella James is, thanks Jonny

What a thoroughly genuine and nice bloke your pal James is Jonny!👍 I found his comments and thoughts most interesting. As a fellow Englishman considering retirement myself and falling in love with Thailand, it’s my ‘number one’ on my very short list of retirement destinations. Thanks so much to James for taking the time to share his knowledge and experiences with us, I personally would be very pleased to see and hear more from him in the future on your channel. Thanks guys..👍 Regards, Dazza. 🇬🇧

Great commentary lads!.. unbiased opinions and personal thoughts.. very much appreciated.. top stuff.!brilliant.

Great vid Jonny, good honest advice that I agree with. I built in Nongkhai 2011. Wife and I stuck in Sydney atm and hopefully back to Issan soon. We are lucky enough to be able to go back and forth. ( when no covid) My advice is never cash in property in you home land. No regrets on what I spent in thailand which I thinking is about 6 mil bt.maybe more. That’s big house, furniture and a new D max plus motor bikes and a Tuk Tuk to play with. I say only invest in thailand what you are prepared to lose. Also the old saying is “you can’t take it with you” If you love Thai life style then just do it but it’s not a place where your investment grows.Cheers

It's a beautiful house, I love the pool in the back yard.

Thanks for sharing this video. There were very interesting and important points brought up that expats need to be aware of when purchasing abroad.

Thailand is a renting country not a buying one in my opinion. Once you get bored with your home/Condo you can find plenty of better alternatives.

I was surprised when I heard them complaining about UK weather, compared to Jonny soaking through his clothes here.

Great interview fellas, I appreciate the information. I love Hua Hin, what a marvelous town! You gentlemen are the best! Johnny, you did just fine! Hindsight is always 20/20. Don't have any regrets, you're in paradise!

That was a honest opinion with little regrets. Thank you for your frank opinion.

He seems like a really enjoyable guy to be around. Nice interview

I would never buy anything in Thailand or elsewhere. It would ground me. No thanks. I would only rent. I need my freedom to go whenever I feel like it.

Very interesting and couldn’t help thinking James sounded a bit like Cliff Richard’s speaking voice. Haha. I think the points raised were valid and one would be optimistic to think they would make a big profit on selling. However the lifestyle in a good location is maybe more important than trying to become a mini tycoon with property. Thanks for the honesty and production. Cheers and khop khun krap. Merv Aussie

I really enjoyed this video. I was surprised to learn that water & electricity bills are somewhat similar here in Kuala Lumpur! He was brave to risk buying in a foreign country like that though. I felt like his home was beautiful! And super comfy! That pool & guest bungalow is a dream! The shock to my system is that 5Million baht is a ridiculously cheap RM620,000 in Malaysian currency for what amounts to a semi-detached house WITH a pool! He's got quite a lot of comfy bang for his buck for that amount! Oh and by the way, there's a WEALTH of information, hard won knowledge & experience down here in the comments! Thanks all you guys!

As usual Great video Jonny , love James house he seems like a sound guy

This is the video to watch contemplating purchasing housing in Thailand. Jonny and James provided remarkable transparency and excellent FAQ. All fairness to James not capturing higher quality capital gains was hindsight. Safe Travels!

Admire his honesty. Most people that buy and regret will never admit they made a mistake. Kudos for being honest. Don't know why anyone would buy in Thailand. Rent until you determine if you can really take this type of environment.

Very Good Jonny! James has a nice home there & I agree with everything you folks said.Really all property we buy we look at as an investment & in that case yes it is better buying in your home country as it appreciates rapidly, Thanks for a nice Vlog!

Whether you rent or buy all depends on your situation, if you are happily married and intend on staying long term then buying is a good option as long as you don't rely on the properties appreciation to earn an income. I have owned three houses in Thailand and yes I had trouble selling two of them but I made a small return. As 99% of foreigners are with younger Thais I think its nice to leave some security for your partner when you go. I enjoying renovating and being able to create a luxurious home to live in, if you're going to be here for a long time renting can be a bit restrictive, I am constantly making upgrades that I could not do renting.

Thanks Jonny and James for being so open about home ownership tbh it’s not for everyone particularly if you are looking for a return on your investment, for most of us it represents an opportunity to buy or rent a place in a sunny, beautiful country, take care gentlemen and be safe!✌🏼🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿⚽️

Thailand changed into the bad It’s good for long term holiday specially in winter Rent rent rent property Never buy My advise to foreigners A motorcycle is ok for purchases Easy to sell But property is a different thing

Thank you Jonny yet again a good vlog your train of thought is spot on leave your property back in your home land. It’s so easy to get a romantic notion but cold hard facts is profit profit profit enjoy the journey of life. Keep the vlogs coming my friend….. sky .

really like this video , youre really good , maling such sort of video's. looking forward, too the next one!

James house is really nice - friends of mine have both a small indoor kitchen and a much larger outdoor kitchen and dining space. It seems to work well.Totally agree with not buying. properties are difficult to sell there and the price growth is almost no existent, unlike Australia where property values keep going up and up - currently 20%. While its nice to own your own space its so much easier to move and change locations if you feel like a change.

Truly appreciate James's honesty and transparency into the reality of his choice.Thank you very much for these educational vlogs

Great interview, thanks to the both of you,

Very good!!very good!! video Jhonny. I rarely comment your videos because I watched them on TV but I always hit the like 👍.

I have no desire to buy property in BKK (foreign land), I put my money in Index Funds, collecting earning from my investment and use it to paying rent in Thailand-rent is cheap. I don’t see myself in one property for 5-10 years especially in Thailand. Retirement is about being flexibility, if your circumstance change you can pick up and leave, then being stuck with a property you can’t sell. I have met a lot of expats just like him, regretting putting 3-10 millions baht and stuck with a property and can’t sell.

I live in a gated community here in chon buri the houses for sale have been sitting here for years. My Thai wife owns the house here not far from Pattaya. Love the location.

Great video. Smart advice and experience about finances staying in home country. 👏🏻👏🏻

Great interview, Jonny. Very honest and informative!

I built a 3 bed 3 bath in Isaan when I retired 13 years ago, still love as much as when I first came over. Friends who bought in Pattaya but don't live here, can't sell. Told them to wait but they are typical 2 week millionaires and think they know it all.

Dental and medical care in Thailand are top notch. I hope the country opens up again since it's a great source for health care as well as super nice people, great food and wonderful scenery!

Very interesting… Thank you for your honesty

Great interview keep doing what your doing producing great content about Thailand I love Koh Samui

James knows the colours shirt to wear when its really hot and humid

So nice to see you here James..that laid back vdo doesn t reflect what a nice English Gentleman you are …always in a good mood and friendly .. johnny forgot to mention about your high level of tennis 🎾 i wish i could be as fit as you are. DJS

Thanks so much for the info Jonny and James.

Hi Johnny Good video mate. I first arrived in Thailand 46 years ago at the age of 25. Over the years I've lived permanently for 36 years so I've gained what I believe is a good insite into the country and the wonderful Thai people. I speak fluent Thai which of course has enabled me to gain an in-depth knowledge of the people and Thai culture. A few questions about how he managed to own the house and land? You didn't ask who's name the house is in or if he had a long term lease or has it in a company name. The latter is fraught with danger these days as a few years ago the Thai government started to crack down on foriegners forming companies to buy houses. He is married so is it in his partners name? That can also be fraught with danger as I'm sure you're aware. I've been married twice to Thai ladies and have 3 great children all grown up of course. In the old days ( mid 70s ) Thai women were so lovely ( and still are today ) although the subject of buying land and building a house for them was never brought up. There's been an over supply of houses, condos etc for many years already, long before Covid came along. One only has to look around whereever you are in Thailand to see empty houses in housing estates and condos empty and for sale everywhere. Renting is the only smart way to go as you both agreed in the vlog. I'm at present stuck in Adelaide due to COVID-19. When I return to Khon Kaen ( after quarantine only ) I'll move back into my old apartment which sets me back 3000 thousand baht a month inclusive of rent, electric and water. An older block so it's a big room with a balcony and a great view as it's an end room overlooking some empty land and the city downtown skyline. Prior to the apartment I rented a stand alone 3 bedroom 2 bathroom furnished house for 6K a month. I'll be interested to hear how he set up the ownership of his house? I've seen so many Farangs arrive in Thailand who are extremely naive and gullible and enter into relationships buying property in their partners names. It does work sometimes and I have friends who've been happily married for 30 years or more but they are few and far between. When I meet foriegners and tell them I've been living in Thailand so long they usually ask. What would you suggest we do to make life easier living here? My answers always the same. Learn to speak the language. Very few ever make the effort. I'll be interested to hear the answers to my questions Johnny. Keep up the good work. I have an Aussie mate living in Hua Hin and I'll be visiting him and his family when I return. Maybe we could catch up for a drink Gray

It looks like a beautiful home. The same property would cost an arm and a leg in the UK. You did the right thing.

Great vlog! Thanks for the opinion, perfect!

I now agree that renting there is the way to go. Don't buy. Why buy. It's just a lot more practical. I did buy buy but looking back, I think it was the wrong choice. Just rent and save your money because your return on investment will be either extremely low or you will lose

Jonny and James, great video. James is 100% correct. If you buy here, it's a lifestyle decision. In all likelihood, your property will depreciate in value. I live in a in a prime Bangkok location. Recently, I looked at a unit for sale. After only 4 years, it looks very 'second hand', and the outside of the building already looks tired. Interestingly, the Thai owners are asking significantly less than they paid 4 years ago.They overpaid on purchase and now face the problem of selling a second hand apartment. As James said, Thais have a cultural aversion to buying a used condo/house. Also, Thai banks offer lower LTVs for second hand units. Another issue for retirees is settling their will when their date with destiny arrives.

Leave your money and property in your home country and rent when you travel and live in other country. I have done both myself for past 7 years.

Thanks for sharing that video Johnny……..👍🇹🇭

Thanks James. Renting might be a good option however personal preference vary. John you done well in r/e industry. Good video.

James looks like a great guy very polite and well spoken 😀

This is the best video I've seen on buy vs. rent. So if I am understanding correctly (1) Don't sell your property back home to buy in Thailand, but rent back home and then use the rent to rent in Thailand. (2) Selling is more difficult than in the west which can be a problem if your neighbours are nasty. In my own situation I don't own back home so this might not apply to me so i will continue to research. How is it you bought a house/land i didn't think foreigners could do that. Beautiful house BTW.

Great video! Love your stuff

Agree completely we're renters and it makes life a lot easier. Thanks Jonny and James

I think I met James 2 years ago with Steve, at The Precious, where I was living. I did bump into you to Jonny! Great to see you are both well in HH

Bought 4 1/2 lye farm that I do permaculture fruit veggies on. Almost 5 yrs and no regretes yet.

I have rented in 5 different holiday areas in Thailand and still not certain where to buy / build. Now renting a 3 bed new pool villa in a HH village and that’s great, but on selling power and fees etc is also costly. If you are looking long term I would buy but definitely rent in the area first.

that was cool. very informative and what a nice villa

That was a REALLY quick “NO” to the question about living back in the UK! The man’s made up his mind!

Another potential negative of a condo is after some years the renovations start, and then they probably don't end. I used to live in one building where there was almost always one of the condos being gutted. I lived there a year and could hear renovations most of the time, for 3 or 4 weeks it was the condo right next door, then the one directly across.

Thanks for your insight, James.

Thank you for your interesting and very honest assessment. It is nice to have your own home but there are negatives as you state. Noisy dogs, bad neighbors, etc.

We've got a house in central Bangkok and we own 2 condos (a large old one we used to live in near Thong lor) and a small new build near Ekkamai. We've probably had tenants about 80% of the time in the large one but about 30% of the time in the small one so we decided to sell the small one, we listed it 500,000 under market value according to the municipal land tax value and despite that we haven't had any interest, the home will go up as it's in a good area and we're happy to keep the old one but the sheer amount of new builds means you won't be able to sell easily and you're going to have to take low rent if you want a tenant.

A good look into today's housing market. I always wanted to buy land and build my own custom dream home. However, in today's market things are very different when it comes to home ownership. I totally agree with renting in the foreseeable future versus buying a home. Keeping your money and investing it in your home country will likely bring you higher gains as well. Great information and very relevant, especially with the current situation. 👍

Wow I'm just watching this since I live for about 10 years in Bournemouth actually ( All the Best to you James! You seem like a True gent! ) and looking to sell my property in there to move to Thailand 😂 i literally chucked when he said he would consider keeping the equity in the UK - You've made some great points, by the way, I've been to Thailand numerous times now, hence considering a move - Thanks!

Excellent advice here!

I like Andy graham content on hobo traveler. First thing I remember him saying was don't buy property. It stuck with me. I'm must countries the rent is simply a better value.

I’m from Bournemouth too and Hua Hin is my favorite Thai destination. Lot of similarities between the two towns.

Useful information. Thanks!

Really nice house. Looks like paradise with the pool and outside hang out area. Even if it is not the best investment it is absolutely lovely.

Land ownership laws in Thailand prevent foreigners owning land,foreingers will often buy property in girlfriend/wife's name more often then not resulting in disaster.It should be part of the conversation.

What would possess anyone to buy a condo in Thailand when you can just rent from AirBnB and have the flexibility of uprooting without all the headaches that go with trying to resell?

Love the honesty, we’ll done fellas 👍

Thialand is beautiful country. It's stunning ocean views and cliffs are amazing.

It is quite interesting about the interview and the comments it garnered. Look when we retire, get married, buy properties you are a little bit anchored with properties. Compounding it you got an itch of uneasyness of going around the world or back home for a change and renew acquaintances with what remains of your friends and love ones. If you got a Thai family and you want them to be comfortable when you leave permanently guess the house is a strong point for them. After that is a problem for them. For buying assets in UK for renting purposes and the proceeds use to rent in Thailand is a good option too. You and the family are mobile and go traveling while you can.

If he had kept his money in the UK, especially Bournemouth, where I'm living myself! In the last 18 months he would have made a killing, as the price of property has gone completely silly! I'm afraid if he came back and he only had what he paid for his home in Thailand, to spend back in Bournemouth, he'd only be able to buy a small studio flat, and he need more money to update that!

Great informative video thank you! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Excellent honest story about housing and condo in Thailand

I can't really see what the problem is. He's living in a great house with a grannie annex, swimming pool in a great area according to him. In London you would be iooking at half a million quid for a one bedroom flat + service charges + council tax + parking charges + ULEZ charges for a 99 or 125 year lease. Why he feels hard done by I have no idea for £100k he has what most people would give their eye teeth for other than if he bought to make money out of it. He needs to consider the fact he's lived rent free for 6 years and he has something to sell if he wants, seems to be worried about recovering the money he outlayed and the fact it hasn't kept up with UK, OZ or other markets. Look at it this way 100k divided by 30 year lease = 3.3k per year divided by 52 = 63 pounds per week when converted works out to less than 12,000b per month excluding running costs. I only see a problem if you don't want to retire and live permanently in the country. 🇨🇮☘️🙂 but then I'm only a thick Irishman.

Great video Johnny, I was born and raised in the UK and I live with my wife who's from Thailand and we have decided to retire in the next 7 years to Thailand and as James said the biggest reasons are the weather and the cost of living, my pension will go a long way and I won't have to worry about the extortionate council tax and utilities that I currently pay. Living in the UK is an absolute rip off especially for the elderly, the only good thing is the healthcare but who knows whats gonna happen with that as the government wants to privatise the NHS.

Hi Jonny....new to your channel....I follow Paddy Doyle who is trying , with the Covid, to travel and show us Thailand on his motor bike dreamy.....

Hi, interesting vlog.. can't help but, agree with the comments on condo ownership.. I own a condo in Chiang mai...nice place but, you can tell the build quality is a bit iffy.. maintenance is good but, long term could be an issue. You can always rent your property out and move to a different area and use the rent for that...I don't regret buying yet.. time will tell..at the moment Thailand is in a bad way but,bit will bounce back Thanks.

Great interview, very nice place. If you are set for 20+ years probably nice to get your own place and spend the money and effort to make it yours. If you are undecided or want to be mobile then renting makes much more sense. It's got to be brutally hot in TH in the summer. That fact alone would make residing there not be an option for me.

Thanks Jonny great video. Thank you James for sharing your home with us. All the best. Mitch 🙏

Very nice place and great story. I subscribed

Good info Johnny thankyou!

extremely helpful info.. always better to rent 3-6 months before buying in unchartered territory. weigh out the trade offs.

Thanks for that advice and now you have convinced me not to buy. Rents are so cheap anyway

I bought a little hastily in Laos in 2017 and wish i had just rented and waited for my money to grow more in the market. Good counsel.

Great chat Cheers Jonny

Lived in Thailand for parts of the '70's, '80's and '90's, totalling 14 years. Rented all the time. Most of the folk I know had real problems trying to sell when they moved back home. I would never buy in Thailand. However, I settled in another SE Asian country, where I have lived for 25 years and there I did buy property. Very much relates to personal circumstances and "different strokes for different folk".

I think that's was great insight on how you would feel before and after, I also think it's best to always rent.

Nice house. I’m always interested to see the closets!!!

That is very cheap for such big size property! Thailand is still good destination to own a property if you want to live in Thailand for a long time, I would consider to buy a modern comdo with good facilities like public swimming pool and gym, more easy to manage and cheaper.

Johny, That was a really interesting view and interview. You asked all the right questions. I do not think that he will have any Capital Gains issues because that house stands him in at 4.8 Million baht and probably would not be able to sell if for that price. As you concluded, property in Thailand depreciates. James gave some really good honest answers as well. It might be worth buying in a Girl Friend's name and taking a 30 year lease knowing that the girlfriend will get it when you are dead and also might protect you against inflation of rent and/or devaluation of currency that hasn't really beebn applicable over the last 10 years. It confirms that buying was not a great idea in Thailand especially with the bargains available at this moment in time.

I keep it simple. The reciprocity approach. If I cannot have the same rights in their country as they enjoy residing inmine. I do not invest or expect any benefits.

Thanks for the insight guys, very informative and very interesting listening to your views, I must say that your decisions do 100% depend on your circumstances, age, experience, financial situation etc... what's good for one man may not always ideal for another. I've lived and worked in BKK for 8 years and was a renter, yes I had 3 different condo's whilst there and saw the benefits and also the minuses of renting. Most Brits, Europeans, Aussies and Americans who buy properties in Thailand are retired guys and aren't interested in capitol gains, retirees want to be in control of their own destiny and do certainly not want any external input or upheaval from a landlord... So yes, I wouldn't recommend buying without having lived in Thailand before as you need fully understand what you are letting yourself in for. I saw in another you tube video that James is now moving to Phuket! which is proof that it is imperative to have lived the life in Thailand and in the area before you decide to purchase. In my option for what its worth would be to buy but only if you can afford to keep it for ever (or for a long time). The resale property market isn't good in Thailand so be aware of that, some decent properties stay on the market for literally years. Each to their own, I'll be buying a pool villa in Thailand within the next 2 years but my main issue is where to buy, Hua Hin, Phuket, Pattaya, Krabi, Chang Mai or one of the Islands ?

Jonny, thanks for the great video and the perspective of buying vs. renting. I think renting makes much more sense after viewing this video. Renting provides more options and better flexibility as well. I'll be retiring in a few years so I’m begining my research today. After I got divorced a few years ago, my ex-wife and I made arrangements and she bought out my half of the house. The money left over is not even close to buying myself a condo or a house in the State. With rental prices here, it doesn’t make sense to stay here. Where I live now is $1500 USD/month and it goes up $100-150 every year…and it’s in rainy Seattle The video offered good perspective to favor the renting option over purchasing. I love that. That being said, would you know of any good local realtors in Hua Hin that would be great to chat with? …and amazing, I’m finding some nice rentals for 20K baht / month (approx. 600 USD / month) …a steal !! Cheers, Seattle Ed

Just before Covid I visited Thailand and I noticed again plenty of empty houses in gated communities which were quite new and well placed. Beside that I saw a few bankrupted holiday locations in most beautiful locations where Thai people had built guest houses. Of course many more places were running and in good shape. But p.ex. when I saw such an abandoned paradise on a pristine island where obviously tourists would be able to have a great time I realised that there are probably just not enough customers for all these places. Maybe a change of concept was a reason but still the fact that nothing was going on there any more.. that the jungle over grow such a nice place, became an unforgettable memory and a reminder. I left the place with a boat and thought.. "So this still exists in the 21st century".