Where Should I Live

[canopy]

I wish to rent a house in Thailand and have been reading a lot in the archives about common pitfalls. I am a pretty self sufficient, adaptable country guy and wish to live out in the sticks or not too populated area, but where? Below are my criteria:

1. I like the sounds of nature from crickets to frogs, even a rooster crowing is ok. But I wish to completely avoid loud music, noisy dogs, vehicles driving by blaring their wares, village head announcements, and other such man made noises that will frankly drive me crazy.
   
2. I am a distance runner. I want to live somewhere with good air so no seasonal burning please.
   
3. I like the house with greener surroundings, not the one packed in a concrete jungle. And hopefully not all the surroundings turn brown and ugly part of the year.
   
4. Would like ample space around for privacy and the flexibility to do some gardening
   
5. 2BR house ideal, even 1BR if it is the right place. Unfurnished is fine. Basic is ok, but not shoddy with corners cut that looks bad. The more picturesque the better. Price can be more than average, but wish to avoid extreme prices with questionable value for money.
   

All of these requirements are easy to fulfill where I come from, but this is Thailand I know. Am I dreaming or do such places exist? How to go about finding them? Are there any applicable real estate web sites or other resources? I have looked through the classifieds at the top of the forum and it appears finding somewhere with a little privacy from the neighbors could be a bit of a problem.

I also welcome info on specific places you may know of becoming available soon. If you can provide promising photos, I would be obliged to hop out and have a look. I am in Bangkok for now. Anywhere is fine, though kind of hope to wind up somewhere North or Northeast. Thank you guys for not being too hard on me.

[nidge]

I wish to rent a house in Thailand and have been reading a lot in the archives about common pitfalls. I am a pretty self sufficient, adaptable country guy and wish to live out in the sticks or not too populated area, but where? Below are my criteria:

1. I like the sounds of nature from crickets to frogs, even a rooster crowing is ok. But I wish to completely avoid loud music, noisy dogs, vehicles driving by blaring their wares, village head announcements, and other such man made noises that will frankly drive me crazy.
   I hear crickets, frogs, plenty of birds. Never ever heard a village head announcement! Maximum 2 times a day do i hear people "selling their wares" but as one of them is the ice cream man i don't mind.
   
2. I am a distance runner. I want to live somewhere with good air so no seasonal burning please.
   I'm a XC mountain biker. Very little burning where i live and it's very localised.
   
3. I like the house with greener surroundings, not the one packed in a concrete jungle. And hopefully not all the surroundings turn brown and ugly part of the year.
   It's green everywhere for miles. City is surrounded by national parks.
   
4. Would like ample space around for privacy and the flexibility to do some gardening
   No problem
   
5. 2BR house ideal, even 1BR if it is the right place. Unfurnished is fine. Basic is ok, but not shoddy with corners cut that looks bad. The more picturesque the better. Price can be more than average, but wish to avoid extreme prices with questionable value for money.
   3 bed 2 bath houses for around 1.6 million. Look around, i'm sure you can get cheaper if you can be bothered.
   

All of these requirements are easy to fulfill where I come from, but this is Thailand I know. Am I dreaming or do such places exist? How to go about finding them? Are there any applicable real estate web sites or other resources? I have looked through the classifieds at the top of the forum and it appears finding somewhere with a little privacy from the neighbors could be a bit of a problem.

Forget trying to find places like this online. Get in a car or on a bus and drive around. There is probably not a single real estate agent in the whole province!

I also welcome info on specific places you may know of becoming available soon. If you can provide promising photos, I would be obliged to hop out and have a look. I am in Bangkok for now. Anywhere is fine, though kind of hope to wind up somewhere North or Northeast. Thank you guys for not being too hard on me.

Good luck wherever you decide to look,

Nidge.