Aqualung Posted October 6, 2024 Posted October 6, 2024 Hoping to take the leap of faith and move over sometime next year. Now I know you can search the Internet for property but do any agents actually exist on the streets. Ones where you can walk in and look at houses and apartments for sale or rent? I simply ask this as some of the prices shown on numerous Thai websites are ridiculously expensive. I'm mainly looking around the Don Mueang area. I've also seen some decent prices for 2 and 3 bedroom places but I'm wondering if some of the daft prices I've seen are aimed at gullible farangs rather than local Thais. I just want to be able to walk in to an agency and see local advertising prices. Do they exist?
Lemondropkid Posted October 7, 2024 Posted October 7, 2024 (edited) Just got an apartment in Bangkok via Facebook marketplace, and an individual agent on there. I found that the bigger agents seemed to be charging slightly elevated prices. For e,g I've paid 23,500 pcm for 60 sq for a lovely apartment, low rise and quiet, yet 5 minutes to the Skytrain. An agent was advertising a hideously decorated 2 bed in the same development for 38k( no way would you have paid over 30 for the unit) Don't have any experience in the house market but surprised Don Mueang would be expensive. How much are you being quoted? Edited October 7, 2024 by Lemondropkid 2 4
Derek Dangleberries Posted October 7, 2024 Posted October 7, 2024 10 hours ago, Aqualung said: I'm mainly looking around the Don Mueang area. If I were looking for a room, not a house, near Don Muang then I would rent here. Always! https://www.bsapartment.com/amenities.php It has everything you need in the immediate area including an excellent food market and a TOPS to buy wine. Pretty much all I want out of life .. but I am notorious for being a slum dwelling cheap charlie !! If you could expand on why Don Muang then it might help us help you .... 2 1
Aqualung Posted October 7, 2024 Author Posted October 7, 2024 20 hours ago, Lemondropkid said: Just got an apartment in Bangkok via Facebook marketplace, and an individual agent on there. I found that the bigger agents seemed to be charging slightly elevated prices. For e,g I've paid 23,500 pcm for 60 sq for a lovely apartment, low rise and quiet, yet 5 minutes to the Skytrain. An agent was advertising a hideously decorated 2 bed in the same development for 38k( no way would you have paid over 30 for the unit) Don't have any experience in the house market but surprised Don Mueang would be expensive. How much are you being quoted? Im not being quoted anything mate. I'm just perusing websites for property in the Don Mueang area. There are one or 2 places I could afford either by renting ( the wife won't like that!), or buying. Im just flabbergasted by the cost of some of these high end properties in Don Mueang and I fail to see who would be interested in renting them. Granted, they are nice. But who's the target market for them? 1 1
Aqualung Posted October 7, 2024 Author Posted October 7, 2024 This is more like it for me. Just over my budget. But could make do. 1 3
Aqualung Posted October 7, 2024 Author Posted October 7, 2024 11 hours ago, Derek Dangleberries said: If I were looking for a room, not a house, near Don Muang then I would rent here. Always! https://www.bsapartment.com/amenities.php It has everything you need in the immediate area including an excellent food market and a TOPS to buy wine. Pretty much all I want out of life .. but I am notorious for being a slum dwelling cheap charlie !! If you could expand on why Don Muang then it might help us help you .... Hi Derek. The reason for Don Mueang is I know the place. I find it friendly and easy enough to get around. But the most important reasons are my wife's mum lives there and she's approaching her 77 th birthday and will soon need to be cared for. Also, my wife's life long friends are there too. And I consider my self lucky that they are all lovely people and don't try to take the preverbial piss out of me. Not the nicest of places I know but it's got what I need. Just very surprised by the rental costs there for larger properties. Not that I can afford them.... Who can is what I'm getting at. 2 2 1
Derek Dangleberries Posted October 7, 2024 Posted October 7, 2024 4 minutes ago, Aqualung said: This is more like it for me. Just over my budget. But could make do. That seems a fair price mate but 3 floors wouldn't be possible with my old legs! For comparison, back in 97 I rented a one bedroom apartment in a brand new building for 16,000 Baht .... 1
Derek Dangleberries Posted October 7, 2024 Posted October 7, 2024 5 minutes ago, Aqualung said: Who can is what I'm getting at. Too true mate! My daughter moved to Bangkok a couple of years back with a load of friends and they rented a town house together. She has since moved out into a room at her place of work for free. 8 minutes ago, Aqualung said: Not the nicest of places I know but it's got what I need. I love that area up by Zeer, it has everything going for me as mentioned above. 1
Aqualung Posted October 7, 2024 Author Posted October 7, 2024 5 minutes ago, Derek Dangleberries said: Too true mate! My daughter moved to Bangkok a couple of years back with a load of friends and they rented a town house together. She has since moved out into a room at her place of work for free. I love that area up by Zeer, it has everything going for me as mentioned above. Rangsit right? Like your link suggested, about 10- 15 minutes from the mother in laws house so no real reason for me to buy or rent any closer. We could of course stay with her mum for a very affordable price but I'm planning to bring my 3 pet cats with me and seeing as that mum in law has 5 of the hardest cats in Don Mueang... Not a good idea. I've also looked at not far from Don Mueang places... By the hour or so. Places like Ayutthaya and Kanchanaburi. Rayong and Chonburi but I don't think my TW will agree. Anyway, it's my brass so she may not get the choice. 2
Derek Dangleberries Posted October 7, 2024 Posted October 7, 2024 17 minutes ago, Aqualung said: I've also looked at not far from Don Mueang places... By the hour or so. Places like Ayutthaya and Kanchanaburi. Rayong and Chonburi but I don't think my TW will agree. I know bugger all about the place but On Nut seems a popular choice, at the end of the BTS Line (Note I use the singular, which just about dates my knowledge !!!)
Aqualung Posted October 7, 2024 Author Posted October 7, 2024 3 minutes ago, Derek Dangleberries said: I know bugger all about the place but On Nut seems a popular choice, at the end of the BTS Line (Note I use the singular, which just about dates my knowledge !!!) For expats you are right. But that's a hour at least from Don Mueang by car and I can attest to that having done the journey by taxi. Bloody wife refused to use the sky train. Not sure if I want to be so near Bangkok city centre. 1
Lemondropkid Posted October 7, 2024 Posted October 7, 2024 14 minutes ago, Derek Dangleberries said: I know bugger all about the place but On Nut seems a popular choice, at the end of the BTS Line (Note I use the singular, which just about dates my knowledge !!!) Popular I'm told with vloggers, can only be cause it's cheap!! Don't care for the area at all myself. Noisy(yes I know it's Bangkok) and has a farang ghetto feel in parts Mate of mine ran a bar in Asoke for a number of years and the sold up, and bought a little bar in On Nut. He really didn't speak highly at all about On Nut or the farangs there. I was back in the area recently can't say it had improved . There's plenty of cheap Thai areas I'd move to ahead of On Nut. 1
Lemondropkid Posted October 7, 2024 Posted October 7, 2024 1 hour ago, Aqualung said: But who's the target market for them That's a very good question. Maybe @Yessongs might have some insight- how can a house in Don Mueang rent for 130k baht pcm!!!! I now know a very good Bangkok property agent through whom I got my current place. Older guy, excellent English, Bangkok born and bred. Nearer the time of your move I'd be happy to share his details by PM. 1 1 1
Popular Post Yessongs Posted October 8, 2024 Popular Post Posted October 8, 2024 Well if Aqualung has to be near the ailing Mother, then he will have to make do with what is available in the Don Mueang area. $130k baht seems really outrageous for ANY AREA in Bangkok to me. I wish I could be of more help, but all I know is Minburi.....wifey has lived in this area, pretty much all of her life. She bought a house out in Bangphli in 2001, sold it in 2006 and then bought this place brand new back in 2007. I like it out here in Minburi, no problem for me. Skytrain links etc are all now complete and done, several malls are 20 minute drive and same with my gym. Phayathai Hospital where I go is 20 minute drive also. The entire neighborhood is a bore, very quiet here. 5 1 2 1
Lemondropkid Posted October 8, 2024 Posted October 8, 2024 51 minutes ago, Big_daddy said: Around Central Ladprao is a decent area. In my opinion the only way to rent something in Thailand is boots on the ground and drive around. The websites are good for basic information That's very handy for the MRT and BTS. An area I've got on my list to explore👍 I'd always thought though that Lat Phrao had some of Bangkok's worst traffic. Has that improved? 1
Aqualung Posted October 8, 2024 Author Posted October 8, 2024 22 hours ago, Lemondropkid said: That's a very good question. Maybe @Yessongs might have some insight- how can a house in Don Mueang rent for 130k baht pcm!!!! I now know a very good Bangkok property agent through whom I got my current place. Older guy, excellent English, Bangkok born and bred. Nearer the time of your move I'd be happy to share his details by PM. Thanks for that @Lemondropkid. Any help at all would be appreciated. Cheers. 1
Aqualung Posted October 8, 2024 Author Posted October 8, 2024 22 hours ago, Yessongs said: Well if Aqualung has to be near the ailing Mother, then he will have to make do with what is available in the Don Mueang area. $130k baht seems really outrageous for ANY AREA in Bangkok to me. I wish I could be of more help, but all I know is Minburi.....wifey has lived in this area, pretty much all of her life. She bought a house out in Bangphli in 2001, sold it in 2006 and then bought this place brand new back in 2007. I like it out here in Minburi, no problem for me. Skytrain links etc are all now complete and done, several malls are 20 minute drive and same with my gym. Phayathai Hospital where I go is 20 minute drive also. The entire neighborhood is a bore, very quiet here. To be honest Mike, there can't be that much of a difference between Don Mueang and Min Buri. The wife wants to buy and I prefer to rent in the short term, maybe a year or so. But some of the rentals on these websites don't make sense baht wise. Please could you ask your rather lovely wife if there are agents who have sales offices on the street where folks can walk in and look at what's available? Maybe they only exist online but I doubt it. Hope you both are doing well. 1 1 1
Yessongs Posted October 8, 2024 Posted October 8, 2024 36 minutes ago, Aqualung said: To be honest Mike, there can't be that much of a difference between Don Mueang and Min Buri. The wife wants to buy and I prefer to rent in the short term, maybe a year or so. But some of the rentals on these websites don't make sense baht wise. Please could you ask your rather lovely wife if there are agents who have sales offices on the street where folks can walk in and look at what's available? Maybe they only exist online but I doubt it. Hope you both are doing well. Steve, does this mean your move back here to Thailand is permanent? No going back to Sweden? Would you be wiling to look at brand new houses here in Minburi? There are alot here as I drive around the area. If your move is permanent, then buying makes sense. Agree though if you find an area that you and wifey think you might like, 1 year lease with possibly buying an option? Why make someone else rich by renting, make yourself rich....that's the way I look at it. I am not sure why houses here do not sell....i can only guess they are just too much for the locals. This place down the street from us has been up for sale for 2 years, we got back here exactly 2 years ago from Calif, they wanted I believe $7 Million Baht for it, asking price is now $6 Miliion Baht and still no offers...this place is pristine, a full and complete re-model....this place is beautiful inside....went in and had a look a year ago when they had an open house. 4 1
Lemondropkid Posted October 9, 2024 Posted October 9, 2024 5 hours ago, Yessongs said: am not sure why houses here do not sell....i can only guess they are just too much for the locals. It can only be the price surely? I've seen beautiful large houses on private estates in Hua Hin, renting at 20k pcm. As you walk around the estate, all you see are for sale signs. 2 1
Aqualung Posted October 9, 2024 Author Posted October 9, 2024 17 hours ago, Lemondropkid said: It can only be the price surely? I've seen beautiful large houses on private estates in Hua Hin, renting at 20k pcm. As you walk around the estate, all you see are for sale signs. Of course it can only be the price. Talking with my TW tonight, Thais are as reluctant to rent out properties as we are in the UK. Getting the right tenant is a lottery no matter their status and income. I rented out my house in a lovely village in Lancashire to a pharmacist who worked at the Royal Oldham Hospital. She earned good money and I was asking a mere £500 per month back in 2020, which saved her £200 per month from a property she used to rent next door!!!!!! She f***d off without paying her last month's rent, without cleaning the house and stealing fitted items such as wardrobes and white goods. The woman was a dirty pig and I was lucky I got decent tenants in after she buggered off. Anyways... Its sold now. 1 1
Aqualung Posted October 9, 2024 Author Posted October 9, 2024 23 hours ago, Yessongs said: Steve, does this mean your move back here to Thailand is permanent? No going back to Sweden? Would you be wiling to look at brand new houses here in Minburi? There are alot here as I drive around the area. If your move is permanent, then buying makes sense. Agree though if you find an area that you and wifey think you might like, 1 year lease with possibly buying an option? Why make someone else rich by renting, make yourself rich....that's the way I look at it. I am not sure why houses here do not sell....i can only guess they are just too much for the locals. This place down the street from us has been up for sale for 2 years, we got back here exactly 2 years ago from Calif, they wanted I believe $7 Million Baht for it, asking price is now $6 Miliion Baht and still no offers...this place is pristine, a full and complete re-model....this place is beautiful inside....went in and had a look a year ago when they had an open house. Thanks for your reply Mike. I just think Thai folks are very very reluctant to rent out their properties. And I'm sorry to say that I think you have kind of contradicted yourself there in that in saying that buying is better via renting. Just using your example of the property viewed in your post by the way. Sorry about that. Anyways, tonight, having talked with the wife and not gaining any further info into whether or not Thai estate agents have offices on the ground, she agrees with your opinion of driving around and looking for ourselves. Just this evening I seem to have come across a more (cough cough!!) honest website selling and renting homes. I can afford the 6 million for the house you showed me but we are 2 people and 3 cats. So it's way to big for us. I'm more looking at a top budget of 3 million with a bit of a garden and no work to do. Phatum Thani looks the dogs bollocks to me, less than a hour from mum... But we will see. 2
Yessongs Posted October 10, 2024 Posted October 10, 2024 (edited) And I'm sorry to say that I think you have kind of contradicted yourself there in that in saying that buying is better via renting. @Aqualung Steve, the point I was trying to make is the following: In USA we have some homes etc for sale that you can rent first, to see that has everything you want, you like the neighborhood, like your commute to work etc. and then if you do decide you want to buy it, then the amount of money you have paid for rent over the entire year, gets deducted from the price of the home you are now going to buy. It obviously has to be agreed with the seller obviously. Not sure if that option is at all available here in Thailand. Edited October 10, 2024 by Yessongs 3
Glasseye Posted October 12, 2024 Posted October 12, 2024 Rent ! For Dogs sake, RENT ! Sorry I can't be more useful. But, I feel strongly about this. It may be a bit harsh, but if she wants to buy let her pay for it. I understand the need they have for some kind of income security completely. But, there are other alternatives than buying a house you could get stuck with.
Aqualung Posted October 13, 2024 Author Posted October 13, 2024 On 10/12/2024 at 7:30 AM, Glasseye said: Rent ! For Dogs sake, RENT ! Sorry I can't be more useful. But, I feel strongly about this. It may be a bit harsh, but if she wants to buy let her pay for it. I understand the need they have for some kind of income security completely. But, there are other alternatives than buying a house you could get stuck with. Tying up money via renting versus tying up money versus owning. Brad. My wife, despite living and working in Sweden for the last 12 years has no savings what so ever. It's an expensive country to live in and an even more expensive country to enjoy yourself in. That said, I would rent for a limited time just to find the the right property to buy. Renting seems dead money to me.
Glasseye Posted October 14, 2024 Posted October 14, 2024 1 hour ago, Aqualung said: Tying up money via renting versus tying up money versus owning. Brad. My wife, despite living and working in Sweden for the last 12 years has no savings what so ever. It's an expensive country to live in and an even more expensive country to enjoy yourself in. That said, I would rent for a limited time just to find the the right property to buy. Renting seems dead money to me. Fair enough mate. We are all in different circumstances.
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