A branded villa or residence may be marketed as a purchase, but the legal structure is generally a long-term leasehold interest under a strata arrangement rather than foreign freehold ownership of land. The residence can be a demarcated villa within a resort, a residence on a connected standalone island, or a room or apartment within a tourist resort.
Branded residences
Start with the head lease
The most important structural point is priority. The strata lease is subordinate to the resort’s primary or head lease, and its term cannot exceed the head lease. Before signing, the buyer should therefore review the remaining head-lease term, the developer’s title and the status of the underlying tourism rights—not only the residence-level documents.
Understand the registration and contracts
The buyer’s interest is registered with the Ministry of Tourism. The 2026 buyer’s guide explains that the residence is first registered by the developer and, after execution and registration of the relevant buyer agreements, the Ministry records the buyer’s interest. The core contractual package includes a lease agreement and a management agreement.
Negotiate the off-plan protections
Off-plan buyers should pay particular attention to payment milestones, inspection rights, delayed completion, failure to open and what happens if the brand withdraws. The legal framework requires the agreement to address delayed completion, but the commercial remedy depends heavily on what the buyer has actually negotiated.
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