Now in 2017 the Bangkok skyline has quickly become one of the most impressive in the world. With the emergence of several new mega structure skyscrapers including the Maha Nakhon (Ritz Carlton Residences) in Sathorn, the Icon Siam and Canapaya Residences along the river the Bangkok skyline is still growing rapidly with no end in sight. The new developments will surely bring

in some of the very best new penthouses to the Bangkok real estate market. In addition to the future developments there is a good supply of Bangok penthouses for resale, we will attempt to help clarify the Bangkok penthouse market and clear up the misconceptions ins this article.

Classification of Penthouses

The term ‘penthouse’ is used differently by people from different countries and walks of life. Some people including some real estate agents refer to any luxurious, high-floor condominium, especially duplexes as ‘penthouses’. As a real estate agency who strives to be as accurate as possible, we see an importance of classifying penthouses correctly therefore we make some distinctions. We classify Bangkok penthouses as only A. units on the very top (“penthouse”) floor of a lowrise or highrise building or B. units at the very top of a high floor section of a building. In both examples the common denominator is in order for a property to be classified as a penthouse, it must NOT have any other unit directly above it. Nothing says “Not Penthouse” more than the sound of people stomping around above your condo.penthouses-the-river-condo-bangkok

To give an example you can see the location of two of the penthouses at The River condo, one of the very best penthouses in all of Asia are not at the top of the buildings. This particular case is probably due to the fact that it is a lot more challenging if not impossible to have a 20-meter private pool on the top of a 74 story building. Some condominium buildings in Bangkok have units with large terraces and plentiful space but they are not considered penthouses unless they are on a high floor and have unique unit type. We classify ‘Sub-Penthouses” as any condominium units which are not at the penthouse (top) floor but have unique design compared to the rest of the building and are within a floor or 2 of the top. We do not usually consider standard style units on the top (penthouse) floor of a building as penthouses.

Bangkok Penthouses

Bangkok has a wide variety of penthouse unit types. While some are true penthouses like in the aforementioned example, some condominium buildings do not have specially designed penthouses. Most but not all mid-range and budget condos in Bangkok do not have penthouse units. This is due to the fact that the developers save as much as possible while building and do not have the market for a high-end unit which has a much greater cost than the rest of the condo. There are exceptions. Some of the lower tier Bangkok condominiums have impressive penthouses at the top, which likely will cost far less than their high-end luxury counterparts.

Bangkok Penthouse Features

The primary reason for buying a penthouse is to have the features which the other units in the condo don’t have. In Bangkok the penthouses have a variety of features that are either unique, or superior to any of the other units in the condominium building. Here are some of the features which Bangkok penthouses.

  • Best Unblocked Views – As the Bangkok skyline becomes more and more crowded, the chances your condo will have its views blocked by future construction is high. Buying a penthouse reduces the chance that your condo will ever suffer from an obstructed view.
  • Private Swimming Pool – Only the most exclusive penthouses in Bangkok have the prized private pool. Private swimming pools in penthouses range from small dip pools to large lap pools.
  • Private Jacuzzi – Most penthouses in Bangkok have private jacuzzi tubs in the inside while some penthouses have a rooftop or terrace jacuzzi which takes advantages of the beautiful views.
  • Private Lifts – Bangkok penthouses either have private lifts from the parking lot to the entrance of the condo, or private lifts within the unit itself.
  • Large Terrace/balcony – Most people that buy a penthouse want ample outdoor space. Many of Bangkok’s penthouses have terraces and balconies which are far larger than other units in the building.
  • Private Rooftops – Even better than a large terrace, private rooftops are a feature you will only find in a penthouse. Some private rooftops of Bangkok penthouses have swimming pools and even helipads.

Purchasing a Penthouse in Bangkok

With the exception of perhaps a yacht or airplane a penthouse is quite possibly going to be the most extravagant purchase most people will make in their lifetime. Analogous to buying a luxury super car such as Buggatti, Lamborghini Ferrari, buying a penthouse is a luxury item and is likely not going to be the best long-term investment. This is not to say that buyers of Bangkok Thailand penthouses can expect to lose money on their purchase in the long run, but the Return Of Investment (ROI) is not going to be as high as other pieces of real estate.

Obviously before purchasing a penthouse you will need to conduct a thorough search. The first decision penthouse buyers usually make is whether to look at re-sale units or purchase new projects direct from the developer. Both types of properties (re-sale vs. new) have their advantages and drawbacks.

Advantages of Buying a Pre-sale Penthouse

  • Pre-sale penthouses are most often less expensive, the earlier in development you buy.
  • Your property is going to be brand new with no problems left over by previous owners/tenants.
  • Developers will not take the property off the market under the vast majority of circumstances.

Disadvantages of Buying Pre-Sale Penthouses

  • With a new project there are more uncertainties, you will not have as good an idea of the true property value and future condition when looking to purchase a pre-sale.
  • Buying a pre-sale penthouse in early development you will be at the mercy of any unforeseen problems in the future with the condominium project.

Advantages of Buying a Re-Sale Penthouse

  • With a re-sale penthouse you will have a much better idea how the condominium building will stand the test of time.
  • Prices are most often more negotiable with condo owners as opposed to buying direct from developers.

Disadvantages of Buying Re-Sale Penthouses

  • Unnoticed problems left over from the previous owner/tenant could come up if you don’t catch them before you purchase.
  • There is a much higher chance the seller will take the property off the market as soon as you make an offer.

Penthouses for Sale in Bangkok

Renting a Bangkok Penthouse

Due to the nature of owning a penthouse, and the status of most of the owners, if they are not lived in by the owner Bangkok penthouses often remain vacant rather than being available on the rental market. Finding a penthouse for rent in Bangkok is quite more challenging than finding one for sale. Like penthouses for sale, penthouses for rent tend to have inflated prices which are often negotiable. Most often the penthouses available for rent, will be on lower tiers as far as quality goes.

If you are in the market to rent, buy or sell a Bangkok penthouse please contact us using the forms below.