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Thinking of purchasing a place in Thailand? New arrivals favor two locations in particular. Bangkok is the destination for those in Thailand seeking life experience, or who have relocated for career reasons. Phuket is the place to go for adventure-loving retirees; its relaxing beaches and easy-going lifestyle is the perfect tonic for expatriates. Bangkok and Phuket’s homes are something to see, so let’s take a look.

Homes in Bangkok – Bangkok is a huge, sprawling city of 8 million people – for Americans, this means Bangkok is about the same size as New York City. For expatriates who need to live in Bangkok for the purposes of doing business with their multinational corporation, in-city living means living in a luxury condominium or high-rise apartment – the closer to the city center, the higher the price. For those who do not want to live in an apartment or condominium, careful searching in Bangkok’s city center will reveal a few single-family homes and town houses, but these are few and far between.

Homes in Phuket – The crown jewel of Thailand’s tourism and resort industry is the island of Phuket. Phuket, which gained worldwide notice when the Tsunami of 2004 struck, was a very popular tourist destination, especially for Europeans, before the tsunami. More than four years later, Phuket is still recovering, but a great deal of progress has been made in restoring the area since the tsunami. In fact, the turquoise blue water of Phuket’s beaches is the clearest it has been in twenty years.

Phuket’s infrastructure is stronger than other tourist hotspots (Samui, for example). Roads and residences are better maintained; in fact, the overall standard of living is simply higher. Phuket is Thailand’s richest province, but cost of living remains relatively low, a welcome fact for newly-arriving westerners. What’s more, the island boasts several international schools touting British/American lesson plans, making the transition for transplanted English-speaking kids almost seamless.

The townhouses and apartments in Phuket come in a wide range and variety, most are designed to appeal to people with western ideas of luxury. Much the same as in Bangkok.

If you want to buy a home in Thailand, take care as you will not be able to purchase the land that it is on as there is a Thai law that states that those who come from other places cannot own land. But that Thai law does not prevent you from purchasing units in condominiums or structures like buildings, so if you obtain the help of a reliable real estate agent and do your research, you will find that purchasing a home in Thailand can be a very good experience.

Thailand and Phuket can be a tropical paradise. To find out more about buying Phuket property or for more general Thailand property advice check out the Prime Real Estate Phuket website and property blog.