Lobo4819

You need to be aware of a few things just for a reality check. First, Chiang Mai is in an increasingly dangerous situation of oversupply - yet they keep building. Tons of completed condos and development houses sitting new and empty with more on the way. Next, Thais for the most part prefer to buy new - more status and no issues with ghosts. Lastly, the brokers in Thailand, although there are a lot of nice people who are brokers, are not known for their aggressiveness and enthusiasm in selling your home. They would rather someone walk into the office after finding it themselves and ask them to write the contract for them. Most brokers have non-exclusive listing agreements.

So, since the key phrase in the above paragraph is "find it themselves," you are back to marketing and selling it yourself, as has previously been mentioned.

The last reality check is, do you want to make money on the house or just lick your wounds and move on? I have always heard that in Thailand, never put money into something that you are not willing to just walk away from.

SO, you must price it right for a market in the throes of oversupply, then market it your self. How? Research what is already on the market in your price range, and for the value you think you offer. Figure out what your lowest net is that you can be satisfied with, even if it involves a loss. Price it a little over that number. Print up one set of flyers with some photos and brief description of your house. Next, print up a second set of flyers offering a X% commission as a 'finders fee' to anyone who brings you a buyer that closes. Give these out to everyone you know, stuff mailboxes with them, give them to the Burmese vendors at the big intersections (pay them a bit to give them to all the drivers at the red lights, along with the finders fee flyers) Print in Thai and English. Advertise on all the free web sites, post in all the Rimping stores and anywhere else that has a bulletin board.

Without mentioning names or numbers, there are some employees at some of the land offices that have rather healthy side-businesses in bringing buyers to you, and they can also save you some money on the transfer fees.

Find a good attorney to write you a "fill in the blanks" contract in Thai and English. Print out copies of the chanote and floor plan - an interested buyer will want to take those to the bank, perhaps before indicating any interest in buying. Be open to writing two contracts - one for the bank for the buyer's financing, and one for the real price.

If your price is right (low), you will get showings, and showings will result in contracts. If you get no showings after doing all of the above, your price is too high so lower it. It is a numbers game. It is not difficult, but you must be committed. It can get dicey figuring out who would get the finders fee sometimes, but it is good to have those entrepreneurial neighbors competing to see who gets the money.

Don't just list it with one broker and sit back waiting for the buyers to come - you will grow moss on your north side. Feel free to PM me.

Since there are no rules or regulations regarding traffic or driving in the Kingdom, what difference does it make? Going the wrong way seems to be a privilege that many drivers exercise regularly. Just do what you want. Even if there were rules, the police wouldn't know what they are.

Also, there are no signs indicating that the access road to the airport is one-way, two-way, or any-way. At first I thought it was temporary, but I think they are going to wait until the road paint wears off, then order signs at the same time they repaint it.

In the same boat. Look around at all the unoccupied, new properties that have more new construction being built right next to them. Thais prefer new, could be a ghost in that old one. Agree with Worgeordie above in marketing it yourself. We have had no showings from brokers, but have been stuffing moo baan mailboxes with flyers offering up a 2% "finders fee" for any buyers they refer who close. Friends and family are now coming out of the woodwork, given this financial incentive, and we have had five recent showings and three legit buyers with interest, although no money in hand or closed deals yet. Better than waiting for the dolts brokers to perform. Play to the greed factor, but you must price below 'market' and expect to pay a commission if you want people to work for you.

One on the Mae Rim Rd is very professional, but a little cold and impersonal, its clearly a business first and foremost.. I also doubt the claims they make about how much time the dogs spend free roaming, I suspect its a lot less then they tell you it is, which makes it something closer to caged boarding. I also had a issue where one price was agreed, deposit paid and on return he tried to charge me a (slightly) higher day rate, insisting he didnt agree the earlier rate, luckily I happened to have the receipt which is unusual as I dont normally keep paper for much time. Then he got all huffy and acted like he was being ripped off and all "next time cannot this price" when he clearly quoted me that.. It is however very clean and efficient, they can wash your dog before you return (extra fees) and they photograph the dogs daily and send these images to you via facebook albums and tagging, my wife likes that a lot. I just dont get a really caring vibe from it.

Also theres pooch resort, which has moved from saraphi to the san patong side of hang dong.. If I will be a little blunt, the guy who runs this seems a teeny bit away with the fairies, but he clearly loves dogs, understands them, and they are full time allowed to be out and loose.. Its very much slacker and less professional than the above, but oddly I feel like he cares more about each animal as an individual.. I trust him to 'care' about my dog more.

I had an issue a few years ago with the Mae Rim outfit. Twice my dog came home spaced out, wobbly on her feet and not eating well for 3-4 days afterwards. My vet suggested something may have been added to the food. FYI

I'm sure different things work for different people. Turmeric works for me, and is the least expensive of all options. I used to take glucosamine and chondroitin and aspirin and other things, but have no need for them now. I was a little nervous getting rid of the glucosamine, but it can also have some negative effects. Have had both of my knees scoped but not replaced. Keep the pounds down and the weight off of them. Bike to strengthen them. Elastic knee brace when needed.

I have no positive experience or comments on magnets or copper for arthritis. In my opinion, you would be just as well off buying an amulet from one of the vendors outside Big C.

I do have one word for you - turmeric (or tumeric). The yellow powder used in cooking has some incredible properties that are beneficial to those with arthritis. I used to try whatever I could for pain relief, but after using turmeric every day for a year in my breakfast (it has little,if any taste), I am pain-free, no longer take glucosamine, and can do deep squats and back to a stand with no pain. Almost free. If I had the urgent need to, I could probably use a Thai squat toilet without fear of falling in or not being able to get back up.

Thanks Rob.

Does anyone have any positive referrals for a local auto body shop? I was clipped while parked, and have a small amount of body work to be done along with replacing one tail-light lens. Looking for decent work, reasonable price, and fast turnaround.

Any positive referrals appreciated. (Good directions, please - not "Turn left at my cousin's house.......")

I'll be specific. Get some 3M Filtrete fabric (HomePro, 3M shop, etc.) and cover the existing AC filters with it. Or get someone to help you do this. This will filter out the particles that your <deleted> filters miss., and turn your AC unit into an air purifier. Again at HomePro, 3M shop, or Baan & Beyond, get some 3M N-95 face masks. The stupid things that all the Thais wear only filter out large bugs. The N-95 masks filter out very small particles (they are rated for Ebola, if ever that invades). If it doesn't have N-95 stamped on in, don't buy it. You can spray paint all day in one. I bicycle about 20 km per day, and wear one while exercising. A quality face mask like this puts a slightly higher load on your pulmonary system, so if exercising, you may want to cut back your workout intensity a bit, but for normal household stuff. they are fine.

Near Nong Hoi market, on the same road, there are 1-2 old-time cobblers who will do your shoe repair. If you are not familiar with the area, it is close to the Holiday Inn. You would be best to park and walk along the road until you see them, as they can sometimes be hard to spot if you are moving, not to mention the hazard of looking for something while also trying to drive. Look for the shoes.

This sounds almost as comical as the "Amazing Black Hole Technique" which was used in a failed attempt at rainmaking a few years back.

Do the amulet vendors not have a trinket to ward off haze?

Oh no, not the relatives!!

In 60 days, the smog will be gone and the committee will pat themselves on the back and pose for photos.

Earlier this week, I went from CM to Sara Buri and back and did not see any rice fields burning. Lots of wooded land, but no rice fields. Plenty of grass burning on the side of the highway, but not in the rice fields. Maybe they are saving them for next month.

Needing a connection soldered on my iMac board, I searched the TV archives but saw no positive solution. I remembered an oddly-named place (Be Fixed) upstairs at Meechok Plaza, and gave him a try. Brought the machine with me, walked in, and he stopped what he was doing and did the 5 minute solder job immediately. One-man show, very nice guy, he speaks very good English. Works on Mac and Windows machines, as well as smartphones and cameras. Sure beats the attitudes, time, and expense of the 'official' repair shops. Recommend him highly, and will use him again for any problems. No complaints about the meager cost for this repair. He also has some nice used Yamaha acoustic guitars for anyone who may be interested.

Almost all Thai TV would manage to offend some, if not most, people. Strike that - I see people every day that instead of working, watch the dumbest of the dumb shows put forth, complete with laughing on cue and acting more alert when the sound effects go off. It wasn't dubbed 'the idiot box' for nothing. Mr. Bean is only a small step in a lateral direction.

Which Tesco?

Another hub?

Ah, the big thinkers at work again, projecting, projecting, with no facts to base the projections on.

"Somchai, I have a new idea! Help me pull it out from where my good ideas come from!"

"Loh, that looks like a turtle head poking out!"

Is that all the writer could find to criticize the ad campaigns of late? How about the "ebola-free tourism" or asking celebrities to come and take selfies? The core problem with diminishing numbers of many kinds here is that the prime essence of Thainess is truly coming up and biting the country on the arse.

Sports World has it for home gym cables, but not sure about additives.

So the cherubs really only have to be in the house between 10 pm - 6 am. Long enough to get some sleep and play on facebook and Line. No way to prove the other "punishment" prohibitions. This is about as effective as the recent approaches to prostitution, corruption, drugs, driving, etc.

"No way to prove the other "punishment" prohibitions." Well except for blood and breath tests, and traffic police.

That would require that they be caught and the follow-up done. Fat chance of that happening.

Use the grey matter between your ears, there are many by-products of rice that we can get involved in, instead of importing, such as, rice noodles, egg role wrappers, edible rice paper, rice flower, rice dumplings, rice bran oil, rice milk, rice syrup, rice crackers, canned rice products, rice cooking oil, and of course all kinds of fuel. just to name a few.

You forgot Lao-Khao. I can just see it:

"2016. Thailand has record surplus of homemade whiskey. Government promises to buy it at twice its value."

Didn't they lose the #1 Exporter designation last year? How can they hold on to it? Oh, I'm sorry - Thai math in the schools.