What You Need to Know Before Renting Out a Home in Phuket

Phuket is experiencing a very positive response to the private home or apartment rental market. This accommodation segment has only really come to the foreground since 2000 when a few intrepid developers realised the potential of Phuket in the international housing market. Phuket has long been a popular tourist attraction and with the recent improvements in the islands' infrastructure, many regular visitors have decided to purchase homes here.

Similarly, many regular visitors who are familiar with the island find that the facilities offered by the traditional hotels or resorts to be somewhat "cloistered" which can often lead to a feeling that as a visitor, you are not able to experience the local culture to the full. With the current upswing in development in many areas of the island, Phuket is becoming known as a destination where you can take advantage of renting a privately owned home.

There are a number of considerations that need to be taken into account before considering your rental returns.

Owner requirements

When considering the options available to you for rental returns, it is most important that you consider what the motivations for your purchase are. If you would like to occupy the home over the Christmas / New Year holiday period, the rental prospects of the home will decrease significantly. This time of year is by far the most lucrative period for holiday rentals, which yield the best returns.

If you are purchasing the home as an investment property with the view to owning the property for a few years whilst trying to minimise the expenses and eventually sell the home for a profit, the returns under these circumstances can be extremely attractive.

Owners who are willing to maintain a level of flexibility in their occupation will do well when trying to minimise the expenses associated with a holiday home. Should you wish to use your home, you may do so as long as the necessary notice periods are respected. Should the home be available and you would like to visit at short notice, this is, also possible.

Setting up your home for rentals

There are a number of important considerations when setting up your home for rental purposes. Keep in mind that you will be opening the home to total strangers and careful thought should be given before costly purchases are made. Please refer to the sample inventory and handy Phuketvillarentals.com tips.

Allan Mossop, with a background in International hotels, has been Managing Director of Phuket Island Property Services since 2001.

Being at the forefront of the property management, rental and furnishings markets, he has advised many of the Islands Owners to maximise their investment properties potential.

Thailand Check-In - Important Checklist You Need to Know Before Departing to Thailand

A Thailand checklist is a guide for any travelers to prepare themselves before landing in Thailand, the land of smiles.

Getting There

There are several ways to arrive to this country depending on where you come from.

By air: The main airport of Thailand is in Bangkok called Suvarnabhumi International Airport. However, there are many other airports in every region around Thailand in order for travelers to connect to all parts of the country such as in Chiang Mai, Phuket, Koh Samui and Krabi. A little trick is that as there is a high competition in domestic flight market, travelers should compare the air fares from more than one source before booking. Also, be careful with the initial price offered as there could be a large amount of extra taxes and surcharges applied in the further booking steps. So, make sure, you continue the booking process until the final total price is shown. The popular airlines for domestic flights are Thailand Airways, Bangkok Air, Bangkok Airways, Nok Air and Air Asia.

By train: If tourists travel from Malaysia, a train is another option to enter Thailand. Moreover, as the railway connects to every part of the country, if tourists do not mind spending a little more time on transportation, this is another option to travel around the country and enjoy scenery of Thailand.

By ship: This way is becoming more popular nowadays. There is the cruise line heading to South East Asia route, including visiting Thailand. The recommended 5-star service cruise is Costa Cruises.

Checklist before Thailand check in

1. Seek for some basic information
After choosing the transportation to enter the country, learning some basic information is always a wise idea to do before your arrival. Tourism Authority of Thailand or TAT is always a trusted and valuable source to seek for any information about the country. The main channel to connect to TAT is through its website. In addition, even when you have arrived to the country there are many branches of TAT around Thailand to serve tourists, starting from the one at Suvarnabhumi Airport.

2. Vaccinations preparation
In term of health preparation, vaccinations for hepatitis A and B, polio, rabies, typhoid and tuberculosis are advised but not necessary. If you plan to get into jungles around the border areas (connected to Cambodia, Burma and Lao), Malaria vaccination is also recommended.

3. Entry document check for Thailand Check in
For Visa, the regulations for visa can be changed without notice so when planning to visit Thailand, make sure to re-check with the Thai embassy before departing. For passport, it must be valid for at least six months from the date you arrive Thailand.

4. Prepare some money and know its currency
About currency, currency used in Thailand is Thai Baht. Its money includes both coins and notes, starting from "satang" coins, 100 satangs equal to 1 baht, 1 baht, 2 baht, 5 baht and 10 baht coins. For bank notes are 1,000 baht, 500 baht, 100 baht, 50 baht and 20 baht notes. One recommendation is that do not keep the large-denomination bank notes such as 1,000 or 500 notes or try change them to the smaller ones as street vendors or taxis don't usually have large amount of changes. Exchange counters are also scattered around the country especially in tourist places. It is highly recommended to exchange your money at these bank counters rather than at hotels as the rate from the latter one would be more expensive. Besides cash, it is also a wise idea to bring cards with you as ATM machines are widely available everywhere around Thailand. Credit card is also accepted in many places however make sure you keep an eye on who handling your cards to avoid any cheating practices such as copying your card codes.

5. Clothes to match with the climate
The usual weather in Thailand is hot. There is a Thai joke that Thailand has 3 seasons: hot, hotter and hottest. As a result, clothes to be used in this country should be something light with short sleeves. However, trousers or a long skirt are something you should also bring at least one as some tourist attractions such as temples will not allow people with shorts or singlet to get in. Some winter clothes may be needed only if you plan to go up the hills in the northern part or north eastern part of the country during winter time, otherwise, they will be quite useless for your trip. To make sure with this, it is highly recommend travelers to check the weather forecast again before their departure.

6. Baggage check
To make your Thailand check in smoother, check the allowance of your baggage properly and make sure your bags are not overloaded. The baggage allowance is up to the airline policy so check this in your booking that issued by the airline.

After all the lists have been checked, you will be quite ready for checking in to Thailand. The final suggestion is that always find the promotional prices in advance for any services you are going to use in Thailand such as accommodations, transportation, limousines, spas or other activities. Many services are often offered great deals for advance booking.

You may check further information or promotions for any destinations in Thailand here.