If you are retiring to Thailand and you know Thailand will be your last stop in life, is it better to rent or buy?
Foreigners can only own a condo in their own name.
They can own land and a house under a company name, although if you are retired you probably would not be running a company.
If you buy a condo, the chances are when you die, if you have NO Thai heirs or (Thai kids) to leave the condo too, it will be a mess of paperwork to leave it to another expat relative.
If the relative did not live in Thailand and wanted to sell the condo, it would be very difficult with loads of paperwork. (Used condo’s also do not sell well or very quickly).
It might make a lot of sense to just find a long term rental.
Live your life and use the money you saved from NOT buying a condo to travel and enjoy the golden years of your life.
Real Estate does not appreciate in Thailand the way it does in the west. Over the years the price will be the same or maybe even lower if the building maintenance is not kept up.
With the glutton of available condo’s, it is not difficult to find a long term rental.