"Joys and dangers of property ownership in Thailand - Pattaya Mail"

The guest at the meeting of the Pattaya Expats Club (PCEC) on September27 was Heiner Messing from Siam Properties. The topic of his presentation was dedicated to the joys and dangers of buying, renting or investing in real estate in Pattaya.

Heiner has been involved in real estate for most of his life. After completing his MBA at the Free University of Berlin, he worked in the private client service department, dealing with real estate issues. In1995, he moved to Thailand with his Thai wife and son. He met his wife while living in Germany. He got involved in real estate and is one of the founders of the Pattaya Real Estate Brokers Association (PREBA). He is a Certified Residential Specialist (CRS) and a Certified International Property Specialist (CIPS), which is the highest qualification in international real estate. He is also a former president of the Phoenix-Pattaya Rotary Club. Since the early2000s, he has been actively developing Siam Properties to make it one of the leading real estate agencies in Pattaya.

Heiner Messing showed some photos explaining what to look for when buying real estate in Pattaya, whether it is an apartment or a house. He emphasized that because of the tropical climate, it is wise to have roofs or other shelters for the terrace or pool to provide adequate shade. Heiner noted that the real estate market in Pattaya is different not only from most western countries, but also from other regions of Thailand. This is because Pattaya is a major tourist destination and also the choice of many retirees to live in Thailand. One difference he pointed out is that in Pattaya you can list properties with many agents at the same time, there is no "exclusive listing" with one real estate agent. Also, when choosing an agent, you need to find one that really "listens to you" and understands what kind of property you are looking for, whether buying or renting, as some agents are known for ignoring your wishes and showing you properties that are completely different to what you are looking for.

He then moved on to explain the advantages and disadvantages of apartments and houses. The types of property structures under Thai laws, which basically prohibit foreigners from owning land and allow ownership of up to 49% of units in condominiums. This was followed by pictures of properties where he pointed out points to look for when buying or building such as ceiling height and type, ventilation and layout.

After Heiner's presentation, host MC Ren Lexander talked about upcoming events and called on George Wilson to lead an open discussion where the audience could ask questions or make comments about expat life in Thailand, especially in Pattaya.

To learn more about PCEC, visit their website athttps:/pcec.club.