Understanding Phnom Penh property types

 SOFT TITLE Soft Titles, also referred to as ‘Possessory Titles’, are registered at the level of local government. ‘Soft Titles’ are registered at the local Sangkat (council) or district level only and will not have been registered at the National Government level. The land is technically considered to be held only under ‘possession’ as opposed to ‘ownership status’. Soft titles are the most common title in existence in Cambodia and there are a number of reasons for this. Firstly, there is not an administration capable of registering every piece of land under ‘Hard Title’ (at the national level). Indochina travel Cambodia
 Secondly, to register land at the national level, the prospective owner is required to possess documentation, and many landowners do not have sufficient documentation to meet the requirement for hard title land registration. Thirdly, administration at the national level takes time, a delay which slows proceedings; fourthly, registering land at the national level incurs a variety of costs above registering land at the local level and; lastly, land registered at the national level becomes subject to a 4 per cent land transaction cost, which many landlords wish to avoid when transferring their land to a new owner. For all these reasons, soft titles have their place in Cambodia, especially outside Phnom Penh, where there are fewer international investors, who demand hard titles registered with the highest authority.
 Traditional Khmer houses As Phnom Penh grows, traditional wooden Khmer houses are harder and harder to find in the city. Cambodian wooden houses are made of wood and on stilts (this isn’t the first year Phnom Penh has flooded, after all); traditionally the breezy area under the house was used for hanging hammocks, lounging, and keeping livestock safe. Today, almost all available wooden houses in Phnom Penh have been renovated, and the downstairs will have been turned into a ground floor made from concrete, and many have been turned into restaurants. While the idea of a wooden house is charming, they can be hot and prone to mosquitoes — many expats find themselves spending most of their time in the concrete part of the house because it’s easier to keep cool with air-conditioning. Cambodia travel packages

Cambodian shophouse The interior of a Cambodian-style shophouse. Simple but functional. Khmer-style shophouse The Khmer-style shophouse is one of the most common Phnom Penh property types. Khmer-style shophouses are usually three or four floors high, and are rented either as individual apartments or the entire house. They are long and narrow, and have windows only in the front and back, so the bedrooms may only have internal windows. Kitchens are basic, with a gas burner stovetop and very little, if any, kitchen storage. Bathrooms are similarly basic, with no separate shower and often no windows. Some will have air-conditioning, but often only in the master bedroom.
Khmer-style shophouses are affordable and abundant. Renovated shophouse This type of apartment has been renovated to offer Western touches to the standard Khmer-style shophouse. Like the Khmer-style shophouse, they are long and narrow – 13 feet by 52 feet, with updated floors, lighting, and modern kitchens. They will always have air-conditioning and are usually quite affordable. Many will come with a washing machine and a fresh coat of paint, as well as Western-style furniture (no wooden couches). Modern apartment New build Western-style apartments are diverse, covering a wide range of sizes and styles, with features not usually found in shophouses like built-in cooktops, kitchen cabinets, and bathtubs. Most are larger and feel more spacious than shophouses, and are of a significantly higher standard. Phnom Penh currently has a glut of high-rise condos, and many of the modern apartments are found in this type of building. If you’re considering one of these apartments, be sure to check for fire exits, as it’s reported that many of the new condos are not up to international regulation. They are significantly less expensive than luxury apartments, and offer good value for money if you’re looking for something nicer than a shophouse.
Villas In Phnom Penh, freestanding houses that are not shophouses are always referred to as villas, and usually have at least a small garden. Villas are found in various neighborhoods in Phnom Penh and are just as often used to house businesses and NGOs as expats. In the more central parts of Phnom Penh, well-maintained villas will be snapped up quickly but it’s usually quite easy to find one in Toul Kork and Chroy Changva. Villas are mostly new build, but the occasional restored colonial villa is available. They come both furnished and unfurnished, and are usually significantly more expensive than shophouses.