The Pros & Cons of Older vs Newer Condos

When it comes to condos in Pattaya, there is a huge choice and quite literally something for everyone. There are low-rise properties, high-rise properties, new condos and old condos that suit almost any budget. If you are lucky enough to have sufficient funds which grants you great choice, the number of options available may feel like it is about to blow your mind! Here is our guide to the pros and cons of older versus newer condos.

Older Condos

Pros

Although people can be quick to dismiss older condos they do have a number of benefits. Firstly, the better quality ones tend to be in prime locations as this land may have been more readily available 10-20 years ago. Also, the units are usually substantially larger with it being fairly common to have studio units that are in the region of 50sqm.

As they are well-established any initial teething problems will have occurred a long time ago and probably the management teams are experienced, knowledgeable and helpful which will undoubtedly make things a lot easier and helps things to run smoothly. Finally, of course, they are often cheaper and you get far more for your money and everyone appreciates a bargain!

Prime location and nice size for this appealing studio in Jomtien Plaza

Cons

Naturally, there will always be a downside. Some older condos have been poorly maintained and this goes for the units and the property overall. If a poor management team is in place or people don’t pay their maintenance fees buildings can quickly deteriorate. In addition, there will be the natural wear and tear that takes places meaning that somethings may need replacing that can prove to be costly. The unit will probably look dated if no renovations have taken place so a condo that looked like a bargain may be anything but in the long-term.

Well renovated studio 200 meters from the beach at only 35,000 Baht per sq.m.

New Condos

Pros

Everybody likes to own something new, its human nature. Newer condos will have far more modern equipment and be closer to western quality as standard. There shouldn’t be any need to carry out renovations and overall the condo will be more suited to modern living. In addition, newer condos almost invariably have better facilities that again can make your home life far happier.

Also, the management teams will be new and probably won’t be set in their views and be prepared to embrace change rather than challenge it. Finally, you will know exactly what you are getting for your money, which is not always the case with older properties that can have some hidden surprises that could prove costly.

Luxury comes with fantastic facilities for this condo from a famous Thai developer

Cons

The downside with newer condos is that they can be very small. Studios can frequently be 25sqm in size and you may have the sensation of living in a shoebox. They tend to be a little further out of the city and those that are in prime locations can be costly due to land being at a premium. Of course, all new buildings will experience teething problems, whilst these are probably covered by guarantees and can be listed in snagging reports they can be very inconvenient and cause serious disruption. There will also be many unknowns such as the quality of the management team as there will be no history of a track record.