Buying a house in Taiwan FAQ 在台灣買房屋常見問題

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Buying a house in Taiwan can be confusing and stressful. It is one of the most important decisions you will make in your life. To even consider buying a house in Taiwan, you have probably lived here for years, so many of the things I will mention in this blog may not be new to you.

​I have spent quite a few years looking for houses and saving money for a down payment, as well as figuring out all the costs and other factors involved in purchasing the right house. Also, I recently just bought a house in Taipei in 2021. I have created this guide and FAQ to help people understand the buying process, finding the right house, and saving the right amount of money needed to make a move.

For our blog covering our actual experience buying a house, see this blog here.
For our blog covering our actual experience renovating a house, see this blog here. 

The following is my personal insight as an American looking for houses mainly near Taipei City. 

Tips when looking for a house to buy:

Legal Issues:
Make sure your country has a reciprocal real estate purchasing agreement with Taiwan. Otherwise, you cannot purchase real estate in Taiwan. Please also note that certain states in the USA do not have such agreements in Taiwan, so you also have to prove your state of residence if you are a US citizen. 

Finances:
Find a good bank (找一個好的銀行): Trying to convince an overseas bank to give you a loan for a house in Taiwan is near impossible, so you will probably have to turn to a local bank. If you already work in Taiwan, which you probably do, you can first turn to the bank that remits your salary every month, because they will have your financial records already. Taiwan does not really have a credit system, they just rely on your salary amount, current debts, and tax returns. The high down payment rates reduces risk for the banks. Every banks interest rates and policies for foreigners are different, so you might want to compare banks if you think you are getting a bad deal on a loan. You can see a comparison of loan rates on 591.com. Also, be sure to have the bank run an appraisal of the house you want to buy before you buy it, as well as a plumber or electrocution, this can also serve as a bargaining chip for price negotiations. 
Learn about loans (貸款):

• Foreigners can take out loans as long as your country has a reciprocal agreement with Taiwan, and if you can prove salary. The loan rates are basically the same as locals if you are a Taiwan resident.
• For houses over 35 years, these usually require a down payment higher than 20%
• For houses below 35 years, these usually require around a 20% down payment or lower
• Interest rates for buying your first residential house currently are about 1.3%-1.5%. For your second house onwards, the interest rate is about 1.4-1.8%. 
• Know the compound interest rate payment on a 30 year loan, you can do a sample loan calculation on 591.com here: https://mortgage.591.com.tw/calculator
• Sometimes banks will let you take out an additional credit loan if you do not have enough money for the down payment or for renovations, but the interest rates for these loans are a little higher (1.8% - 2%).
• Sometimes construction companies for new houses will offer a small loan with no interest to be paid back in a short amount of time. 

Certain house types cannot use loans (無法貸款的房屋):
There are certain house types that you cannot take a loan on, which is why they are usually cheaper. Unless you have tons of cash, you won't be able to buy one, so don't bother.

• Top floor illegal structures (頂樓加蓋)
• Certain rights are missing, such as there are usage rights but no ownership rights (有使用權，沒有土地權) and vice versa. This is a complicated part of real estate in Taiwan, just avoid these kinds of houses.
• Industrial residences (工業住宅): These are houses built in an industrial zone. You may be able to take out a loan but the down payment may be a lot higher. However this is not the rule, some banks don't care about this. 

Be aware of taxes (稅):

• Deed tax (契稅): 6% of the building value, assessed by the local authorities (lower than actual price), paid by the buyer at the time the contract is signed. This should only cost a few thousand NT.
• Stamp tax (印花稅): 0.1% of the contract value, paid half and half between the buyer and seller at the time the contract is signed.
• House tax (房屋稅): Annual house tax (房屋稅) which is only 1.2% if the house is your own residence, based on annual assessment. If you have a really old house, this may be waved. At the end of the day this will only cost a few thousand NT. You can do a sample calculation here: https://www.services.tpctax.gov.taipei/ihCalwithfunctions/
• Land value increment tax (土地增值稅): This is irrelevant for buying a house. But when you sell the house there is a land value increment tax (土地增值稅) which is only 10% if the house is registered as residence for your own use, based on annual assessment. You can do a sample calculation here: www.etax.nat.gov.tw/etwmain/front/ETW158W9
• Inheritance tax (遺傳稅): Again this is irrelevant to buying a house. But if a house is inherited, the tax rate ranges from 10-20%.
• Tax deductions are available for mortgage interest payments in your personal income tax return, under itemized deductions. When selling a house, you may also deduct depreciation and maintenance costs which for which there was a GUI invoice issued and 5% VAT paid. If you own a house for six years or more then there is an automatic deduction for maintenance costs of 4 million NT, no need to prove this using invoices. 
• Selling a house: income earned from selling a house is subject to capital gains tax which is much lower if you are a tax resident in Taiwan and have owned the house for 6 years or longer and registered as your own house for personal use with the tax office.

Other Fees 其他費用:

• Real estate agent fee (中介費): 1-2% from the buyer and 3-8% from the seller. Finding a good real estate agent can save you time, money, and hassle. 
• Change of ownership fees (過戶費/代書費用): 20,000-50,000 NT
• Remodeling costs (裝潢費): 300,000 - 2,000,000 NT depending on the state of the house.
• Parking space, rented or bought with the price of the house (停車費): In Taipei spaces are for sure over 1 million NT, or can be rented for 3000-5000 NT per month. This would be much cheaper down south.

Estimated fees and taxes for buying a 25 year old 9,000,000 NT house (conservative calculation for reference):

• Down payment: 30% (2,700,000 NT), which is paid for once off by the buyer and taken care of by the seller, and includes but is not limited to the following costs and process that take 30-45 days to complete:
  • Earnest money (定金) (5-15%, 450,000-135,000 NT), part of total fees
  • Deed tax (契稅) (6% of the assessed value of the building)
  • Contract payment (簽約) (around 10% depending on earnest money, 900,000), part of total fees
  • Stamp tax (印花稅): (0.1% 9,000 NT)
  • Notarization fees (公證費): (0.1% 9,000 NT)
  • The above costs are covered in the down payment fee and any residual amount of the 30% down payment is paid up front to the seller. 
• Loan amount 70% (6,300,000)
• Additional legal Fees for change of ownership and registration (代書費): Around 20,000-40,000 NT
• Additional real estate agent fee (中介費): 2% (180,000 NT)
• Renovation, moving, and furniture: around 300,000-1,000,000 NT
• Optional parking space in Taipei: 1,500,000 NT

Total cost: 9,428,000 - 11,648,000 NT
Total cash needed up front: 3,200,000-3,920,000 NT
Just so you know, in addition to the down payment, you need about at least 400,000 NT for other expenses related to buying the house before you can move in comfortably. This will be less if it is a new house.

Estimated fees and taxes for buying a new 9,000,000 NT house (conservative calculation):

• Down payment: 20% (1,800,000 NT), which is paid for once off by the buyer and taken care of by the seller, and includes but is not limited to the following costs and process that take 30-45 days to complete:
  • Earnest money (定金) (5-15%, 450,000-135,000 NT), part of total fees and taxes
  • Deed tax (契稅) (6% of the assessed value of the building)
  • Contract payment (簽約) (around 10% depending on earnest money, 900,000), part of total fees.
  • Stamp tax (印花稅): (0.1% 9,000 NT)
  • Notarization fees (公證費): (0.1% 9,000 NT)
  • The above costs are covered in the down payment fee and any residual amount of the 20% down payment is paid up front to the seller. 
• Loan amount 80% (7,200,000)
• Additional legal Fees for change of ownership and registration (代書費): Around 20,000-40,000 NT
• Renovation, moving, and furniture: around 100,000-500,000 NT
• Optional parking space in Taipei: 1,500,000 NT

Total cost: 9,120,000 - 11,040,000 NT
Total cash needed up front: 2,120,000-2,540,000 NT
Just so you know, in addition to the down payment, you need about at least 400,000 NT for other expenses related to buying the house before you can move in comfortably. This will be less if it is a new house.
As you can see, a new house with the same list price is going to cost you less cash up front than an older house. 
Estimated interest payment for buying a 25 year old 9,000,000 NT house with 30% down payment (1.19% interest rate):

• 30 year loan: 1,119,000 NT in total interest (roughly 20,818 NT per month)
• 20 year loan: 780,000 NT in total interest (roughly 29,510 NT per month)
• 15 year loan: 580,000 NT in total interest (roughly 38,234 NT per month)

Social Aspects:

• Take a friend (帶一個朋友), preferably a family member or spouse, or someone that can speak Chinese. Getting a second opinion is never a bad idea in these situations.
• Find a good realtor (找到一個好的中介): Finding a realtor can be important to buying a house, because most sellers only sell through a certain realtor. The realtor can help you find the right house for you, and negotiate a fair price with the seller. Find someone that understands what you want and actively tries to help you find a suitable house. Some more expensive realtors offer insurance for older houses for free as part of their fees.
• Be wary of your future neighbors (鄰居): this is also one of the major reasons people end up moving, but it will be really hard to move once you have purchased a house, so do some research on what kind of neighbors you have. Some neighbors are really bad. Look out for neighbors that collect garbage/recycling items, are loud, unfriendly, or look dirty or shady in general. Ask around to see what kind of people live on your floor or in your building (or take a Chinese speaking friend to ask for you). If you live with many people on the same level separated by thin walls, this means you will hear lots of noise from them. Some of your neighbors may have weird habits like watching TV in the communal living room with no clothes on. Get as much info on the future neighbors as possible. Also in Taiwan, don't expect your neighbors to give you a welcome with a plate of cookies. Neighbors usually talk to each other very little if at all. If someone lives below, make some noise like stomping your foot while you are there and see if the neighbors come up and complain. Seriously. 
• Living with children (小孩): If you plan to live with small children, or plan to have children in the near future, it would be good to find a place close to schools and parks (good schools and fun parks). Most public schools in Taiwan do not offer transportation, so in order for your kid to get to and from school they will have to walk or take public transport. If these aren't available, you will have to drop off and pick up your kid every day! You can find many high rises within walking distance to elementary schools and decent parks. Also being close to convenient public transportation would be good if your older kids plan to go to school on their own.

Utilities:

• Beware of natural gas cans (桶裝瓦斯) these suck. They will run out of gas on you in the middle of winter, so you have to take cold showers whenever they run out. In my experience two people can go through a can a month. They are also more expensive because old men on motorcycles have to deliver them by hand to your house.
• Go with piped propane/natural gas (天然瓦斯); this will save you money and headaches. Some old apartments in Taiwan do not have access to natural gas pipelines. Setting up a gas pipeline could cost up to 2 million NT. If there is already a pipeline in place, setting it up in your house will only be about 20,000-60,000 NT. Another option is to install an electric water heater, but this will be more expensive than using gas.
• Beware of bad electric wiring (電路可能需要換). Houses above 20 years old may need to redo the electric wiring in the house. If not, it could be a major fire hazard and headache in the future. This could be 300,000-500,000 NT for a three bedroom apartment.
• Internet/TV: Internet and TV bundles are often sold for about 1000 NT per month. You may not want to watch Taiwanese TV, or maybe you want it for the overseas sports channels. If you don't want TV and want a cheap solution, use your phone's internet or a SIM card with unlimited internet (about 400 NT per month) and connect it to a WiFi dongle. However if you need super fast internet you will likely need to pay for cable internet. In rural areas, fast internet may be harder to come by and may not even be available.
• Beware of management fees (管理費); some nicer apartment buildings will have a guard at the entrance of the building, which each apartment has to pay a monthly fee for. Some of these monthly fees can be pretty expensive, so you should take this into consideration. The nice thing about having a guard though is that besides security, they can also accept packages when you are not at home and you can leave your garbage in a communal area.

Safety:

• Beware of fire hazards (火災隱患). Illegal roof structures, small rooms separated by only wooden boards, and old electrical systems are all signs of fire hazards. You don't want to risk your life or risk all your possessions getting burned. Avoid fire hazards.
• Beware of carbon monoxide poisoning hazards (一氧化碳). Carbon monoxide poisoning is a widespread problem in Taiwan due to the common use of natural gas water heaters. Make sure your water heater is placed in an open area preferably outside. If not, it should have an exhaust pipe that connects outside. Also make sure there are working carbon monoxide monitors in the apartment. Carbon monoxide kills many innocent people in Taiwan every year. Avoid any apartment that is not carbon monoxide safe.
• Beware of earthquakes (地震); Taiwan sits on the ring of fire and earthquakes are common. Buildings built before 1999 (before the 921 earthquake that killed thousands) may not be earthquake safe. Some apartments may have slanted floors or cracks due to earthquake damage!
• Beware of landslides (土石流): Many houses in Taiwan are built on hills, that may or may not be safe. Earthquakes and heavy rains could cause a landslide, which has been the cause of many deaths in Taiwan. Check this map to see which areas are marked as unsafe or where landslides have occurred in the past: https://246.swcb.gov.tw/Map/Index 
• Beware of Typhoons (颱風): If you live in Taiwan for a few years, you are sure to experience a Typhoon. Typhoon effects are worst on the east coast, but rarely affect buildings because most are made of concrete. You will have ample warning before a typhoon comes. What you will need to worry about is that your balconies are secured, your windows are secured, and your car/scooter is in a safe spot. If you live on the ground floor, your house may be prone to flooding during a typhoon. Also always keep extra food and water in your house in case the electricity goes out. If the electricity goes out, you may also lose access to running water, so make sure you fill up a bathtub full of water so you can at least shower while you are waiting for the power to come back. 
• Beware of flooding (淹水): Taiwan has multiple Typhoons, and they main damage they cause is due to flooding. Usually in low lying areas the first floor is prone to flooding. Your car or scooter may also get flooded if left in an underground garage or on street level. You may consider getting some extra insurance for this.
• Beware of air quality (空污): many places in Taiwan have poor air quality, such as industrial parts of Kaohsiung and Taichung. Large cities will see poor air quality especially in winter months. Rural areas, mountainous areas, and the east coast will have better air quality. You can reduce most of the PM 2.5 coming in your house if you live above the second floor. Or you can consider buying an air purifier.
• Beware of sea sand houses (海砂屋): Why is sea sand a bad thing? Because unprocessed seas sand contain Chloride, which will wear away walls faster and rust iron beams faster, shortening the life of the house can endangering the lives of the people that live inside. One sign of sea sand is wall cancer (壁癌), which is common in older houses, but if your house is newer, this is a red flag. You can also ask for a test of the walls to make sure that the materials used are up to code. 
• Beware of top floor illegal structures (頂樓加蓋), these are usually cheaper than normal, legal apartments on lower floors. However, they are not safe because they are not built according to code (susceptible to fire hazards and not typhoon/earthquake safe), many of them have tin roofs that are hot in the summer and loud in the rain, and the utilities will be more expensive because they have to share with downstairs (expect double for utilities as compared to a normal apartment). Also, these could be torn down by the city at any moment. Most importantly, you can't take a loan out on these houses.

Comfort:

• Higher floors are usually hotter (高樓層比較熱): Heat rises. In the summer, the top floors of apartment buildings can get really hot and are harder to cool down because of all the heat rising from below. However this may be a good thing in winter when it is colder.
• Water pressure (水壓): Usually apartments higher up in an apartment complex have less water pressure, and apartments lower down have higher water pressure but toilets on lower floors are more likely to have problems. If you realize that your shower water pressure has suddenly dropped, this is likely because there are little rocks stuck in your shower-head from the water tank that need to be cleaned out (by using a needle or knocking it against something). If you live on a higher floor with less pressure, you can buy a water pump to increase pressure. 
• Beware of dirty tap water (自來水): Most of the water in Taiwan should be boiled or filtered before you can drink it. Some people claim that the water in Taipei or Taoyuan is clean enough to drink from the tap, but it may be contaminated from dirty water towers. Water in rural areas is usually very dirty. You can solve this by boiling your drinking water, using water filters, or using mineral water jugs.
• Taiwanese buildings don't have internal heating (沒有暖氣): This is because the winter in Taiwan is short and doesn't normally get below freezing. But it does get cold from December to March in Taiwan, especially in the north. Some new A/C units have a heating function (暖氣), if not you can go out and buy a cheap heater.
• Be aware of where the sun is shining: Concrete walls suck heat and don't let go easily. If your apartment has lots of windows or has windows facing the sun most of the day, your house can get overheated while you are gone and it could take a while to cool down. This means that you will have to pay more electricity for your A/C. On the flip side, this is good in winter time so your house can stay warm, especially since Taiwanese homes have no internal heating.
• Beware of buildings with no elevators (無電梯) because no one wants to walk up six flights of stairs every day. Many old apartment buildings below seven stories do not have elevators (or parking spaces). Shipping large packages can also be more expensive if your building doesn't have an elevator.
• Beware of bugs (蟲), Taiwan is a tropical/subtropical island, so you will likely encounter bugs such as ants, cockroaches, and mosquitoes in your house. If you have dirty neighbors, expect to see cockroaches often. If there are sources of water nearby, you may see many mosquitoes in your house that will keep you up at night. Leave food crumbs on the floor? Don't be surprised to see ants. On the other hand you can solve this problem by exterminating your house every few months. If you see Taiwan geckos, just know they are your friend, they eat bugs.
• Look for convenient transportation (交通): If your apartment is not near an MRT, bus stop, or major road, it can be hard to go places. Most cities in Taiwan have bus stops everywhere. Also major cities have convenience stores on every street corner. Also you probably want to be closer to shopping centers and markets if you plan to cook at home.
• Beware of no parking (無停車位): many old apartment buildings have no parking spaces at all, and scooter parking is limited. If you live in the center of a large city there may not be any free parking on the street if at all. A car parking space in Taipei can be up to 4000 NT per month, or 1,500,000 NT to buy one (but you for sure can find free scooter parking somewhere). You should consider this if you plan to buy a vehicle in the future.
• Noise (雜音): Take a gander at your surroundings. Is the apartment near a busy street, train station, night market, temple, etc? If noise is an issue for you, consider moving to a quieter neighborhood. Temples are known to throw parades and launch fireworks at untold times. Also beware of construction/remodeling nearby.
• Furniture (家具): Don’t expect any furniture for a new house. You will likely need to buy all new furniture for the house, but the good thing is you can furnish it just the way you want.
• Appliances (家電): As with furniture, new apartments in Taiwan don’t come with appliances, except maybe A/C units or kitchen cabinets. If your apartment has no A/C, then you will likely end up needing to buy an A/C unit because Taiwan summers are hot no matter where you are.
• Beware of water leaks (漏水): Some buildings in Taiwan leak when it rains. This can be because it was not built properly or that the house is old and has been cracked by the sun or earthquakes. If you want to find out if a house leaks, an easy way to find out is to visit the house on a rainy day. Even if there is not leaking water visible in the house, if there is leaking water in the stairwell then you know there is a problem.
• Beware of mold (發霉): Taiwan is a hot and humid place which means it is great for mold growth. Many old apartments may have mold on the ceiling or walls. In order to solve this problem, keep the windows open, keep the A/C running, or get a dehumidifier.
• Beware of wall cancer (壁癌), this means that you will see a disfigured concrete wall (that looks like a tumor on the wall) which could mean high humidity, leaking water, or just that the apartment is old.
• Taiwan is humid (台灣很潮濕): High humidity and hot temperatures means that food and other decomposable things will get moldy fast. Even books, clothes, and leather shoes will get moldy if you don't dehumidify your house or keep constant A/C running.
• Be aware of concrete walls (水泥墻): 99% Taiwan apartments are made with concrete walls. This means you will not be able to hang stuff on the wall easily. Also Wifi may not work well between rooms.
• Be aware that no one in Taiwan has carpet (沒有地毯): Basically all Taiwanese apartments have tile or wood floors. Carpet is usually only for wealthy individuals that can keep A/C running all the time. Taiwanese people like tile because it is cool in the summer, but in the winter it might be a good idea to get a rug because it will feel like walking on ice cubes.
• Balconies (陽臺): Balconies are good because it gives you a place to do laundry. You can hang clothes there or put a washer and dryer there. If not, putting a washing machine in your bathroom will mean it will break down faster, and putting a dryer in your house will make your home that much more humid. You can also barbeque there!
• Fengshui (風水): Many apartments are built with Fengshui in mind, which means that the doorway is never directly facing another room or piece of furniture. Because of this, many apartments have huge wooden cabinets in front of the door, among other things. Many Taiwanese people care about Fengshui, but it also depends of the person; some people are more superstitious than others, and some people don’t care. But in general it is an important principle in Taiwan
• Garbage (垃圾): Unless you have a nice security guard or know an elderly person to help out, you will likely have to take out your own garbage. The garbage trucks usually come out at night and have a distinct Beethoven jingle (this can be a problem if you work at night). In Taipei and New Taipei, recyclables, kitchen waste, and normal waste are separate and you must use special plastic bags provided by the city. The rest of Taiwan throws all garbage out together. As mentioned above, things rot fast in Taiwan, so kitchen waste can get stinky and attract flies and bug fast. If you do not want to empty the garbage daily, you can consider storing kitchen waste in your freezer where it won't stink or rot.

Other tips:

• Learn Chinese (學中文): If you have lived in Taiwan long enough that you have saved for a house that you plan to live in until you die, you should know some Chinese. Knowing the language is invaluable when buying or selling a house, in order to understand what is going on and to negotiate, and for looking for houses online. But you can rely on trusted a friend that knows Chinese.
• Taiwan uses Ping, not square meters (坪), a ping is equivalent to 3.3 square meters or 35.5 square feet, or 182cm by 182cm. Note that some houses include the hallway, balcony, and other communal areas in this calculation, so you should still visit in person to see how big or small it actually is.
• Measure the area yourself (自己量坪數): Many homeowners, realtors, and construction companies fudge the numbers when it comes to the actual amount of Ping. Some use strange calculations include the hallway, balcony, and other communal areas in this calculation, so you should still visit in person to see how big or small it actually is. Because this is a huge purchase that you will spend a fair amount of your lifetime paying off, take the time to actually measure the number of ping yourself. For reference, one ping is about the size of a double bed, 182cm by 182cm. If you find the size has been grossly miscalculated, causing you to pay for space that doesn't exist, consider using this to negotiate the price or look for a more honest seller. 
• Most new apartment buildings with elevators include 30% communal areas into the total space (新電梯大樓公設比例大概30%): This means if you are buying a 25 ping house, 8 of that ping is your elevator, gym, etc. and the actual indoor ping of your house would only be 17 ping. This is common practice for new apartment buildings in Taiwan. 
• Down payment is the most difficult barrier (存頭起款最難): Down payments in Taiwan range from about 15%-30%, and this is the most difficult part of buying a house. You also need additional cash for other fees. Overall, you need a lot of cash to buy a house in Taiwan. The average salary in Taiwan is 50,000 NT per month, which means to save for the down payment for a 10 million NT three bedroom apartment in Taipei, one must save at least 3.3 years, or 40 months salary (2,000,000 NT) without spending any money. This is a huge barrier especially for young people, who are expected to buy a house when they get married, which also contributes to people marrying later and less children being born in Taiwan.
• You can take a loan for the down payment too (頭起款可以用信貸): If you don't have enough for a down payment, you can take a loan for that too at about the same interest rate (a little higher), but you will have to pay for two loans at once.
• Stay within your budget (設定預算): the perfect apartment for your needs may be way more than you can afford. A good rule of thumb that I've heard is to not let monthly mortgage payments take more than 1/4th of your income. In the end you will probably end up picking a less than perfect apartment. You need to weigh the pros and cons of a few apartments and pick the best looking apartment for your budget. If you don't have enough for your dream house, keep saving or lower your standards.
• Be aware your mortgage interest is tax deductible (繳利息可以抵稅) Mortgage interest is tax deductible up to 300,000 NT per year if you use itemized deductions. 
• Fourth floors (四樓): The fourth floors in Taiwan are often avoided because the word for four sounds like the word for death. For this reason some apartments don't have a fourth floor (skip from 3 to five). However, despite this many Taiwanese people still live on the fourth floor.
• Top floors (頂樓): Top floors can leak rain water easily. You may have to pay extra money for waterproofing your roof or building another metal roof. Earthquakes and UV rays from the sun will damage your roof overtime, meaning you may have to do constant maintenance every few years. 
• Renovation/Repairs (水電工): For older apartments, you will likely need to do some renovation. Things that often break or need renovated are kitchens, electrical systems, tile floors, and bathrooms, windows, doors, and furniture, and appliances in general. Labor in Taiwan is pretty cheap, but added with the cost of materials costs can add up, and you may need to spend over 1 million NT on renovations. You can avoid this if you buy a newer house.
• Find a good repairman/interior designer (工程師/設計師): A good repairman or designer will tell you what is wrong with the house right away and give you a fee quote for needed repairs. Designers will be more expensive specially if you want to change the interior space. Ask multiple people and find the one that you can communicate with best and that shares your vision for your new house. 
• Beware of fake posts online (虛假房源): fake housing posts are everywhere. If the post doesn't have photos of the inside, or looks too good to be true, you there may be a problem. Also, if someone died or was killed in a house, this will affect the price and the landlord is required by law to tell you beforehand. But they might try to hide this information.
• Pay attention to future government infrastructure projects (基礎設計): You can check the news and government agencies to see what government projects are in the works, such as MRT, HSR, highway, etc. which may help to raise the value of your property in the future. 
• Beware of buying a farmhouse or agricultural land (農地及農舍): Technically foreigners cannot buy agricultural land in Taiwan, but if you have an Taiwanese spouse you can get away with this. But if you buy agricultural land with no building, you might have grow crops and make a certain amount of profit as determined by the local agricultural association (農會) for a number of years before you can build a building. If you aren't a farmer, forget about this. A better choice would be to buy land that already has a registered building on it and do a renovation. 
• Beware of protected land (保護地): Protected land is similar to agricultural land because foreigners cannot buy this type of land and you cannot build a building on it right away. In fact never. You cannot build a new building on protected land, you can only do farm work, so it is basically worthless if you want to build a house there. A better choice would be to buy land that already has a registered building on it and do a renovation.
• Beware of pre-sold houses (預售屋): Most large construction companies don't need to resort to pre-sold houses. Pre-sold houses are a marketing strategy used by smaller construction companies with less money. The ruse is that you can buy a house for cheaper before it is built. But you can't see the house if it isn't built, and you don't know if the house will actually be built in the end. However usually the construction company will only collect earnest money before the house is built, and you will only pay for the rest after it is built. There is a lot of risk involved in buying this kind of house. It is less risky to just wait until the construction is complete.
• Beware of auctioned houses (法拍屋): Auctioned houses are usually auctioned because someone could not pay off their home mortgage. These are usually cheaper, but you will have to pay more in cash up front, the former homeowner or renter may still live in the house (you will likely have to pay them to leave), and you cannot see the house in person before you buy it. Also, for the first month the interest rate is around 5%. After that the interest rates on loans for these are the same as if you are buying a second house (1.4-1.5%).
• Always always always always see the place in person!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):

Q: Can foreigners invest in real estate in Taiwan?
A: Yes, as long as there is reciprocal laws in your country, meaning that Taiwanese can also purchase real estate in your home country. Most foreigners in Taiwan can purchase residential real estate, but some types of land such as agricultural land is not allowed.

Q: What is the average down payment ratio in Taiwan?
A: 30% for older houses, 20% for newer houses. However, 15% or lower is possible, and if it is in a super rural area the bank may ask for 40-50% up front. 

Q: What is the average interest rate for mortgages in Taiwan?
A: 1.3-1.5%.

Q: Should I invest in Taiwan's real estate market as a way to make money?
A: No, get lost. Taiwan's real estate market is already ruined for young people just by the rich Taiwanese that already live here. Many average young Taiwanese people will never be able to afford a house, so don't make the housing market worse by putting investments in your portfolio, unless you actually want to live here.

Q: What are the best websites to find apartments to buy in Taiwan?
Chinese:
591.com
House Fun (好房網)
(pretty much every rental listing in Taiwan is in one of two websites above, but may not be up to date)
Xinyi Real Estate (信義房屋)
Yungching Real Estate (永慶房屋)
HB Housing (住商不動產)
Taiwan Housing Group (台灣房屋)
Chinatrust Real Estate (中信房屋)
English:
Century 21 Global
Tip: If you are looking for apartments in English outside Taipei, consider asking a Taiwanese friend or rental agent for help.
Tip: Listings in Chinese will usually be cheaper than listings in English.

Q: What are the best relocation companies?
Santa Fe
People First

Q: Are Taiwan houses earthquake proof?
A: Most houses built after the 921 earthquake in 1999 have better building codes and should withstand an earthquake.

Q: How much is a three bedroom apartment in Taiwan (25 ping, 83 square meters, 890 square feet)?
Taipei: 10,000,000-30,000,000 NT
Hsinchu: 5,000,000-15,000,000 NT
Taichung: 5,000,000-20,000,000 NT
Kaohsiung: 5,000,000-15,000,000 NT

Q: How much does a water bill cost in Taiwan?
A: For two people a water bill would be about 500-1000 NT for two months.

Q: How much does a gas bill cost in Taiwan?
Canned gas: About 700 NT per tank (changed about once per month)
Piped gas: For two people who cook, 500-1200 NT for two months.

Q: How much does an electricity bill cost in Taiwan?
A: For two people, 1000 NT in the winter and about 2500 NT in the summer for every two months. Rates get higher if you use more energy.

Q: How much are total utilities per month?
A: For two people anywhere from 1000 NT to 4000 NT total per month depending on how much gas/water/electricity you use.

Q: How much is internet/Wifi in Taiwan?
A: Average internet bills are around 600 NT per month. If you want a cheap solution, use a SIM card with unlimited internet (about 400 NT per month) and connect it to a WiFi dongle.

Q: How much are management fees in Taiwan (管理費)?
A: Management fees can range from 500 NT for a cheap place to 3000 NT per month for a super fancy apartment complexes. The fee is a fixed amount based on the size of the apartment, usually 50-100 NT per ping per month. Older apartments or houses that do not have security guards do not need to pay this. 

Q: Can you invest in Taiwan real estate and sell quickly?
A: Yes but you will incur super high capital gains taxes up to 40%. If you keep a house for six years or more and sell, capital gains tax can be as low as 10%.

Q: What should I look out for when looking for an apartment?
A: See our tips above.

Q: What are the advantages/disadvantages to buying a house new in Taiwan?
A: There is no real estate agent fees, no need to spend money on renovations, and it will be nicer to live in. Also, you will be able to pay less for the down payment (10%-20%). But new houses are more expensive, and there are usually management fees, and all parking is usually paid.

Q: What are the advantages/disadvantages to buying an older house in Taiwan?
A: The base price is cheaper, and there are more locations to choose from. Also, old apartment buildings may not require any monthly management fees. But you will have to pay extra real estate agent fees and spend money on renovations. Also, you will have to pay more for the down payment (25%-30%).

Q: What kind of furnishings do most apartments in Taiwan have?
Usually there are beds, dresser, small bathroom with toilet and only a wall shower right over the toilet, an A/C unit, and a water heater.
Not all apartments have a kitchen, stove, couches, or a washing machine, but most larger apartments do.
Pretty much no apartments supply internal heating, ovens, microwaves, dryers, or dishwashers. This is because Taiwan winters are short, Taiwanese people don't bake, they are afraid of microwaves, they line dry clothes, and they wash dishes by hand.

Q: What is the average size of an Taiwan apartment?
1 bedroom apartment: 8 ping (26 square meters, 284 square feet)
2 bedroom apartment: 15 ping (50 square meters, 534 square feet)
3 bedroom apartment: 25 ping (83 square meters, 890 square feet)
4 bedroom apartment: 35 ping (116 square meters, 1245 square feet)

Q: What is the best way to clean tile floors in Taiwan?
A: The best way I have found to clean a tile floor is with a good vacuum, one that scrubs on the surface. Also a steam mop.

Q: What is the best way to clean mold in Taiwan?
A: For normal bathroom mold, bleach should do the trick.

Q: Is the water safe in Taiwan?
A: Filter or boil water in Taiwan, or buy bottled water. It is not safe to drink from the tap. Taipei has the cleanest water (meaning it requires the least filtration), while more rural areas are hit and miss.

Q: How am I supposed to cook in Taiwan with no oven/microwave?
A: Most Taiwanese use rice cookers and gas stoves for all cooking. You can buy an inexpensive small oven or microwave if you really need one.

Q: What can I expect from a typical Taiwanese house?
A: Because land is scarce on this small island with 24 million people, most houses in Taiwan are apartment high rises. Houses are made of concrete. There are no yards. Most do not have carpet. Many will have a guard that will help to get your mail and provide security.

​Q: What are typical renovation costs in Taiwan?
A: For older apartments, you will likely need to do some renovation. Things that often break or need renovated are kitchens, electrical systems, tile floors, and bathrooms, windows, doors, and furniture, and appliances in general. Labor in Taiwan is pretty cheap, but added with the cost of materials costs can add up, and you may need to spend over 1 million NT on renovations. For a really bad apartment that basically needs everything redone, it could be as expensive as 50,000 NT per ping or more.  You can avoid this if you buy a newer house.
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Any more questions? Leave them in the comments below!

Be sure to check out our other FAQ guides to living in Taiwan here.

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