Are Estate Agents USEFUL in Finding a Small House, in Thailand, in the Suburbs? Or, is Word-of-Mouth, through friends, the Only Way?

[GammaGlobulin]

My Dear Friends,

 

Have you ever wished to find a nice small house in the suburbs, not too far from the city, some quiet place with no roosters, etc.?

 

And then, how would you actually go about finding such a place?

 

Are estate agents useful and effective?  Do they actually save you money and time?

And, if estate agents are useful...then.... How do you even find an agent that is reliable?  Yes! How do you find one???

 

No doubt that some of you are just like me.  We are all looking for a small and quiet place, a small house for example, where we can find peace of mind, and just carry on.

 

So far, I have not found a place here which fulfills my very basic requirements.

 

My requirements are these:

 

a. No sudden construction nearby which disrupts my sleep at night, nor my work in daytime hours.

b. Nice neighbors.

c. No roosters, of any kind.

d. Internet access via 3BB.  3BB is simply amazing, for me.  I have never had a single problem in many months with 3BB.  Service is TERRIFIC!  (I have used many providers that were subpar.) I love 3BB, for sure.

e.  A place without a landlady who is single, lonely, unhappy, nutzo, frenetic, geriatric, narcissistic, or over the hill.

f.  Nice natural environment around me with fireflies, sometimes, and flowers.

g.  Very little road traffic... Just mostly neighbors walking in the early evenings so that I can doff my cap and say Hi in Thai.

h.  Several other simple wishes, which are not unusual for most of us, I think.

 

Therefore, I just pose this simple question:  How do you find a good estate agent?  Or, what is the best way to find one of the many small houses which, most assuredly, must exist.  We know that these suitable places exist, and the only question is how to find them???

 

===

 

On another subject:

 

Sometimes I dream about my perfect place to live.

No doubt, some of you also dream.

I am not looking for my dream house in Thailand.

I just hope to find a satisfactory place where I can carry on.

 

However, if I were to state here my dream condo, then I think it would be the Dakota.

 

 

No roosters.

Solid build with thick walls and very thick concrete floors.

Good security and privacy.

Even, Rosemary's Baby.

 

 

So very few of us will ever have the option to live at the Dakota, sadly enough.

 

And therefore, our only option is to find a small place in the 'burbs, outside of a city in Thailand, where we can just.... Carry On.

 

Any suggestions regarding finding a good Estate Agent?

 

Great!

 

===========

 

Also...we should be careful what we wish for....

Sometimes, fame and fortune do not guarantee longevity.

 

Maybe being the invisible man is better.

No doubt many famous people would agree.

 

 

 

Still, after Lennon, we must carry on.....

 

We must live somewhere, until the end of our days here, obviously.

 

Better to live without roosters, etc., etc.

 

Maybe an Estate Agent is the way to go?

How to find, if this is so?

 

Regards,

Globby.

 

 

Note:  Moving is very difficult, as we all know.  Yet, maybe it is worth making the effort if one can improve one's state of mind by moving on.  Never stagnate.  Never grow moss.  When the pot begins to boil, then keep your wits about you, and jump out of the simmering pot.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[GammaGlobulin]

You know...

 

It is a shame, really, because I always prefer to live very near a university, no matter the country.

 

However, in Thailand, university students here too much love beating on drums, night and day.

 

They seem not to care that all this beating on drums negatively influences their scholastic achievements and their focus on their studies.

Maybe the beating on drums is part of the education experience here in Thailand.

 

Other than the beating of drums, living near a university in Thailand would be wonderful.

 

Such a shame, really.

Otherwise, finding a QUIET place with congenial and intelligent neighbors would be far easier. 

 

 

[1FinickyOne]

I know 2 or 3 places like that right off the bat... one 10,000 baht [1 bedroom] and the other 15,000 baht [2 bedroom]. I assume you have your own transportation? If not, don't bother.. 

 

Though what you are stating here are different requirements than what you were looking for before... 

 

If you want more info, you can pm me... I am assuming you are not really serious - asking for a place in suburban/rural Thailand and using the Dakota as an example... 

 

it is sort of like wanting a chocolate milkshake that is made of fish only. Not possible. 

[timendres]

I spent months looking for a townhouse at the end of last year. Scouring the net (terrible, because 80% of what you see listed is no longer available, and accurate locations are rarely shown), asking friends (they don't care), and walking neighborhoods (giant waste of time). But in the end, it was my agent who found two perfect choices for me, one if which I am currently renting. A good agent knows what is available and how well it fits your requirements, and may know of a property before anyone else has a chance to take it off the market. A bad agent just wastes your time.

[GammaGlobulin]

8 minutes ago, timendres said:

I spent months looking for a townhouse at the end of last year. Scouring the net (terrible, because 80% of what you see listed is no longer available, and accurate locations are rarely shown), asking friends (they don't care), and walking neighborhoods (giant waste of time). But in the end, it was my agent who found two perfect choices for me, one if which I am currently renting. A good agent knows what is available and how well it fits your requirements, and may know of a property before anyone else has a chance to take it off the market. A bad agent just wastes your time.

Never a truer word!!!!

 

"asking friends"  (THEY DON'T CARE)

 

You are SO CORRECT, my friend.

 

Finding a place to move to, and moving to the place you find....is a real battle.

[GammaGlobulin]

One more word of advice:

 

If you suspect that your prospective new landlady might be a shrew...

 

Then, beware!

 

This landlady will become ever more intrusive and shrewish.

 

And there will be NO taming of this shrew, for sure.

[GammaGlobulin]

30 minutes ago, timendres said:

I spent months looking for a townhouse at the end of last year. Scouring the net (terrible, because 80% of what you see listed is no longer available, and accurate locations are rarely shown), asking friends (they don't care), and walking neighborhoods (giant waste of time). But in the end, it was my agent who found two perfect choices for me, one if which I am currently renting. A good agent knows what is available and how well it fits your requirements, and may know of a property before anyone else has a chance to take it off the market. A bad agent just wastes your time.

Just to reply to your post, once again...

 

Yes.

 

I agree with you that an agent is the best way to go.  They are motivated, and they have more contacts.

 

This is why the main question in this topic is concerning how to find a good agent, one which will put your best interests forefront.

 

How do you find a good agent in the area where you wish to move to?

 

Maybe you wish to move to an area which is slightly "out of the way".  How to find an agent there, for example.

 

Any good advice for us? 

[Sparktrader]

400 baht rooms. Rent one then ask around.

[GammaGlobulin]

5 minutes ago, Sparktrader said:

400 baht rooms. Rent one then ask around.

Good suggestion.

 

This method does work.

 

Thanks.

[dj230]

2 hours ago, GammaGlobulin said:

You know...

 

It is a shame, really, because I always prefer to live very near a university, no matter the country.

 

However, in Thailand, university students here too much love beating on drums, night and day.

 

They seem not to care that all this beating on drums negatively influences their scholastic achievements and their focus on their studies.

Maybe the beating on drums is part of the education experience here in Thailand.

 

Other than the beating of drums, living near a university in Thailand would be wonderful.

 

Such a shame, really.

Otherwise, finding a QUIET place with congenial and intelligent neighbors would be far easier. 

 

 

I lived near universities in the two condos I've rented since I've been here in Thailand, its been quiet and peaceful at both locations 

 

Not sure what the OP is looking for, if it's just a quiet house, would a gated community work? I saw some from AP Thai, nice houses, gated communities in Bangkok. 

[GammaGlobulin]

4 hours ago, 1FinickyOne said:

it is sort of like wanting a chocolate milkshake that is made of fish only.

And so it is for wanting to find a nice, quiet house, without roosters next-door, in Thailand.

 

One with a landlady who is not a shrew, or shrewish.

 

And, a place with good water pressure, and good Internet.

 

And a place with some greenery around, but without a mom and pop factory, next door, operating a buzz saw. 

 

 

 

No!

 

I do not expect anything like this living arrangement in Thailand.

Such as this, only happens in Hawaii, on Kauai, as we all know.

 

However, I just need a quiet place, at a reasonable price, with no roosters; some place to lay my head undisturbed by the beating of drums at odd hours.

 

There must be a place for me, surely.....

 

 

Somewhere,

Sometime,

Surely....

 

 

[GammaGlobulin]

Someday...

 

Somewhere...

 

Someday, we will find a new way of living....

[PadPrikKhing]

6 hours ago, GammaGlobulin said:

A place without a landlady who is single, lonely, unhappy, nutzo, frenetic, geriatric, narcissistic, or over the hill.

I'm curious whether you had a series of landladies with those characteristics, or you had just one landlady that had all of those characteristics.

 

As someone who is planning to come there to live (Chiang Mai, most probably), you're scaring me a little, but I don't expect to escape all of those things. I have to focus on the good things about Thailand that I will experience that I don't get here. So even if I have to endure intermittent construction noise (which I aready experience here) and a shrewish landlady (I have a somewhat shrewish roommate, right now!), I will be getting in trade inexpensive & more authentic Thai food, warmer weather, 1000X better prospects of meeting a non-shrewish girlfriend, easy access to the rest of Thailand and Asia, and a bunch of other nice things. I have to look at it this way.

[timendres]

5 hours ago, GammaGlobulin said:

Just to reply to your post, once again...

 

Yes.

 

I agree with you that an agent is the best way to go.  They are motivated, and they have more contacts.

 

This is why the main question in this topic is concerning how to find a good agent, one which will put your best interests forefront.

 

How do you find a good agent in the area where you wish to move to?

 

Maybe you wish to move to an area which is slightly "out of the way".  How to find an agent there, for example.

 

Any good advice for us? 

I am simply lucky that I found a good agent, who turned into a friend as well, here in BKK.

I have no advice on the best way to locate this agent, other than the eliminate bad ones until you find one.

Too many people are willing to put up with poor service and incompetent results. Fire that and move on.

[GammaGlobulin]

15 minutes ago, timendres said:

I am simply lucky that I found a good agent, who turned into a friend as well, here in BKK.

I have no advice on the best way to locate this agent, other than the eliminate bad ones until you find one.

Too many people are willing to put up with poor service and incompetent results. Fire that and move on.

Another bit of good advice, I think, for those seeking long-term housing.

I will take your advice.

I will be more persistent in seeking an agent.

However, as for me, someone who is not seeking an expensive house,

And as a single person,
I very much doubt that most estate agents will give me the time of day.

Why would they?

From a business perspective.

[GammaGlobulin]

34 minutes ago, PadPrikKhing said:

I'm curious whether you had a series of landladies with those characteristics, or you had just one landlady that had all of those characteristics.

 

As someone who is planning to come there to live (Chiang Mai, most probably), you're scaring me a little, but I don't expect to escape all of those things. I have to focus on the good things about Thailand that I will experience that I don't get here. So even if I have to endure intermittent construction noise (which I aready experience here) and a shrewish landlady (I have a somewhat shrewish roommate, right now!), I will be getting in trade inexpensive & more authentic Thai food, warmer weather, 1000X better prospects of meeting a non-shrewish girlfriend, easy access to the rest of Thailand and Asia, and a bunch of other nice things. I have to look at it this way.

I had one landlady with all of the above-stated personality characteristics.

And, she is my landlady, now.

 

Regarding previous landladies, none were as geriatric as my present landlady, yet some were even more narcissistic, if that is even possible.

 

[timendres]

3 minutes ago, GammaGlobulin said:

Another bit of good advice, I think, for those seeking long-term housing.

I will take your advice.

I will be more persistent in seeking an agent.

However, as for me, someone who is not seeking an expensive house,

And as a single person,
I very much doubt that most estate agents will give me the time of day.

Why would they?

From a business perspective.

The typical deal for an agent in Thailand is one month's rent for commission.

If you feel this will not encourage an agent to give you proper attention, then fix it.

Offer to double their commission if they find you the perfect place.

[GammaGlobulin]

Notes from Underground......

 

If I do not soon find a decent and quiet place to live here, then I might need to go underground to escape the din of roosters and aircraft flying overhead (not joking this time!).

 

 

 

 

 

Why?

 

Because, during the Covid thing, things became quieter. 

And now, the neighborhood is slowly getting back to normal.

 

And, I don't like this new normal, not at all.

 

====

 

I moved into my new place during the Covid period, when things were quiet.

 

For the first year, I had no aircraft buzzing me, throughout the day.

I had no cars driving by on the streets in front of my house.

 

Now, things are picking up, and life is not the same.

 

Am I joking, you might question?

No.  This is not a joke.

 

There are three options for me:

 

a.  I find a nice, quiet, clean place with friendly neighbors that I can talk to

b.  I go underground.

c.  I move to Japan where things are happy all the time, and where many villages in Japan are quickly becoming VERY depopulated.

 

I might even move to this village in Japan populated by, mostly, dolls.

 

 

Japan is a place with rapidly decreasing population.

Nagaro, Japan has found a solution to the depopulation problem.

Nagaro has become a village of dolls...

 

I would definitely go there, if only I could bring with me plenty of Thai food.

 

Years ago, I fell in love with the film about the village of the dolls...

 

 

 

Still, there is no place like home, Toto.

 

Thailand is home.

 

If only one had a home in Thailand.

 

 

 

 

 

[Onerak]

8 hours ago, GammaGlobulin said:

It is a shame, really, because I always prefer to live very near a university, no matter the country.

I love American university towns. Small, cosmopolitans, have access to all amenities and most university towns also have airports serviced by regional airlines. While doing my MS, I bought my first house in a university town in IL. I bought it for $35K in early  90s. Rented the two rooms (out of three rooms) to recoup my monthly payments while doing my MS. After renovation, roof replacement, HVAC replacement etc, constructing a two car garage etc over the years. It's  apprised last month at more than 210K and I have also moved to the house after my retirement. I also bought a condo in Las Vegas that I use it for airbnb rental through a rental company who used to take 15% but now when I sign the next contract they want to raise the price to 30%. I intend to sale it next year. I regret not buying a home in Silicon valley when I used to work there and I could have bought a house for  300K which is now more than a million. 

[GammaGlobulin]

If I could go back in time to some idyllic Thailand land, some land which never, ever existed....

 

Then...here is my perfect place to live...

 

How much in rent would you be willing to pay for this, these days?

Some mythical place?

What would this house be worth to you, if you could have this myth, today?

 

 

This series of books is incredible, using both definitions of the word.

 

Here is written an elusive part of Thailand that you can only appreciate by reading these books.

 

I would live there, for sure, if I could also have the Internet, or at the very least, a lot of books.

 

(Anyone here know the name of the dog?)