I will be arriving in Chiang Mai on the 11th of may. I've previously lived in Thailand for a year and know how help full and money saving it can be to have a thai speaker help you find a house.

If anyone can recommend a decent Thai agent, or has a thai friend who would be interested in this we would be willing to pay 2k-10k baht depending on how help full the person is and weather we find a place or not.

We are looking for a 2 bedroom condo/house, westernish style, clean, nice, new, near downtown with everything in working condition.

The Idea is to find someone that can help us save $/time and communicate directly with the landlords.

Hello and welcome. There is an almost identical thread here where you find information regarding renting. You could try one of these:

http://www.houseinchiangmai.net/House_Rent_list.aspx?min=0&max=10000

http://www.houseinchiangmai.net/Condo_Rent_list.aspx?min=0&max=10000

http://www.ping-property.com/ping-property-for-rent.php?property_type=&province=1&location=1&bedrooms=3&price=9&ref_no=&Submit2.x=49&Submit2.y=13&Submit2=Submit

http://www.chiangmaihouse.com/index.php?pclass[]=4&rentalpricemonth-min=8000&rentalpricemonth-max=12000&bedrooms-min=&bathrooms-min=&action=searchresults&pclass[]=

http://www.professionals.co.th/Chiangmai/ENG/

http://www.jasminehomes.co.th/listing_browse_rental.php?moo_baan=&price-min=0&price-max=10000&District=Muang&type=&pool=&beds=&baths=&land_size-min=&land_size-max=&Min_rental_period=

Cheers, CMX

Thank you for the response.

I've actually looked at all of those sites and the topics you have sent me, I was hoping to find someone who knows the area/speaks thai to help me get a lower price then those offered on such websites.

If I recall when we were renting a house in Mae Jo area, we had a thai lady looking for us to find properties and then show them to us. How it was explained to me was she earned the equivalent of one 's month's rent from the renter and not from us. But in order to make it up, many renters charge the rentee two months (our case) (i heard even three sometimes ) security deposit which hopefully you get back at the end if they are honest....The cost usually falls on the renter not the rentee...

Unless, your rent is equal to the amount you are quoting, I doubt you will find someone (not a friend) looking for you in an aggressive way...

CB

It's a buyer's market. Agent fees are borne by the landlord, however, landlords tend to protect themselves contractually by setting up a minimum term combined with prepayments and/or a security deposit which are forfeited if the tenant gets out of the contract early. Good luck with finding a negotiator/middleman. I've generally found this to be non-delegable, but I'm open to being convinced otherwise.

Cheers, CMX

Almost everyone who has settled here has either had their Thai friends, or a real estate agent, or took the time themselves to go around a look at properties to find suitable accommodation.

Why does the OP expect someone who does not have a vested interest to take the time, spend money on gasoline, to take someone who does not want to take the time and price / area compare for him/herself?

I intend to look/drive around and search plenty on my own, however once I have compiled a list of phones numbers to call I was thinking it would be better if their was a thai speaker on the phone.

I intend to look/drive around and search plenty on my own, however once I have compiled a list of phones numbers to call I was thinking it would be better if their was a thai speaker on the phone.

Why not have a Thai friend help you?

Op I sent you a PM with information of someone that will help you .

Almost everyone who has settled here has either had their Thai friends, or a real estate agent, or took the time themselves to go around a look at properties to find suitable accommodation.

Why does the OP expect someone who does not have a vested interest to take the time, spend money on gasoline, to take someone who does not want to take the time and price / area compare for him/herself?

Agreed Sheepsel,

I have in the past gone out of my way to give info on properties I have seen or known about.

I later checked with the contacts I had referred them to, only to find that the person who was inquiring never made any contact, even tho the person inquiring said they had, but were unable to describe or discuss about the rental property.

Instead the inquiring person continued to go thru an agent to find a place.

I have found far too many people that ask for help, only have unrealistic expectations at a "Beer Budget Price".

Better for the OP to look himself, or use an agent.