Where And Where Not To Rent A House?

[Warrior]

After a couple of years flying back and forth between the Netherlands and Chiang Mai, time has come to move more permanently to CM later this year. Since the family includes a 12 year old, I am careful about where to stay.

I will use informal contacts at my company and a real estate agent to find available houses.

But in the mean time, I am open to suggestions.

What I am looking for is a rental home in a moo baan, somewhere roughly between Nakornpayap International School and Sansai. Two or three bedrooms. Preferably with a pool at the moo baan. Monthly rent B 20,000 – 25,000.

Any moo baan that I should definitely see? Or that I should stay away from?

All advice welcome! Thanks a lot.

[sassienie]

If you like peace and quite and somewhere without wall to wall neighbours, than avoid living in a moo baan.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

I think the best course of action is to go look around. First visit a real estate site but NOT to find a good rent because most of them tend to be over-priced, but it WILL give you a good idea of the typical standard of houses. Of course it needs to be a site that doesn't play childish games about the location of houses, so something like www.jasminehomes.co.th. Search both rentals and 'for sale' houses because you're just looking to identify areas, not commit to renting something.

Now, you obviously want a higher-end / better standard area in with that budget. For many housing developments it's immediately obvious that they're crap.. Tiny houses, no space, few facilities..

So typically what I would want when spending 20-25K is:

1. SPACE! The house needs to be on AT LEAST 100 square wa (tarang wa), preferably more, like double that. Avoid the places where the houses are so close together that the roofs pretty much touch. (Sadly that includes most)

2. Size and quality of the house.. 4 bedrooms at least on the budget, preferably 5 and including a maid room / maid bathroom, an office room, etc.

Ok so with those two things in mind you can identify some housing developments that have houses in that range. The remaining issue of importance relate to the specific house that you're looking at, you know, the usual:

A. Overall state off the house; watch for signs of leaking roofs, termite damage etc.

B. 'Stuff' provided such as furniture, air conditioners etc. (Not a deal breaker because furniture is not expensive, but you'd expect the rent to be lower for an unfurnished house with no air conditioners.)

C. Sewer/drainage, electricity (turn everything on and see if something goes 'boom'), water pressure/water cleanliness

D. Neighbours.. If they're Chinese Shitzu Breeders then look elsewhere.

E. Estate facilities.. A well kept pool is nice.. (Security is crap no matter where with very few exceptions. )

F. Flooding : Ask the neighbours when was the last time the area flooded. (Preferred answer: Never ever)

G.. probably more.

Of course don't try to arrange this from back home in Europe, do something temporary and then select a nice house. Shouldn't be hard with that budget. Oh and finally, when paying that kind of money it needs to be VERY clear that you expect prompt maintenance from the renter when stuff breaks. You don't pay or arrange for anything; if as much as the toilet is clogged then you call the renter and he should get people to go fix it. And of course the deposit should be reasonable; a deposit should depend on the value of the movable 'stuff' in the house and not be over the top. One or two months rent in advance is reasonable, though often renters ask for more. (meaning they'd have a choice to make....!)

Edited March 27, 2009 by WinnieTheKhwai

[Pikey]

Have a sniff around Land & House on the Mae Jo Rd (1001) just north of the outside ring road (121). I don't live there but use the pool and the place seems to have a decent atmosphere. One word as WTK has already alluded to - DOGS! Some moo baans have a no dogs policy and if you value your peace & quiet then that's probably worth checking out.

Cheers,

Pikey.

[Ajarn]

I would sugest Muubaan Tanawan. Good location, has a large swimming pool, and good home prices. I pay 5,000 baht a month for a 3 bedroom, 2 bath house. There are a number of houses available here for less than you are willing to pay. Oh, we also have decent security service too

[Warrior]

Thanks a lot! Some nice suggestions already. And I did not think of the dogs - but now I do.

You are of great help.

[orang37]

snip ... All advice welcome! Thanks a lot ... snip ...

Hi Khun Warrior,

I could not improve on Khun WinnieTheKhwai's long list of suggestions, and others comments, but would make one specific suggestion : visit the site at 11pm or so on a Saturday or Sunday night; park your car, or whatever, and monitor the noise levels ... perhaps try the same thing at 7am. At mid-day on a week-day ?

When you drive out there at night take a look at how many dogs are out or laying down on the street.

happy hunting, ~o:37;

[Asmerom]

Thanks a lot! Some nice suggestions already. And I did not think of the dogs - but now I do.

Only dogs? So you'll hopefully be quite happy with the neighbour's cocks crowing every 30 seconds from 4.30am till 6pm?

Edited March 27, 2009 by Asmerom

[rcjoop]

Hi strijder,

Good suggestions already given, perhaps another possibility.

I live in Lake view park 2 where the Mae Jo road 1001 crosses the outer ring road 121. This is a somewhat older moobaan that is well maintained. It is managed by the same Land and Houses company as the big project a bit further out.

You will not find plots of 100 tarang wa or less but the average seems to be closer to 200 so there is normally good distance to the neighbours. No stray dogs and good security. You can see that because the houses do not have the 2 meter fences but just a small one where you can just step over.

According to my neighbour and a good friend, living here 12 and 16 years, hardly ever heard of burglary or other problems.

There is a pool but I never use it.

It should fit your budget.

But it is difficult to anticipate what will irritate you and what not, so you better be prepared that perhaps you will move after a year when it is not as expected.

good luck, Joop

[BlackArtemis]

Land and house got into some hot water with the pisspoor quality builds they did in BKK. They laid water pipes and just stuck em together, never clamped em etc. So a bunch of houses lost water and had their yards turned into swamps.

Avoid wallpaper, I have seen so many houses with it in the new moobaans and already it is beginning to bubble around window sills etc. My wife loved wallpaper, until I showed her it wasn't a great thing to have in such humid climate.

If you have Thai friends, ask them about certain moobaans.

A place that allows dogs is good, since they can be a theft deterent. personally I think breakins are going to steadily climb for the next few years, already we have quite a few members who had this horror happen to them.