Thailand real estate: Phuket faces project delays and cancellations

Thailand Investment – The fourth quarter of 2008 marked a turning point for Phuket’s property market in terms of price appreciation and take-up, as the forward momentum of the past five years came to a halt in the wake of the global recession, according to CB Richard Ellis (Thailand).

Original post:
Thailand real estate: Phuket faces project delays and cancellations

Thailand Investment

Some observers are concerned that the 2008 global financial crisis may affect the Thai real estate market. Many see similarities between the current US crisis and the 1997 Thai crisis, particularly in the role played by an over-built real estate sector. To properly analyze the 2008 global financial crisis’s impact on the Thai real estate market, we should first look at the current Thai real estate environment. The Thai real estate industry has grown significantly since the 1997 financial crisis. Although speculation is prevalent in some sectors, we have not experienced a 1997 bubble-like boom. Generally, a real estate bubble occurs when property prices rise quickly in a short period, primarily from speculation – resulting in a supply-and-demand imbalance. When property prices are rising faster than the cost of money and banks continue increasing loan-to-value ratios, funding becomes easier – propelling additional speculation.
The completion of the Suvarnabhumi-Bangkok International Airport has spurred growth in commercial property markets in eastern Bangkok as well as in the beach resort of Pattaya. Thailand has become even more accessible by air with a wide range if International carriers using Bangkok as a hub. In recent years, there has also been a surge in budge carriers, offering very competitive prices to both local and international destinations.

Real estate developers in 2009 are more cautious and many have professionalized their operations

The 2008 Thai real estate market is fairly robust. However, any thorough analysis requires detailed supply and demand studies of each specific area. A thorough analysis will indicate the market risks associated with each location. The Impact of 2008 Global Financial Crisis on Thai Real Estate is invevitable. The 2008 US global financial crisis is impacting global financial and real-sector economies devastatingly. Because Thailand is inextricably linked to the global economy, it will also inevitably experience its ill-effects

Any fall in domestic savings will impact Thai Real Estate Market corporate funding and investment. Mortgage loans will be more difficult to obtain : The slowing economy will force Thailand’s banks to be more restrictive in their lending practices. Mortgage loans will be more difficult to acquire with rejection rates rising. Lower supply : Responding to slowing market conditions, developers will lower their risks by building fewer homes and reducing supply. New housing supply will also be reduced because developers will have more difficulty obtaining equity, bond and credit market financing because of the global financial crisis. Investors earn income from rentals. If the economy turns bad, rental rates and occupancy rate in Thailand may fall, forcing many investors to become sellers. When speculators and investors become sellers, extra supply is thrown into the market. Demand and supply pressure are exerting negative sentiments on the Thai real estate market in 2008-2009. However, some developers view the situation as an opportunity. Small developers will react immediately to the negative consumer sentiment by reducing new housing construction, providing larger developers an opportunity to gain market share in the Thai real estate market for 2009. Large development companies with strong reputations, strong balance sheets, and higher operational efficiencies will the first to benefit once the market turns around.