How to Buy a Condo in Thailand as a Foreigner: Step by Step (2026)

As a foreigner, you buy a condo in Thailand in six steps: choose a unit with foreign quota available, reserve it, sign the sale agreement, transfer the funds from abroad in foreign currency, obtain the FET form from your bank, and register the title at the Land Office. You do not need residency or a work permit. Most foreign buyers pay cash, as local mortgages are hard to get.

Step 1: Find a unit in the foreign quota

Foreigners can own up to 49% of a building's floor area. Before anything else, confirm in writing that the specific unit is available on the foreign quota, not the Thai quota. Popular buildings can be full on the foreign side.

Step 2: Reserve and sign the sale agreement

You pay a reservation deposit to take the unit off the market, then sign a sale and purchase agreement that sets the price, the transfer date, and who pays which fees. Have a lawyer review it, especially the title and quota clauses.

Step 3: Transfer the funds from abroad

To register freehold ownership, the purchase money must enter Thailand from overseas in foreign currency and be converted to baht. Instruct the transfer with the purpose stated as buying a condominium.

Step 4: Get the FET form

For amounts of USD 50,000 or more, the receiving Thai bank issues a Foreign Exchange Transaction (FET) form. The Land Office requires this document to register foreign ownership, so request it from the bank and keep it safe.

Step 5: Register at the Land Office

On transfer day, buyer and seller (or their representatives) attend the Land Office, hand over the FET form and documents, pay the transfer fee and taxes, and the title deed is registered in your name.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Paying before confirming the unit is in the foreign quota.
• Transferring funds in baht instead of foreign currency, which can block freehold registration.
• Losing the FET form, which the Land Office needs.
• Skipping a title and building-debt check before transfer.

CondoReturn helps with the first decision, which unit to buy, by ranking every Bangkok condo on its real rental return before you start the paperwork.