Small House Wanted, Can'T Find One A Nice One

[Fishenough]

Hello,

My son and I are looking for a new house; only needing to 2 bedrooms but want a yard bigger than a postage stamp, I need a bit larger than normal kitchen as I cook and bake often. I have my own oven, and all kitchen necessities, minus the kitchen sink and fridge. We have only a minimal amount of furniture, so we need furnished or some furnishings. Looking for any location near the super highway or the middle ring road; son goes to school in the SW, a business in the SE and a office in NE.

Also we don't need air conditioning.

Have had many people showing us houses recently and are quite disappointed in the houses we've been shown in the 6000 b to 5000 b price range. I do have a little understanding of current pricing, but we do have a handful of farang and Thai friends renting similar houses in that price range, that are nicer than the current house I rent now for more. Some having moved into their houses within this last year, and a couple moved after the floods. Hard to sign a year lease on a 6000 baht wooden 2 bedroom bug filled barely bigger than a shack, with 6' 6" ceiling height, in a muddy yard surrounded by endless junk of the neighbors, when friend paying the same - or much less - live in quite nice little houses. Heck beginning of last year found a tenant for a friends house, at 4500 b a month, that would now be more then we need. That friend has suggested hiring his daughter (who's my age) to play my girlfriend as to negotiate a fair price (yes and yes).

Want to save a few thousand baht a month, and only need a small house. Finding this a single farang is proving difficult.

Any leads would be much appreciated!

[shepsel]

The further that you go from the centre of the city the more likely you are to find one in your price range, however it may be in a Thai style house in a Thai neighbourhood without the gated community.

Regarding the kitchen, as you know Thai kitchens are minimal and usualy outside or in a small cubby hole, so one has to be creative in expanding the work area into a dining/living area. Renting an unfurnished house would be less costlly in the long run, as usually the furniture that they supply is not comfortable to larger sized westerners. Purchasing furniture will not cost a lot of money and the amount you save each month on an unfurnished place will cover the cost of your own furniture in a matter of about six months.

If you venture outside of the city centre, and take a Thai with you, you can have them call phone numbers that are for rent signs in Thai.

[Fishenough]

The further that you go from the centre of the city the more likely you are to find one in your price range, however it may be in a Thai style house in a Thai neighbourhood without the gated community.

Regarding the kitchen, as you know Thai kitchens are minimal and usualy outside or in a small cubby hole, so one has to be creative in expanding the work area into a dining/living area. Renting an unfurnished house would be less costlly in the long run, as usually the furniture that they supply is not comfortable to larger sized westerners. Purchasing furniture will not cost a lot of money and the amount you save each month on an unfurnished place will cover the cost of your own furniture in a matter of about six months.

If you venture outside of the city centre, and take a Thai with you, you can have them call phone numbers that are for rent signs in Thai.

Thanks, I have been taking my bicycle to different moo bans and riding around looking for the rental signs, it's been time consuming and my minimal Thai does not work over the phone at all.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

I think it's especially the garden requirement that pushes it out further towards some of the (second tier) commercial developments, or to a regular Thai village house. Price-wise I don't think you will have much trouble finding a townhouse (row house) with two bedrooms and somewhat of a kitchen a bit closer into town (Superhighway/Aom Muang-ish), for around 6000-8000 baht. If really downtown then you will go a little over 10K.