Best Country Style Area To Live In Chiang Mai Locale:

[eveningson]

Hello all

I posted earlier and received quite a bit of advice and now as my visa approval gets done, i am still short of a bit of information. I have decided to go so for those folks that wish to advise me to stay away, i will not listen.

I really appreciate your advice since you are on the ground there and unlike agents, not driven by the same motivation.

i would like a smaller house for two people in a development, spa, golf course in a country setting like mae rim. I will probably end up buying a new truck, since this is what folks recommend. i will need internet absolutely and the broadest band possible. price for this is no object and a housekeeper. live in or not, no difference.

i am willing to pay from 30 to 45 thousand. I am not wealthy but this is what i could afford for housing. something less and good will of course be considered. i dont want to price myself out of a good sweet house that is not too big but perfect. The sorts of neighbours are important i have been told. And to make sure that the house has some sort of foil in the roof and not in an area prone to flooding. I should also wait and see a bit before moving in., i.e. an apartment hotel for the first bit with an aclimatization period of a couple of weeks before househunting. Some note that there are people driven to chiang mai by the flood so the market right now is influenced by that.

i did not ask about security, i.e. thailand has been in the news, but that would be appreciated as well.

i notice some of the houses are wooden. what are these like, i.e. for bugs and stuff.

I might start golf although it has never interested me in the past. but i am 57 and dont want to become a couch potatoe and die.

cheers all and thank all of you who have given me specific advice. i really appreciated that.

garry.

Edited November 25, 2011 by eveningson

[bluweyze]

Anything wooden you will need termite protection regularly.When you look at a house look how the midday sun affects the house, the wrong position and your air-con will work flat out, sensible shading and a fan might suffice. A big south-facing window might seem attractive until you actually live with it.Security in Chiang Mai is generally good (beats London by a country mile) but if you make it easy you might attract opportunist thieves.I have a fairly cheap security system.Living on a golf course puts the price up significantly.

[eveningson]

Anything wooden you will need termite protection regularly.When you look at a house look how the midday sun affects the house, the wrong position and your air-con will work flat out, sensible shading and a fan might suffice. A big south-facing window might seem attractive until you actually live with it.Security in Chiang Mai is generally good (beats London by a country mile) but if you make it easy you might attract opportunist thieves.I have a fairly cheap security system.Living on a golf course puts the price up significantly.

yes that is true about the termites. are there dangerous bugs and snakes that one has to take measures against. i dont mean to kill the snakes or animals but i certainly would want to have them away from where i sleep etc.

[Femme]

Hello non couch patato,

Wooden houses are pittoresque, but in the tropics I'd go for a comfortable, concrete house. Concrete houses are usually better insulated which is convenient in the cold season (at nights, it can be pretty cold) and also in the hottest months. Plus more bug proof.

I used this 'flood area map" I found on the forum and I'm recycling it. It gives you an idea where it can be watery (see attechment)

There are so many golf courses, find the house and you'll drive to the course within 15 minutes.

Once you're staying at a serviced apartment for the first month(s), maybe it is an idea to go to expat meetings. People are helpful by sharing their experiences.

Reading about areas and actually being in the area is not the same-same.

This is one the clubs: http://www.chiangmaiexpatsclub.com/

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When you're here and meet people (some may even show you around: retirees have a lot of spare time ... when they are not busy with their hobbies) you will roll like a ball, going from one thing to another.

Fem.

[Fishenough]

With friends living in all directions in Chiang Mai, the most pleasant country living, close to the nicer golf courses, in my view is east of the city.

That's quite a general statment, but in my option accurate - there are beautiful housing in all directions, but a house near Samoeng, or backing on the Ping, will command high rent for those locations. Though I do know of one Expat living in a beaut of a riverside house for 25,000 B, nicely negotiated with a long lease.

But directly east, 20-30kms from city, I've visited 2 modern well built houses; double pane windows, full featured kitchens, properly insulted, plus both having perfectly functioning pools, that are being rented at 35,000 B a month (year leases) - and these places have mountain views, fully furnished with nice stuff, and are quick drives to the nicer links. Plenty of activities of the physical nature in those areas too, whom wants to job, hike and bicycle in the city center.

[eveningson]

Hello non couch patato,

Wooden houses are pittoresque, but in the tropics I'd go for a comfortable, concrete house. Concrete houses are usually better insulated which is convenient in the cold season (at nights, it can be pretty cold) and also in the hottest months. Plus more bug proof.

I used this 'flood area map" I found on the forum and I'm recycling it. It gives you an idea where it can be watery (see attechment)

There are so many golf courses, find the house and you'll drive to the course within 15 minutes.

Once you're staying at a serviced apartment for the first month(s), maybe it is an idea to go to expat meetings. People are helpful by sharing their experiences.

Reading about areas and actually being in the area is not the same-same.

This is one the clubs: http://www.chiangmaiexpatsclub.com/

CMCCnews (Christian) for events and ads, to subscribe for weekly newsletter:

[email protected]

When you're here and meet people (some may even show you around: retirees have a lot of spare time ... when they are not busy with their hobbies) you will roll like a ball, going from one thing to another.

Fem.

Delighted to hear from you again. Wow. what a bunch of information. something to chew on for awhile. I have decided on chiang mai for sure now and will move sometimes next year depending when i get my visa. some say one month others say three. I might want to spend the holidays and easter at home and then i will head out and clear a trail for the family, i.e. my wife who will come later in the year.

I will take your advice and book an apartment hotel for six weeks or so, and spend the first two weeks not worrying about a house but just use the time to get use to the city. Try out the grub and the coffee places. I dont drink thank god and no longer have any wild oats left. so, i might even do some tourist stuff.

I dread the flight. Mexico City to vancouver then korean air to incheon and then incheon directly into chiang mai. I prefer flying into vancouver since this is my home country so it works out very well for me. this means that i have to find an apartment hotel here on the web so i dont have to run around exhausted trying to find a place etc. or getting a hotel and then changing.

i will check out the water map. some nice fellow here said the east is quite nice, i mean the eastern side of chiang mai, 20 to 30 kms out. i like to be close to a hospital because i dont trust my ticker anymore. so i have to check that out too in that direction. i notice houses in mae rim area. what is that place like.

cheers femme and thanks so much. once my wife shows up, we should have a coffee. with or without genever.

[eveningson]

With friends living in all directions in Chiang Mai, the most pleasant country living, close to the nicer golf courses, in my view is east of the city.

That's quite a general statment, but in my option accurate - there are beautiful housing in all directions, but a house near Samoeng, or backing on the Ping, will command high rent for those locations. Though I do know of one Expat living in a beaut of a riverside house for 25,000 B, nicely negotiated with a long lease.

But directly east, 20-30kms from city, I've visited 2 modern well built houses; double pane windows, full featured kitchens, properly insulted, plus both having perfectly functioning pools, that are being rented at 35,000 B a month (year leases) - and these places have mountain views, fully furnished with nice stuff, and are quick drives to the nicer links. Plenty of activities of the physical nature in those areas too, whom wants to job, hike and bicycle in the city center.

Hi and thank you for taking the time to write,

I will take your advice and check this area out. I think the name of the area is samoeng right. i was wondering about flooding that way. my wife insisted that i check this out. i dont mind paying a decent price for a decent place so money is not a big issue since i dont want a huge house but a comfortable one sufficient for two people in the 40 to 50 range. people here seem to think that 50 is quite a bit so i would be happy with anything decent.

i notice that you have a fish name. i like fishing and in my earlier post i asked if anyone knew of any good fishing around chiang mai. i dont mind seeded sites and i tend to catch and release anyway. i just dont know the fish there since i tend to try to catch trout in switzerland and a variety of other fish in canada when i lived there.

garry.