Advice needed on renting

[JoeEF]

Greetings everybody!

Firstly, let me thank you all for creating such a friendly and helpful community. The countless threads I read here were filled with invaluable information. That said, as of next week, I'll be landing in Thailand for a 3-month extended vacation/winter avoidance operation. During my time there, I'm looking to rent a furnished house in which to stay.

Now, I've scoured Craigslist Thailand, the Thai Visa classifieds and a few other rental property sites, and while there are some interesting offers, I had suspected - and later confirmed in some of the others threads in this forum - that the best deals are surely not advertised online and/or in English.

Ideally, I'd love a detached property with a waterfront view, as I am first and foremost looking for peace and quiet. However, since it does seem that the majority of the cheaper offers are in the north, I could settle for a comparably scenic view instead. I do not need to be in a major city, so long as I have a reasonably proximity to amenities such as groceries and a couple of restaurants. A solid Internet connection is also a must. Ideally, I'd like to pay around 10,000-12,000 Baht/month, although I suppose I could go up to 18,000 if need be. Preferably, this should include utilities, as I've also read here that there is quite the markup on water and electricity tariffs.

So my question for all you knowledgeable folk is quite simply: how does one go about finding a place to live? Are there agencies to visit once I land in Bangkok? Should I just grab a local paper there and scan the classifieds? Are there other websites I should know about? Also, if I do get a place on a monthly basis, is my rent likely to skyrocket as we approach the holiday season?

Naturally, any feedback would be much appreciated, or if anybody else has some unrelated advice to give, I welcome that as well! Thanks in advance!

Cheers,
Joe

[Mindaugas]

Hi Joe,

I act as an agent in Bangkok, honestly i can advise you that you'll not find a house for like this money. Maximum what you can get is a 1 bedroom around 40sqm condominium or service apartment where will be included daily cleaning and bedding change once per week.
To search it's quite easy, but same time is difficult, for like this money normal agent will not run around to much because as you said you'll be here 3 months. So maximum what agent will get is 10% from your monthly staying that's in total max 5400THB. As me for like this commission i'll not move out from my office in smelly and hot Bangkok. But sure i have some in my lists cheap properties and sometimes direct people there, normally foreigners.
Give me more details, which location you prefer? Which BTS station when will be easy to advice you.
In Pattaya you can get studio condominium near sea for 18,000 B.
Good luck and if any more questions let me know.

Mindaugas

[frogblogger]

Adding to Mindaugas's comments, up in the north you won't find a detached property with a view at that sort of money either, unless you head right out of town into very remote areas. I have a detached, furnished house in a pretty rough area of Chiang Mai right now, but that costs me, including charges etc, about 14000 baht pm. For the price I also get drunken brawls, midnight arguments between spouses, karaoke at full blast when you least expect it, and bar girls, usually drunk themselves, in noisy high heels, clumping around streets and balconies between 3 and 6 am!

If you want comfort, calm and facilities for that kind of money, an unfashionable town, and a very small property is your best bet.

[Acid_Crow]

Head south, to Krabi perhaps, and you'll find 2 bedroom bungalows fully furnished for 10-15k a month. Close to where I live there are houses with 4 bedrooms and pool, fully furnished going for 15-20k/month (only for longer terms though).

These houses and bungalows arn't seafront or even seaview, but you'll never be more than a couple of minutes away from the beach (by motorbike).

[JoeEF]

Hello gents!

Thanks for the replies so far.

Mindaugas, perhaps I wasn't clear, but I'm not actually interested in staying in Bangkok... I was hoping for a smaller, quieter corner of the country. I have no doubt that my price range is quite unrealistic for Bangkok itself!

Frogblooger, you are no doubt correct in your assertion, although I am a bit perplexed then. I have found ads for quite a few fully furnished detached houses in Chiang Mai in the 12,000B range. I would have posted a few links, but it seems I am prevented from doing so. One was near the Government Centre, one in Ban Wang Tan, one in San sai. So, that said, did I miss something here? Is there a catch in these that I am not aware of? Are they, as you say, in more unpleasant parts of town?

Acid_Crow, would you have any tips on finding such a place in Krabi? Or is it just a matter of showing up and taking a look around?

I'll tell you gents, I would normally not have a problem with an apartment, but I am concerend with neighborly noise. That is a huge problem here in Canada, there seems to be very little respect and courtesy left these days, and I would assume that is a worldwide phenomena. Would anyone care to comment on that?

Thanks again!

Cheers,
Joe

[Acid_Crow]

Your best bet is to just show up in Ao Nang, the beach area of Krabi, rent a motorbike and drive around looking for "For rent" signs. Book a hotel for the first night(s).

And don't forget to ask around. There are many places without signs, nice houses without neighbours, hidden in the jungle..

[Acid_Crow]

Can try the internet to, but it's usually more expensive than just looking around for yourself.

Here's one i found with beachfront.

[frogblogger]

All the places you mention (CM) are a fair distance out of town, so not too practical for those wanting to nip in, unless you have a car. They are probably the village-style estates, the 'moo baans', where you can find small, rather unprepossessing bungalow-style properties with tiny gardens for even less than 10k in some of the older, less luxurious estates. But I would reckon on close to an extra 4000 b per month for electric, water, tv, internet etc. Plus travel costs - if you're 25/30 minutes away from the town centre, unless you take your life in your hands and ride a scooter/bike, a tuk-tuk return journey to the nearest of those locations would be about 250 baht per round-trip...

My place was near the town centre, walking distance, so correspondingly more expensive...

[JoeEF]

Hello again,

Acid_Crow: Thanks for the links and the tips, it's much appreciated!

Frogblogger: Interesting, I'll have to give your points some consideration. 250B doesn't seem so bad, although I suppose if it's something you're doing quite regularly, it can become quite a problem. Besides having access to more of a vivid nightlife and access to more shops and restaurants, would you say there's a major advantage to being in a city center?

I have another question for you gents, if you please; Is there a guide for knowing the approximate rates that metered cabs should be charging you for any given trip, so as to know if you are being ripped off by a rigged meter?

Thanks,
Joe

[frogblogger]

City centre advantage? Depends on individual preference; some like to stroll into town for a lazy hour in a coffee shop, watch the bustle of life, enjoy various cultural pursuits within easy reach, go listen to some music, stroll through the night bazaar... it's not all about night life or shopping. When you're in town you have the easy choice - stay in your home, or go for a wander (for whatever reason). When you're out of town, it's stay in... or stay in. It can be a major logistical operation to make a trip into the city.

I'm for the quiet life myself - when I'm in France where I live I can't even see another house. But somehow in Thailand it's different - the city is like a magnet, I can't get enough of people watching, just absorbing the atmosphere. Even after a few years that hasn't changed. Not that I go out every day...

Many people transform a little when they move from West to East, a new lease of life almost!

My advice would be to wait until you arrive before booking somewhere... there are plenty of one month leases available too, and by taking a guesthouse room for a week or so in your preferred location you can take the time to look around, and not make any mistakes...