I know there are many choices - - whether you own, rent or have visited a friend - what specific condo would you choose if buying... and why?

 

from what little I have seen, the newer buildings are nice to nearly small and sterile looking and the older buildings you can get much more space and character for the same $$... but fewer decent amenities... 

 

Thanks,... 

You need to set some parameters such as size/bedrooms/budget and state if you want buy for yourself or buy to rent.

 

Not sure why you want to know what others would buy as their objective/requirements (schools/work/entertainment etc) would be different to your own.

 

 

For me I would buy with two criteria, low cost with potential to renovate.

 

I would never buy to live in myself as that's not my style but instead  simply to catch the rental market. hence buy cheap, renovate cheap but with style.

 

certainly the older properties have more space as developer greed wasn't an issue prior to last two decades but again, if you don't want to live in an older building yourself then it doesn't matter.

39 minutes ago, kenk24 said:

whether you own, rent or have visited a friend

Not sure I'd buy, but this new place out of town (12Km from moat) in San Sai, has a small swimming pool and a large modern gym within 100m, (Olympic pool within 700m) and only costs 2,000bht/month. Free wifi, but 3BB fibre right outside. Can't see much point in renting in town unless you're drunk every night.

 

Rent a house. Almost the same money.

If I were into condos I would buy the highest floor unit available  in The Embassy House Condominium on the river... 

36 minutes ago, sfokevin said:

If I were into condos I would buy the highest floor unit available  in The Embassy House Condominium on the river... 

Thanks - that is more the response i was interested in... I am not particularly interested in condos - I live in the countryside but like coming in to CM for visits and so in town is best, and I am staying a bit more often as I have a kid in school here... 

 

Also, like buildings where people seem to be friendlier... all comments welcome. 

North 8 condo no doubt the best in Chiang Mai

Doi Ping Mansion looks pretty interesting. Older with large floor plans compared to the newer 30-35 sqm modern designs.

hillside 3 has what many renters are looking for, including the Nimman location, where I wouldn't want to live.  The value is there.

Noticing the advice to buy the highest floor unit available reminds me of a couple places where I rented one of the top floor apartments some years back.  One should be aware that the top floors might not be well insulated overhead--if at all, and the rooms can get extremely hot.  The cost of cooling those units would be far greater than the rooms even one floor lower.

3 hours ago, MrBrad said:

Noticing the advice to buy the highest floor unit available reminds me of a couple places where I rented one of the top floor apartments some years back.  One should be aware that the top floors might not be well insulated overhead--if at all, and the rooms can get extremely hot.  The cost of cooling those units would be far greater than the rooms even one floor lower.

the Thais will often be happy with a lower level, but the land office will often have higher values, every few floors up..and the builders put premiums on them, too.  The hallways won t be airconditioned, and it will likely be hotter up there.  Maintenance fees can be higher, for high floors, too.

Lived in Karnkanock 19 + 1 for a 6 months recently. Condo had a nice view of the mountain and city. Quite handy to town (just off Mahidol Road near Chiangmailand road) and had access to gym and swimming pool for relatively cheap. Not sure how much it would be to buy but it was 9k per month to rent out. 

 

Downsides were it was probably slightly smaller than I'd want (35 sqm) and it didn't have the best soundproofing. Kitchenette wasn't much to speak of either, but if you don't cook at home it's not really an issue, I suppose. 

Embassy House:

 

Smaller building. Nice riverfront location, seemingly solid building, larger units than new construction. Units are dated and need remodeling. Units are rarely available for either rent or purchase.

 

Floral: 

 

Large units, excellent views, built by a Japanese construction company (or so I have been told) for whatever that’s worth.  Units also dated and need remodeling.

 

Peaks Garden:

 

Modern, good floorplans

 

Twin Peaks:

 

Similar to Peaks Garden.  Avoid units facing the Shangri La hotel as the industrial air conditioning system is quite noisy and the drone can be heard even with the balcony doors shut.

 

Would still rent instead of buy as the P/E ratios are unfavorable.

 

WRT friendliness of people...who knows?

Floral not Flora, that's margarine!

 

Some units need updating, many already have been - 2 bedroom units at 150 square metres, 1 bed at 95 square metre. Backup generator in the basement. Residents include many Japanese on two year secondments to factories in Lamphun, plus US expats. Excellent onsite management, everything's above board and in the open. Build quality is high with no evidence of cracking despite several tremors over the years, contrast that with say Riverside where the cracks in the hallway walls in the upper floors are beyond scary. Downside: waste soil pipes have been an issue in some units, the building is getting on in years and some of the plumbing infrastructure may need attention. One side of the building tends to be hot at times, the other cool, the cooler side has a mosque nearby which doesn't seem to both most people.

4 hours ago, SammyT said:

Lived in Karnkanock 19 + 1 for a 6 months recently. Condo had a nice view of the mountain and city. Quite handy to town (just off Mahidol Road near Chiangmailand road) and had access to gym and swimming pool for relatively cheap. Not sure how much it would be to buy but it was 9k per month to rent out. 

 

Downsides were it was probably slightly smaller than I'd want (35 sqm) and it didn't have the best soundproofing. Kitchenette wasn't much to speak of either, but if you don't cook at home it's not really an issue, I suppose. 

Thanks - this do not sound inviting...