Where To Buy A Condo?

[stbahng]

I am moving to Bangkok in July and I want to buy a condo.

For the same price I could buy a bigger place outside of CBD.

What's the downside of living outside of CBD?

What would you do if you were in my shoes?

Any recommendations?

[jdinasia]

Don't buy for at least a year

Rent

Get to know the areas you will be spending time in ... THEN make a decision.

[PadThaiGuy]

What's the downside of living outside of CBD?

Living outside the CBD is the downside.

What are you going to do out there?

[stbahng]

I am gonna look for a small business.

I am too young and too broke to retire, yet.

I figure I will take express way when I need to get around.

[quiksilva]

If you are young rent a place in the CBD before buying anywhere, there's much more fun to be found in the city...!

[singa-traz]

I am gonna look for a small business.

I am too young and too broke to retire, yet.

I figure I will take express way when I need to get around.

Bangna will get soon the skytrain, sometime next year ... told me a politician.

[stbahng]

If you are young rent a place in the CBD before buying anywhere, there's much more fun to be found in the city...!

I am in my 40s and not really looking to party anymore.

[rgs2001uk]

I am gonna look for a small business.

I am too young and too broke to retire, yet.

I figure I will take express way when I need to get around.

jeez, this doesnt add up, too broke to retire, but not too broke to buy a condo.

why do you feel the need to buy a condo?

you would be putting money into a condo that you may or may not get back if you decide to sell.

also the money used for the condo could be used to start up the business you talk of.

why does it need to be in the cbd, do you intend buying a business there?

are you in thaialnd already,what sort of visa are you on?

have you back up plans if you cant find a business, or the business fails?

what would you do with the condo then?

if i were in your shoes, i would get to know bangkok and thailand a bit more than you do, i would rent first, i would do as much research as i could, if i then decided i was able to and wanted to do a business, i would give that business time to take off so i would know if it would be a success or not, then i would think again about putting my money into a condo.

[bangkapiboy]

I would choose Bangna for the extra space -- but that's just me -- Bangkapiboy It's easy to get to CBD (with patience).

[stbahng]

jeez, this doesnt add up, too broke to retire, but not too broke to buy a condo.

Maybe I should have said that I have not enough to retire....

[stbahng]

I would choose Bangna for the extra space -- but that's just me -- Bangkapiboy It's easy to get to CBD (with patience).

How patient do I have to be?

It's not gonna take an hour to get to CBD, is it?

[jdinasia]

at some times during the day it may take an hour or more if you are driving

[Theyreallrubbish]

I would choose Bangna for the extra space -- but that's just me -- Bangkapiboy It's easy to get to CBD (with patience).

How patient do I have to be?

It's not gonna take an hour to get to CBD, is it?

I used to live at Bangna Trad km 10.5 and my office was on Chidlom. It usually took about an hour, but could take 2-3 hours and I travelled outside of rush hours (left home at 9 a.m. and left office at 8 p.m. or later.

Travelling in rush hour the wait to get on the expressway could easily be 40 minutes or more.

[think_too_mut]

What's the downside of living outside of CBD?

Living outside the CBD is the downside.

What are you going to do out there?

Unles one is after girlie bars, what are you going to do in Bangkok city anyway?

(even then, from Bangna it may be quicker to reach Pattaya than Nana).

Shopping malls? They are much, much, much bigger outside the city.

Cinemas - same.

[jdinasia]

What's the downside of living outside of CBD?

Living outside the CBD is the downside.

What are you going to do out there?

Unles one is after girlie bars, what are you going to do in Bangkok city anyway?

(even then, from Bangna it may be quicker to reach Pattaya than Nana).

Shopping malls? They are much, much, much bigger outside the city.

Cinemas - same.

Ummm

well Western Food tends to be better in town, and I think you will find that Central World is now the largest shopping mall, followed by either Paragon or Seacon ... and the movie theaters at Paragon and Central world are better (if overpriced)

Not to mention that a newcomer may feel very isolated further out from the city center!

[think_too_mut]

What's the downside of living outside of CBD?

Living outside the CBD is the downside.

What are you going to do out there?

Unles one is after girlie bars, what are you going to do in Bangkok city anyway?

(even then, from Bangna it may be quicker to reach Pattaya than Nana).

Shopping malls? They are much, much, much bigger outside the city.

Cinemas - same.

Ummm

well Western Food tends to be better in town, and I think you will find that Central World is now the largest shopping mall, followed by either Paragon or Seacon ... and the movie theaters at Paragon and Central world are better (if overpriced)

Not to mention that a newcomer may feel very isolated further out from the city center!

People who care about western food so much do not have to move from western countries to Bangkok where that food is inferior and near the same price as in farangland.

And Seacon square would have everything if not more and better than city malls.

(Have you caught yourself also agreeing that Bangkok is shopping malls and absolutely nothing else?)

Then, once inside, would you be able to tell if you are in Bangna Central or Central Chidlom? I would have difficulties...especiall when I saw that concert piano in the middle of the mall, being played by a professional musician - in Bangna.

The Wall Street Journal, The Economist, The Financial Times, all foreign press is available in Bangna Central earlier than in the Emporium.

Same movies, same hypermarket chains...

Edited March 27, 2008 by think_too_mut

[jdinasia]

What's the downside of living outside of CBD?

Living outside the CBD is the downside.

What are you going to do out there?

Unles one is after girlie bars, what are you going to do in Bangkok city anyway?

(even then, from Bangna it may be quicker to reach Pattaya than Nana).

Shopping malls? They are much, much, much bigger outside the city.

Cinemas - same.

Ummm

well Western Food tends to be better in town, and I think you will find that Central World is now the largest shopping mall, followed by either Paragon or Seacon ... and the movie theaters at Paragon and Central world are better (if overpriced)

Not to mention that a newcomer may feel very isolated further out from the city center!

People who care about western food so much do not have to move from western countries to Bangkok where that food is inferior and near the same price as in farangland.

And Seacon square would have everything if not more and better than city malls.

(Have you caught yourself also agreeing that Bangkok is shopping malls and absolutely nothing else?)

Then, once inside, would you be able to tell if you are in Bangna Central or Central Chidlom? I would have difficulties...especiall when I saw that concert piano in the middle of the mall, being played by a professional musician - in Bangna.

The Wall Street Journal, The Economist, The Financial Times, all foreign press is available in Bangna Central earlier than in the Emporium.

Same movies, same hypermarket chains...

HUH?

This is certainly a case of you not living up to your name

No BKk is not all shopping malls. It may be when you go, it isn't for me. Can I tell the difference between shopping malls? Absolutely! There's not much that can compare to Paragon, sitting out by LeNotre and having a cappacino and a chocolate Volute! You can't compare the food available at Central Bangna to Emporium either. Not all people like fried insects and some people like to be able to have more choices not only in restaurants but also food from grocery stores.

Not to mention that the places are smaller with less to see, there is the "x-factor" of being isolated in the burbs and farang, particularly when you are a newbie in Thailand.

I have spent most of my time in Thailand living close to Seacon Sq. I don't feel isolated or put out at all. I speak Thai, and more importantly I read it, well enough to feel at ease out here. I have my own wheels and can go when and where I want, but I have friends that I have taken out here that felt it slightly oppressive to have so little English understood around them and to go without having conversations face to face in English on a daily basis.

I know I didn't move to Thailand to live in a farang ghetto, I also didn't move here to live in a poverty wracked upcountry village. Other people, however, have chosen to do both of those things! More power to them!