We Bought a House in Thailand - Buying a House as an Expat in Thailand
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 9 พ.ค. 2024
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We Bought a House in Thailand - Buying a House as an Expat in Thailand
So, we did a thing, we bought a house in Hua Hin... Pranburi actually, but really close to Hua Hin.
Welcome to our TH-cam channel, where we document our exciting adventure as expats living in Thailand and share all the details of our new home!
Our channel aims to provide you with an insider's perspective on what it's truly like to immerse yourself in the rich Thai lifestyle, showcasing the vibrant neighborhoods, delicious cuisine, and the warm-hearted local communities.
But the real star of the show today is our new home! We will share a little of the home search process, the rasons we opted to buy, in the form of a 30 year land lease, the costs associated and more.
⏱️⏱️VIDEO CHAPTERS⏱️⏱️:
00:00:00 - I Bought a House in Thailand: Moving and Furniture Delivery
00:02:01 - House Hunting in Thailand: No MLS, Contacting Agents, and Viewing Homes
00:03:35 - First Impressions: Unboxing and Setting Up My New Home
00:05:14 - Negotiating the Price of My Dream Home in Thailand
00:06:52 - Understanding Property Laws in Thailand: Land Leases and Ownership
00:08:33 - Why I Chose to Buy Instead of Lease in Thailand
00:10:17 - Relocating to Hua Hin: A Quieter Side of Thailand
00:11:45 - Cost of Living: Renting vs Buying a Home in Thailand
00:13:26 - Navigating Real Estate in Thailand: Tips from an Expat
00:14:51 - Shopping for Furniture in Thailand: Prices, Taxes, and Free Services
Don't forget to smash that like button, subscribe for more delicious adventures, and hit the bell icon so you won't miss any of our upcoming food escapades!
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www.almostretiredinthailand.com/
/ @kimberleyssandbox
This video is not sponsored. All opinions are our own.
For business inquiries: dave@valleysolutionsteam.com
I just found your channel and very much appreciate the solid information you provided about your home purchase. Thank you. As I am very interested in spending some time there in the near future, I’ll view some more of your videos so as not to duplicate questions that may have already been answered. Blessings to you in your new home. 🙏🏽
Thanks and enjoy!!!
Wow, congrats on your new home ownership! The mountain view is, indeed, gorgeous!
Thanks for the great info wishing you lots of zen moments in your new home 🏡
Thanks so much!
Congratulations, Nice to see a couple retiring together, God Bless
True
Congratulations Guys!!! Enjoy your new home
Thank you!!
Best wishes in your new home with good health and peace of mind!
Thank you!!!
Great video and information. Thank you. Congratulations on your new home. 🎉
Thank you very much. Appreciate the comment!!!
Hey Dave, good to see you guys enjoying yourselves, and the new place looks great. My wife and I want to visit some day!
Please do!
Love the video good luck for the future 🎉
Thank you.
From Canada…Just saw your video and clicked on it, beautiful place! Don’t know much about Thailand but I will be subscribing and learning more from you. Enjoy your beautiful home together. Cheers
Thanks and welcome
Great video guys , I mostly rent in HuaHin, love your place and what you did , hope to catch up sometime for a meal with you guys in HuaHin.
Thanks for info and making video
Hi Dave & Kim.. I have just returned from Hua Hin and found your wonderful videos on this great location. Thank you for sharing the information on locations beaches restaurants in the Hua Hin region. It was our first time to visit and me and my wife are already planning our return trip. Definitely the best Resort we have been to and can't wait to return. Keep up the good work and best wishes in your new property.
Thank you. So glad to hear you enjoyed it.
Can’t go wrong for $100,000. Maybe next video we can see the house and lot. Is there a small pool? Gated community?
The house looks really nice and the view is amazing 👏 congratulations to both of you with new 🏠 🎉
Thank you so much 🤗
@AlmostRetiredinThailand question on the lease land for 90 years you pay monthly or ones a year or it's included in the house price? 🏠
My wife and I are also looking to buy a house in Thailand 100k or a little more. We are from Oregon PDX
Congratulations on purchasing your lovely home 🎉🎉🎉
Thank you so much!!
Thankyou for sharing ❤love your view&pool Great pick.
Thank you!!!
Just found you guys - and subscribed. Congrats on your purchase. Thanks for sharing your experience - my partner and myself keeping all options open for retirement. This looks like a good option.
Thanks for watching. Even if you rent, it is a great option as well. We didn't want to move homes often, plus a home we own is better maintained than a rental.
Thank you for your video. I found it very interesting .it looks lovely I hope you both will be very happy there.
Thank you! 😃
Congrats! That is a nice home at a nice price! Happy for you both
Thanks so much!
Great advise, love it ❤
Hua hin
My favourite seaside city in Thailand
Beautiful house
Thanks for sharing
For us, it is perfect. Has evevrything, but not too much of anything if that makes sense.
Wow this is nicely presented. Great job!!
Glad you liked it!
Very nice ! Subscribed :) Good luck with the new house, enjoy Thailand !
Thank you.
Congratulations on your new home, and thank you for the information it was very helpful!💯
You are so welcome!
Congratulations on your new house! Would love to know more details in purchasing a property in Thailand, thanks for sharing 🏠🇹🇭
The REALTOR would be Andy Dyett - with Hua Hin Property - +66 (0) 86 777 9064 - he has been there for a very long time, owns his company with his Thai wife and is also the best source of information.... The Attorney would be Piti Suebwonglee
Managing Partner, Attorney - with ExpatPro - M. +66 64 165 6936, +66 80 995 9982
T. +66 99 0701439 ----- both are very well known with great reputations.
Foreigners cannot own land and whatever an agent or lawyer tells you, using a nominee company is illegal and also a 30+30+30 guaranteed renewal lease has be proven illegal in Phuket courts. And you do not have the same legal protections against lawyers and agents as in many western countries.
That you both look so happy, which counts.
Trying to enjoy life before we are too old to do anything.
It's nice to hear successful relocation stories like yours, thanks for sharing your experience. My husband and I are considering retiring in Thailand as well and this info. is super helpful! My husband's step mother-in-law is Thai and lives here in California (as do we) but still has lots of family and friends back in Thailand. We've been to Hua Hin w/ her and just loved it! I'm also a Realtor her in California, so loved hearing your take on the market in contrast to the states. Hope to see more updates from you and congrats on your purchase and retirement!
Yes, there will be updates... I am in the states right now... I will still have some videos but not physically in Thailand right now. Kim has a channel too at Kimberleys Sandbox.
Very informative video, love the view of the mountain.
We love the mountain too...
Hey guys, congrats on your new home. I am inspired by your adventures, having moved around the world a lot and getting tired of the HUGE cost of living we experience in westernised countries. I am recently retired and slowly running out of my retirement fund and unable to afford to buy a house here in New Zealand, but I do have enough to buy in Thailand, which I think is going to be my next move. So thanks for the excellent tips and I hope to come see you some time this year when I come on a fact finding trip of Hua Hin. Keep up the cool videos 👍 Pete 'The Roaming Kiwi' 😉
Thanks for the comment. Hope to meet you someday.
Great vid. Blessings for your new home and happiness. Just found this channel and my wife and I just got back from our first Thailand trip. We were in love with prauchaup kiri khan and the Ao Manoe beach there. Please continue and its my hope that you might become our realtor for our first Thailand home. We're coming back to retire there.
Thanks!!! At a minimum we will have some experiences to help you make good decisions!!!
Congrats, I am very curious about the process of getting a home here, and or more info. i loved your facebook post about buying the house and some of the questions people asked, and after seeing that post i would like to learn more.
Congratulation beautiful new home, 🎉
Thank you! 🤗
Congratulations on your house purchase, looks to be great value!
By American standards, we are quite happy.
Well done, nice to see. Hua Hin is a nice location. Best wishes.
Thank you very much!
Great information and which you guy’s all the best!! Have a couple of questions and posted these into another video. Best wishes
Awesome! Will look for your questions.
Enjoyed your vid. Lovely home.
Thanks so much! 😊
Welcome to Huahin! Beautiful house and location indeed. Have a happy retirement life ❤❤. Your house has changed my mind to retire there instead of England 😁
We love it here.
Your channel is going to do very well, keep up the great posts like this! I have a sad little channel in Taiwan that needs some TLC, lol. I discovered ya'll on Page and Chuck's video awhile back. Our fam made our first visit to Thailand in december and it was a great experience all around, can't wait to return. You're the first channel that has discussed how westerners can buy a HOME in Thailand, everyone else says it's impossible unless you're married to a local. Kudos, that's great info that will help a lot of people!
There is a lot of negativity out there about "buying" here. We did our homework and are comfortable with the process. Thanks for commenting.
You can not buy land in Thailand if you are not Thai FACT !!
Sounds like a smart move for you guys, congratulations on your new home
Thank you.
Thanks and Congratulations 🎉❤
Thank you! 😃
Hi Dave & Kim! Found this video today. Really glad to see an American R.E. professional discuss the issue of the land-lease, and with your own clever adjustments, describe a favorable/acceptable outcome. This gives me much optimism for reconsidering it (buying) myself. I look fwd to your new videos; will check out your others. Some topics if you need ideas: getting stuff fixed like plumbing, tilework, electrical... both via professionals & DIY (any home improvement stores?). If you wanted to add on a room or stand-alone garage, is it allowed? Just ideas. Thanks much!
Plenty of "home improvement stores" in Thailand- even in the rural regions. (HomePro and Global House are the popular franchises)
Getting good "tradesmen" in Thailand is a real problem. They usually don't respect your property and damage things. If you are good at DIY then you are ok but otherwise it's a real problem unless you are able to reduce your standards considerably.
Things here are cheap but quality is usually very poor.
Just be aware it is not a Western country and so you will not get the same service as in a Western country, and if you have problems you do not have a legal system that will support you as a foreigner.
Just things you need to be aware of!
My biggest suggestion is do as much homework and find the best trust worthy people to help you. This decision works for us and lots of others we know. Best wishes.
@@thailandsnippets901 Thank you for that info. It is just as I expected, so at least now I know. This also serves as an extra caution when buying anything already built; I would want to do quite an excessive inspection myself, plus hire a really good pro inspector as well (Western one, if any exist out there.)
With the Thai baht taking a bit of a siesta, your dollars are now auditioning for the role of superheroes! It's a fantastic moment to turn those USD capes into a cozy home in Thailand. More bang for your buck in paradise!
Just discovered your video, thanks! My wife and I are moving in October from AZ as well. Can’t wait! Thanks again
Awesome!!!
Congratulations on your cozy new house
Thank you!! 😊
Congratulations on your new home! We loved Hua Hin, took the train all the way down from Chiang Mai and spent a few days! We bought our brand new house house in Chiang Mai 2011for $48,000 USD in a gated community. 2 story 3 bed, 3 bath! I still can't get over the price,,lol..Now there 100,000.00 USD. You can see these houses here at Kankanok Villa 1 Chiang Mai, View of Doi Sutep Mountain. You guys have to visit the city, great place! Your from Arizona, were from San Diego!
I have been to Chiang Mai before, Kim has not... really nice, especially liked the mountains. I am in Oceanside right bow as I had to fly home unexpectedly for a family thing. Thanks for the comment.
Fantastic, How exciting. I'm new to your channel but i do follow a lot of other x-pat channels to rejuvenate my memories of all my past travels within the land of smiles but also for new information and idea's in readiness for my own embankment to Thailand for my retiring years, Ive been looking into the 30 year renewable leases but was stumped about who i could lease the property from once i found a location, id be really interested to know more about the in's and outs of your process, I was actually looking at something near Hua Hin, but in reality my options are open about where to pull up my feet, i've subscribed to your channel for notifications when you post new content but i'll also be checking out some of your previous videos too.
We will do our best to provide you more information. We bought our home direct from the builder, who we believe is the owner of the land. We used an attorney who did a lot of the due diligence, we trust him and we believe we entered into a contract that is good and offers us protections as the buyer. Time will tell for us. I would highly recommend doing your homework as well and only enter into an agreement you are comfortable with. Every person and their expectations are different. Thanks for subscribing.
What is the name of community?
Great video
Thanks so much. Very insightful. You have certainly whetted my interest for retiring in Thailand
Well done n Congratulations
Enjoy the Beautiful Life in Hoehin
Best wishes ❤🎉❤
Yes, thank you.
Congratulations! Loved the video!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Congratulations to both of you on the new house❤❤
Thank you!!
I'd love to have a house like you have there. Looks amazing! Congratulations!!
Thank you!! 😊
Will. Great information
Congrats on the great house. New subscriber for your channel. Best to you both!
Thank you. Nice to have you along for our ride.
The location looks Great! You two are tempting me more and more with each video. 😅 Have a great evening.
It works for us and we love it!!!
You seem like a very nice couple. Good luck with your new home!
Thank you!! 😊
Beautiful place! Great price, I love Hua Hin😊
your new Subscriber from the Sultanate of Oman Congratulations both of you wishing all the happiness in your new house.
Thank you and welcome!
you do jihad attacks?
Just FYI- The renewal option in a 30 year lease agreement is not a lease right or option given under Thai property laws to create a longer lease term but a simple promise of the current owner to give a new lease when the registered 30 year term of the lease runs out. Including a renewal option (or any number of renewal options) in a lease agreement is based on the freedom of contract between the parties but says nothing about the enforceability of this promise or options when the registered 30 year lease term actually finishes. At that time the first 30 year lease is terminated and the parties must enter into a new lease which again must be registered with the Land Registry.
Understood and something I am not going to worry about for 29 years and 6 months. For now, we have 29+ years of happiness 😀
Also keep in mind that the value of the house will naturally decrease every year, just because the lease has fewer years left on it.
Who cares that the contract doesn't say anything about the enforceability after 30 years. They will be dead. Moreover, it was only $100,000. Big freaking deal.
Loved this when we first saw Kimberly’s (better) video, It has her lovely reaction on seeing the house, can’t find it now, which is a shame. Take care you two, maybe we see you soon 💋
Thank you. Kim's video is on her channel, @KimberleysSandbox... she knew 100% this was the one.
Thank you for the (better) compliment ;) LOL!!!
We do have some loving competition going on between Dave and I!!!
Really interesting, wishing you all the best
Thank you.
Congratulations 🥳 looks great!
Thank you!!
Congratulations! Looks very nice. Drove close by today on the way to Sam Roi Yot.
Thanks Paul... we bought a BBQ too, so we will have to have you over!!!
Great videos. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for watching.
Why are some people so confused? Land lease houses is common in Thailand. The longest a single lease can be registered in Thailand is 30 years. This is legit. It's different from buying a house in Thai wife/husband name.
Some people are so against doing what we did, saying we will lose it all, or the government will take it. I guess we will deal with it if it happens. Until then we are loving it :)
That is not the same thing as buying a house. You do NOT own the house.
@@johnnielson4341 what happens to the house when land lease expire??
@@ebayseller6040 The owner of the land orders you to move it off their property. If you don't, they can seize it. Since you can't, you lose it
Putting into perspective the issue of a land lease, I believe even when you own something in this world you are only the keeper of it temporarily. We are all just passing through for a while so to me the land lease sounds fine .
By the way your house is very nice ! I saw Kimberlys video on it also and thought it was a good choice.
We love it and are very comfortable here. It is nice to "own" something even if we don't actually own it. Thanks.
Gorgeous house ! ❤
In Australia even if you buy the land if the government decides they need it they can take it off you and pay you the median price for the land at the time they "buy" it off you, it happened a few years ago in my town something like 10+ homes were "brought" back from the government to build a bridge, people protested took it to court but in the end they lost their homes and money because the compensation wasn't nearly enough. So it happens whether you "own" the land or not
@@jaciriley123 We have that also in the US so not surprising.
@@wphillips7217 I honestly don't get why people are so put off by long term land rentals then, you would probably have more rights and protections in place as a long term land tennant with a decent contract than the average land owner, this guy said his kids still had the option to inherit the house with the contract they have.
Thank you for as great video. What you have done is what I have been thinking about doing myself and wondering about logistics coming from Canada. Just subscribed and looking forward to seeing and learning more. Cheers
Be sure to take your time, explore different areas and do your homework. We are happy with our decision. Might not be for everybody.
So now subscriber to both your channels, this was great, thank you, looking forward to more videos and info, cost of living, the new tax law etc. 🙏🏻😉☀️
Thank you. More videos to follow for sure.
Nice :) I still have about 10 more working years before I can move to Thailand. Buy or rent, I havent decided yet, plenty of time for me. Good luck guys, hope you will be happy there
Thank you. 10 more years will hopefully go fast.
Trust me.. RENT! Choose your neighbours and when they are no longer neighbours, move! I've been there.. I'm going back to South East Asia in 7yrs. My plan is to spend 3-months in Thailand, 3-months in Nepal, 3-months etc etc.. Keep your savings and rent off the interest!
@@simonwilson1211 thanks for input
@@torvaldelletveito9181 I've lived it.. just wish I'd got to you before, but anyway, good luck X!
@@simonwilson1211One side of me wants to buy a house/condo and settle and one side of me wants to keep moving as long as I am able to travel and experience different places and countries (just like what you are planning). All the best in Nepal! I am originally from there, but have lived in the US for over 25 years.
1st. Nice home, great price. 2nd. Blue Scrunchy for the win. Makes those eyes pop. 🙂 3rd. Congratulations
Thank you!!!
LOL will make note of blue scrunchy!!!
Congratulations. It may me on our radar too in a few years.
Life is good here.
This is my dream to do this. Thank you so much for sharing
Hopefully this dream becomes reality.
I love how transparent you are about the land lease situation.
He's also wrong about it, he has a 30 -year lease.
@@nickturner2813 Oh, ok. Can you explain further?
@@shilohbell1573 I can.
A lease 30+30+30 with a guaranteed renewal has been proven illegal and void on 2 occasions in Phuket courts. Look it up.
The owner lost the property, which reverted to the freeholder, had huge defense costs and no recourse for the original purchase costs.
If the freeholder or their heirs decide they want to sell the house again, they likely could go to court to have the lease voided. This may not even be a 30 year lease
Once a legal 30 year lease reaches its end, the freeholder can ask for another sum of money to renew.
Love this I’m going to start this process myself soon
Be sure to do your homework and your research. We did ours and felt good about it. There are quite a few negative observations. Just feel good about the reasons and any risk and go for it. Good luck. We are happy we did it.
Congratulations 💐 Land only gives Good Wealth , So Happy Days for u r family
Thank you. Best wishes to you.
Great to see a video of a couple buying moving in etc . Nice to know there’s good area away from the main touristy nightlife areas 👍
We love this area. So quiet and peaceful, with everything we need a short distance away.
Buying a home on a ground lease is essentially the same as signing a lease with a large upfront payment. Its not the same as ownership, no matter how you try to frame it. Sure, you may own the house itself, but if you ever get evicted from the land, you will have to find a way to pick the house up and move it to another piece of land, or forfeit it entirely to the landlord. If the plan is to sell the house, then you'll need to find a buyer who is willing to purchase the home subject to the ground lease. That makes for a slim group of possible buyers. And this is assuming there is not some type of loophole in the lease which reverts any appurtenances or fixtures to the landowner upon lease termination.
And if the plan is to try to get the landowner to sell their land to the future party you are trying to sell to, this makes for a complex negotiation and stressful transaction with several parties involved.
Even if not enforceable, all of this has been renegotiated and in the written agreements that are recorded with the land office. We know there are risks around enforcement of any agreements, but as written we are protected.
No ones ever been evicted that I have heard of in a decade or so of experience on the ground. It's all online naysayers purveying such fear.
I'm Thai. I know how they doing business. NOBODY will get evicted here.
It hard to sell 3 million baht house to local. That why they are target foreigners.
In the future , they are talking to change the law for foreigner that can owns small land for build the house.
If the last government still in power , they are already change the law. Because they want money into the economy.
Just like Japan , foreigner can own small land to build the house.
@@AlmostRetiredinThailand you are never protected, remember who is the falang, you have no rights, the Thai citizen will always win, try it.
I remember watching Kim house hunting on her channel. I knew this was meant to be your home before she ever went inside. Congratulations 🎉 have a happy life
She knew it from the driveway. You know it when you see the right one.
amazing place good luck to you guys ..
Thank you.
Congratulations!
wow shes got beautiful eyes
We own a few homes here and rent them out. Just be careful about engaging in real estate here. Being a broker of any kind is a prohibited occupation for foreigners here. Of course we see foreigners engaging in it everywhere but it will be under a Thai owned entity. Just do your homework on that one. I was a lawyer in AZ for 32 years. Welcome to Hua Hin!
Understood. Thank you. I have no plans to do real estate here... I have enough to focus on in Arizona USA.
Gratuitous 😢we love Thailand and we will come next for ever. Best wishes Siri and Uwe. Let us be connected
Yes, stay in touch. We will be here!!!
Thanks for doing this video.
My pleasure!
You mentioned contract..... is your landlease (USUFRUCT) stamped in the Charnod (land deed yellowish paper)..?
If so, the 30 years there are the only legally binding part.... what the contract say is all promissory.
Understood. All drawn up by an attorney we trust and filed. I actually don't know about the paper color. 30 years will probably be long enough anyways :)
@@AlmostRetiredinThailand if the 30 year USUFRUCT is not stamped in the Charnod.... the contract is written in sand and gone by next tide. Just ask him and ask for a copy....!
@@dotcom2528USUFRUCT has nothing to do with a 30 year lease. Two different legal ways to have (ownership) on your chanote
@@dotcom2528A usufruct is written on the chanote (backside)
A lease is only legal for a maximum of 30 years. There are no legal extensions even with a written contract.
Thanks. Will start worrying about in in about 29 or 29 years 😀 then deal with it in about 30.
A lease is a safe way to have a property in Thailand. I seriously confided a lease but knew that I would eventually get married and at the end of the lease she would have nothing. I ended up buying a condo in my name. Now we live upcountry in my wife's home. Of course it is in only her name. I still have the condo.
Love your new home!!
Thank you!!
Good to see you settled in Thailand
3 years later: “Why i sold my house in Thailand”
Can't see that happening but you never know...
@@AlmostRetiredinThailand i hope it doesn’t but it seems very common.
OMG
:)
💀💀
Really enjoyed that.
Thank you.
I am happy for you guys! The view is amazing and it is certainly at least a quarter of the price for that :) - nice and cute house, pool, very nicely picked. I hope you are close to major towns where you can go to restaurants, shop, hospital, etc.
Thank you. Yes, we are near a good sized city Hua Hin and then Pran Buri to the south.
No you didn't, you borrowed it.
We can sell it, so we own something. I get it though, but after research we are comfortable with our decision and understand it is not for everyone.
Every Farang I know of or heard of that bought a house in Thailand have eventually been screwed over big time .
For us, right now, it is better than renting, we trust the builder and the system. $100K US is a lot of money, but it is not life destroying money if we get screwed and all goes away tomorrow. It will suck, but a chance we are willing to take.
Good luck chohk dee โชคดี and Amen.
Great video! Love all the details u included. But did i miss where u showed the extention to the patio cover? I'm really curious abt that. Looks fabulous 🎉
Good catch. I made a mistake and didn't include it. I have some good pics. We are having another added to the rear of the house. Will do an update video when everything is done.
@@AlmostRetiredinThailand it's a good topic for another video anyway! I like ur style w lots of hard facts & thorough details
Congrats ! like you guys positive vibes!:-)
Foreigners can never ever legally own land in Thailand only a condominium apt if it is owned by 50 percent of Thailand citizens. Even in the Philippines same land ownership for Foreigners I don't understand what type of situation you have.
I was there about 6 years ago. Very nice and definitely very quiet. Worth considering. I am going to Malaysia this year for about 3 months. But Thailand is at the top of my list so far for retirement. Good luck over there!
Great informative video Dave. I rotate my time between samui and hua hin when visiting thailand regularly. Hi five from Ireland 💚
Awesome. We started on Koh Samui for 18 months... right after covid... toughest part was travelling on a regular basis... Hua Hin makes that part easier .. 3 hours and at the airports of Bangkok for a fraction of the cost of Bangkok Air, which I am sure you are aware of. Hopefully our paths cross at some point.
What a mistake you did.
OK. Everyone's situation is different and what may not be right for you is right for us. Best wishes.
What a pointless comment 🤷🏼♀️
Just watched you guys. I am also from Arizona. I live in the Scottsdale area. I was planning on heading over to Thailand, soon. Thank you for the information.
We love Thailand. I am in Gilbert AZ right now as I had to come back for an unexpected trip. Miss Thailand already...
Amazing view!!! Awesome!!
Thanks. We love the view.