He paid for his one-way flight with cash he earned from taking part in a five-week-long medical analysis examine. It was the primary time he had traveled anyplace in Asia.
When that stint was over, he moved to Australia to take up a gross sales job. Though the pay was good, he was dissatisfied with company life. He determined to give up his job to journey and ended up beginning a weblog to doc his adventures.
“I used to be dwelling a enjoyable, cool life, and I simply wished to indicate different individuals from working-class backgrounds that you simply need not come from a wealthy household to reside a cool life,” Ward, now a journey blogger who additionally runs a on-line media firm, instructed Enterprise Insider.
However after touring the world, Ward realized that Chiang Mai nonetheless had his coronary heart.
“When you ever Google issues like ’10 greatest locations to reside,’ ‘Greatest place to be a digital nomad,’ ‘Greatest place to retire,’ Chiang Mai usually options in high 20 of all these items,” Ward mentioned. “It is so good.”
That is why in 2019, he determined to return and construct a everlasting residence.
“I all the time wished a James Bond villa — Miami-style, Ibiza-style. So I form of suppose that is precisely what I did,” Ward mentioned.
Two flooring of luxurious
In late 2020, Ward purchased a 13,000-square-foot plot of land together with his spouse, Jaa, who’s from Thailand, for six million Thai baht, or about $160,000.
The land is positioned in a gated neighborhood about quarter-hour outdoors town heart, he mentioned. Chiang Mai is the most important metropolis in northern Thailand and is surrounded by mountains.
Ward then discovered a neighborhood luxurious developer to assist design his residence. They broke floor in early 2021.
“Your entire course of was very easy,” Ward mentioned. “He is like a one-stop store. He did all the pieces from the architectural drawing to the precise design — he is received a staff of inside designers.”
In Thailand, there are strict standards for taking out property loans as foreigners. Being self-employed made it tough for Ward to get financing, so he paid for your complete venture in money.
Ward mentioned he spent 13 million Thai baht constructing the house and one other 3.5 million Thai baht furnishing it, or about $460,000 in whole.
The 2-story villa has a pool and 7 bedrooms, of which three have been transformed into an workplace, a house cinema, and a man-cave.
Rising up on welfare in Eire, it had all the time been Ward’s dream to personal a big home.
“After I was like 12, I used to look at all these actual property exhibits in Eire,” Ward mentioned. “I assumed, ‘I will construct myself my massive dream home in the future.'”
It might have been tough for him to have all of the issues he wished if he had purchased an present residence in Chiang Mai, Ward mentioned.
“And at last, most vital of all, I could not afford to purchase what I would like,” Ward mentioned. “It is less expensive to construct. The ultimate product that I’ve right here, I could not have afforded to purchase that off the shelf.”
For example, a completely furnished seven-bedroom residence on a equally sized plot in Chiang Mai is being listed for 85 million Thai baht, or about $2.35 million, on the property platform Elite Properties Thailand. Six luxurious properties with 5 or extra bedrooms are additionally listed on James Version, and their asking costs vary from $600,000 to $11 million.
A dream come true
Constructing his personal luxurious residence would not have been doable if he hadn’t began his weblog all these years in the past, Ward mentioned.
“The important thing to happiness and a fulfilled life in 2024 and past is to earn cash on-line, whether or not that is remotely for a corporation or, even higher, if you may make your personal from your personal enterprise on-line,” Ward mentioned. “I do know it is a very lucky place to be in, however anybody can have it.”
Since he paid for his residence out of pocket, he is freed from housing debt, Ward mentioned.
Though there are some exceptions, he says the price of dwelling in Thailand is usually decrease than in Eire.
“I am from Eire, so a pint of Guinness is double the worth right here. And whereas one thing like a 90-inch TV may also be barely costlier in Thailand, the day–to-day prices are only a fraction of again residence,” Ward mentioned.
In response to information on the user-contributed database Numbeo, the price of dwelling in Thailand can be, on common, 50.9% decrease than within the US.
Nevertheless, Ward mentioned he’ll nonetheless have to think about different greater prices sooner or later, particularly if he has youngsters and so they attend worldwide colleges in Thailand.
Ward can be within the midst of constructing a home about half a mile away for his mom.
“She’s received Parkinson’s illness,” Ward mentioned. “Sooner or later, if she must have a nurse or one thing, there’s the affordability of getting a stunning, sort nurse who may reside in the home together with her and likewise for me to have the ability to handle her.”
Ward, now 40, says he is pleased with attaining his homeownership desires in his 30s.
“Individuals need to say like, ‘Oh, it is not what you might have. It is all about your mentality.’ I am a optimistic man; I like my life regardless. And my life, on high of that, received higher in my pretty home,” he added.
Have you ever not too long ago constructed or renovated your dream residence in Asia? When you’ve received a narrative to share, get in contact with me at agoh@businessinsider.com.
