Home Purchasing Tips: What to Look for in a New House

Baan Lae Ley

Alright, you’ve saved up enough money to make the down-payment on a house and you have a stable job that allows you to easily make the payments. You’re probably thinking that now is all about looking for which new house on DDProperty is the best looking and fits your budget. Before you proceed it is important to note that while a good looking house is all fine and good, there are other factors that you need to examine before you make any commitment. In fact, some of these factors can make or break any new deal.

Is the House DSL/Cable Ready?
While this is a relatively minor factor you’d be surprised on how much frustration is connected to it. The problem with non-cable/DSL ready houses is that the phone/cable company tends to take its time before it processes your request for an installation. This is because they know that it will take a considerable amount of time to install the cable, connect it to their main cable box and make sure that everything is working, this is all for just a single connection to just one home. On the other hand, cable/DSL ready homes just needs someone to come in and place the modem/cable box. This will only take a few minutes of their time as compared to several hours and, as such, the installation personnel normally come the next day.

Is the Glass Tempered?
While tempered glass is very common in Europe, Japan and the U.S., it has actually only just begun becoming a common construction material in Thailand. Tempered glass can withstand strong winds and hard rain which are common in Thailand. Non-tempered glass does not have the same durability and strength and, as such, it is very easy to break it under consistent pressure or abuse. It wouldn’t hurt to ask if the glass used in the construction of a home is tempered glass or not since it can make a big difference once strong winds and rain start hitting your home.

Does it Flood in the Area?
Another common thing to ask when buying a home in Thailand is to check if the area that a home is in is prone to flooding. No matter how good a new home looks, flood waters can and will cause considerable damage to it to the point that it may become unlivable. As such, you should always ask the local residents if the area is prone to flood or if there are any other issues you should be made aware of.

Is it Close to a Main Road?
One of the problems when it comes to living in Thailand is that the roads in the city have a lot of twists and turns that can confuse even local residents. This layout was initially created as a means of confusing invading forces into the city. Unfortunately, the layout now works against residents since navigating the roads has become quite irritating. Being located near a main road helps to reduce this problem considerably since the road can act as a common reference point that can be utilized. Not only that, access to the main road from the new house makes commuting as well as trips to the hospital, mall and the office much easier.

Do You Have Enough Right of Way?
The concept of a right of way refers to the access of your home to the road that leads out of you area. In some cases in Thailand, there are some homes that have a shared right of way due to a weird quirk in the cut of the lot of the area. This can often be a source of great contention since some people often park their cars in the right of way resulting in other cars being blocked. Fights can often begin due to this leading to animosity between neighbors. To avoid this particular problem, it is highly advisable that you examine the right of way that is present in front of your home. If the space is insufficient you shouldn’t get that home no matter how good the house may look.

Are there Services or Malls Nearby?
The last factor that you should examine focuses on whether there are services such as supermarkets or malls near your home. The closer you are to a market or mall, the less amount of time that you will spend driving and commuting. While it is true that being isolated in the suburbs does come with some peace and quiet, the fact remains that it is very inconvenient if you’re trying to go shopping for groceries or if you want to visit the mall.

Conclusion
All in all, if you follow the advice in this article regarding what to look for in a new home you are sure to have very few problems.