MAY 24: Thailand claimed an astonishing fourth place in a league table of most-searched overseas property destinations during April 2015 published by one of Europe’s top overseas property websites. Searches for Thailand property on TheMoveChannel.com recorded a 4.61 percent share of all searches on the website last month.
The kingdom has emerged as a firm favourite for 2015 in the battle for overseas property investments, according to the website. Buyers have been returning to the country in greater number since February 2015 when it rose into seventh place in TheMoveChannel’s ‘Top of the Props‘ chart.
In March its share of activity climbed to 3.95 percent, taking the country up three spots into fourth place – and the first time it placed inside the top five most-searched destinations since December 2014. Last month Thailand’s share rose for the third month in a row, from 3.95 per cent to 4.61 percent, helping the country retain fourth place.
Dan Johnson, Director of TheMoveChannel, said: “”After an unstable 2014 investors are returning to Thailand.
“Despite its economic struggles, the country still offers strong rental yields which consistently draw overseas interest.
“Many countries enter the top five destinations for a short period, but April marked the second month in a row that Thailand had present in the top flight, and the third time in the past six months.
Spain, the United States of America and Portugal have all been in the top five for the past six months, compared to France (three times) and Bulgaria (once).
Spain accounted for almost one in 10 searches on the website last month, compared with the one in 20 that Thailand attracted.
The website claims 800,000 overseas listings from more than 100 countries around the world.
Why are overseas buyers back in Thailand?
Many property agents and developers will be asking that exact question. Thailand’s position as a popular tourist destination for global travellers has never been questioned, except for when front page headlines and television news stories portrayed negative news one year ago this month, and news that was not substantially corrected in the following hours and days when things returned very much to normal.
The fact is Thailand is moving ahead in terms of infrastructure projects; ones that were stalled and going nowhere prior to last year’s coup. Property prices have shown no indication of any declines, and anyone who invested in the country five years ago will be extremely unlucky not to be sitting on a healthy 40 percent+ capital appreciation.
Thailand has also been attractive as a destination for overseas property buyers and investors, and even heading into what was always considered the “slow” season, its popularity is showing no signs of waning.
