News & Promotion

Chiang Mai Housing Market 2026: What Higher Inventory Means for Custom-Home Buyers

REIC data for the first half of 2025 covered Chiang Mai, Lamphun, Chiang Rai, Phitsanulok and Nakhon Sawan. Projects under sale contained 19,268 units worth THB 84.187 billion. Units increased 14.7% year on year, while new launches fell 34.8% to 931 units and remaining supply rose 16.9% to 17,407 units. These figures describe project housing across five provinces; they do not measure every private house built on an individual plot.

More choice requires a clearer custom-home brief

Higher inventory gives buyers more completed homes to compare. For a family that already owns land, the signal is not automatically to postpone construction. It is to clarify why a custom house is preferable to available stock. The reasons may include multigenerational living, accessible circulation, remote work, indoor-air planning or a layout shaped around a specific plot.

Completed inventory and budget comparison

REIC reported 5,521 completed unsold units, concentrated below THB 7.5 million. The THB 2.01–3.00 million band contained 2,088 units and the THB 3.01–5.00 million band contained 1,911. These are project-market price bands, not quotations for a one-off custom home.

A useful comparison includes site conditions, professional fees, preparation, utilities, specifications, external works, contingencies and the value of a household-specific plan—not only price per square metre.

Three decisions before design

Separate needs from style

List household routines, rooms, future accessibility and site constraints before choosing an architectural style.

Build a complete budget frame

Identify included, excluded and provisional work. Loan approval remains a decision of the financial institution.

Test the plot

Confirm access, boundaries, levels, drainage, utilities and local requirements with the relevant authority and qualified professionals.

Frequently asked questions

Should owners postpone construction?

Not solely because regional inventory rose. Compare needs, available homes, site facts and financing capacity.

Will higher inventory reduce construction cost?

Not necessarily. Materials, labour, transport, specifications and site conditions still matter.

Can Greenery assess loan approval?

No. We help organise the brief and preliminary scope; the lender decides.

Next step

Review our service, selected projects, or contact us for a free initial architect consultation. It excludes free drawings or house design.

Sources

REIC, Northern Housing Market, First Half 2025, published 30 December 2025; REIC Research. Accessed 22 August 2026.