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Posted on 6 Sep 2026
30
Written by Yolsiri Srisakul (Noon)
Deputy Managing Director, Exclusive Asset Co., Ltd.
If you are thinking, “I want to buy a home before the end of 2026, but I have not started preparing for a mortgage yet. Is there still enough time?” the answer is yes — but you should start preparing now.
Buying a home is not simply about finding the property you like and then applying for a mortgage afterward. Especially for higher-value properties, preparing your income documents, debt profile, credit history, financial statements, and cash reserves in advance can help you understand how much you can realistically borrow and what price range you should be looking at.
If your goal is to purchase and transfer ownership of a property before the end of 2026, here are the key steps you should start taking today.
One of the most common mistakes homebuyers make is choosing a property first and checking their borrowing capacity later.
The problem is that you may fall in love with a property, only to find out later that the bank will not approve enough financing to complete the purchase.
Before you begin searching for a home, review the following:
For example, if you are looking at a THB 15 million home but your preliminary borrowing capacity appears to be around THB 11–12 million, you can start planning whether to increase your cash contribution, add a co-borrower, or adjust your target price range.
Knowing your budget before choosing a home can make the entire buying process much more efficient.
When a bank evaluates a home loan application, it does not look only at how much income you earn. Your existing debt obligations are also an important part of the assessment.
Examples include:
The higher your existing monthly debt commitments, the less room you may have to take on an additional mortgage payment.
If you are planning to purchase a home within this year, it is generally advisable to avoid taking on unnecessary new debt before applying. For example, financing a new car shortly before applying for a home loan could directly affect your borrowing capacity.
Some buyers have strong incomes but still face difficulties obtaining mortgage approval because of their previous repayment history.
Important items to review include:
The earlier you identify a potential issue, the more time you have to improve your financial profile or prepare supporting documents before submitting an actual mortgage application.
In the months leading up to a mortgage application, try to keep your financial profile as stable, consistent, and easy to verify as possible.
If possible, avoid:
If your goal is to purchase a home before the end of 2026, the period around 90 days before applying is especially important.
For salaried employees, proving income is often relatively straightforward because salary payments are deposited regularly into a bank account.
However, business owners, entrepreneurs, freelancers, commission-based professionals, and buyers with multiple income sources may need to prepare more detailed financial documentation.
Documents may include:
The key is consistency. Your income information across different documents should support the same overall financial picture.
This becomes particularly important for buyers purchasing homes priced at THB 10 million and above, where financial documentation may be reviewed in greater detail.
Another common misconception is that if a bank provides a high loan amount, very little cash will be required.
In reality, buying a home may involve several additional expenses, such as:
This is particularly important when purchasing a resale or second-hand home, because the bank will also consider the appraised value of the property.
For example, if you agree to buy a home for THB 20 million but the bank appraises the property at THB 18 million, the lender may not calculate financing based solely on the THB 20 million purchase price.
Buyers should therefore keep sufficient cash available in case there is a difference between the agreed purchase price and the bank's appraisal.
Even when Loan-to-Value or LTV regulations allow financing up to 100% under certain conditions, buyers should understand that this does not mean every applicant will automatically receive a loan equal to 100% of the property price.
Banks still consider factors such as:
Therefore, buyers should avoid planning a purchase based on the assumption that the entire property price will always be financed.
Once you have a clearer idea of your expected borrowing capacity and how much cash you are comfortable contributing, your home search can become much more focused.
You can then evaluate properties based on:
In the resale market, the asking price is not necessarily the final transaction price.
Some sellers may list a home at THB 18 million but still have room for negotiation, while another property listed at THB 15 million may already be priced appropriately for the market.
Working with an agent who understands the local market can help buyers identify which properties are overpriced, which are reasonably priced, and which may represent a particularly attractive buying opportunity.
Once you find a home you want to buy, especially if you will rely on mortgage financing, carefully review the purchase terms before committing a significant amount of money.
Important terms to clarify include:
For homes priced between THB 10–30 million, reservation and contract deposits can represent significant amounts of money. It is therefore important to understand the conditions clearly before signing.
If the process goes according to plan, it may still be possible to complete the purchase and ownership transfer before year-end.
However, buyers should avoid waiting until December to begin. Any delay involving documentation, credit history, appraisal value, or mortgage approval could leave insufficient time to solve the issue.
If you cannot answer several of these questions yet, now is the right time to start preparing.
A better question is: “What property price range fits my actual buying power?”
Once you understand your buying capacity, the entire property search becomes easier. You can focus on homes within the right budget, negotiate with greater confidence, plan your mortgage from the beginning, and reduce the risk of falling in love with a home that you ultimately cannot purchase.
If you are looking for a branded residence, luxury detached home, or resale luxury property in Bangkok and the surrounding metropolitan area, the Exclusive Asset team can assist throughout the buying process.
Our services include property selection, market price analysis, arranging private viewings, purchase price negotiation, and coordination throughout the transaction process.
Exclusive Asset
Professional specialists in branded homes and luxury residences.
Written by
Yolsiri Srisakul (Noon)
Deputy Managing Director
Exclusive Asset Co., Ltd.
Disclaimer: Mortgage approval and loan amounts are subject to the lending criteria of each financial institution, the borrower's financial qualifications, credit assessment, and property appraisal. Buyers should confirm the latest conditions directly with their chosen bank before making a purchase decision.
