Found a Great Real Estate Agent

[Ebenweb]

Just recently signed a 12-month rental contract after a fair bit of online hunting around and a few visits in person. I contacted 10 different realtors directly by email and one stood out by far. After we visited her office she found us a great place in only one day.

Sandy at Chiang Mai House (http://www.chiangmaihouse.com, [email protected]).

Sandy's English is impeccable, she's very responsive and only recommended places that fit our specific needs. She's also a delightful person.

It's worth a visit to the office--there are new listings all the time that aren't yet on the website or are hard to find amidst the hundreds of properties and we found things happened quickly and easily once we were face to face.

[mamborobert]

Their web site is a hell of an improvement on old one...and many more properties listed. Many however did seem to be cut and paste photos from other sites (including forum sponsors).

Always found them a tad expensive compared to others for same properties, (and as a given travelling round and asking the odd person is always cheaper again)...but if they have solved you housing issues, and done a good job by you all power to them.

Any how...if nothing else, and in relation to the new updated web site being a work under progress I did get a little chuckle at this in the "Announcement" section :

1.ChiangMaiHOUSE new version

Chiangmaihouse.com New Version is developing. Some sections will be finished in next coup...

Read more

[Ebenweb]

Their web site is a hell of an improvement on old one...and many more properties listed. Many however did seem to be cut and paste photos from other sites (including forum sponsors).

Always found them a tad expensive compared to others for same properties, (and as a given travelling round and asking the odd person is always cheaper again)...but if they have solved you housing issues, and done a good job by you all power to them.

Any how...if nothing else, and in relation to the new updated web site being a work under progress I did get a little chuckle at this in the "Announcement" section :

1.ChiangMaiHOUSE new version

Chiangmaihouse.com New Version is developing. Some sections will be finished in next coup...

Read more

One thing I really appreciated about their website was the ability to add a search filter that included "city or within the superhighway". Most other sites made it almost impossible to search for "very near the city".

Walking around and looking for signs and tips from people is definitely best, but we don't speak or read Thai and didn't find any farang who knew places. Apartments all cater to farang but we found houses much more difficult to find on our own.

[beau thai]

Perfect Homes very good too-English guy, Simon. Check website

[FiftyTwo]

If the agent is so good ..... why not tell us what you got and how much it cost?

Usually agents are twice as expensive as finding a place yourself.

C'mon, we all like a good laugh at the noobs.

PS, after a quick browse

This property they advertise at 15k/month would normally rent privately in the 4-7k region.

http://www.chiangmaihouse.com/property/2332/

[beau thai]

If the agent is so good ..... why not tell us what you got and how much it cost?

Usually agents are twice as expensive as finding a place yourself.

C'mon, we all like a good laugh at the noobs.

PS, after a quick browse

This property they advertise at 15k/month would normally rent privately in the 4-7k region.

http://www.chiangmaihouse.com/property/2332/

Does going to an apartment website to book count, in your view, as renting privately?? ie no agent.

If so, it aint cheap. Check out Smith Residence-always full but probably 'too expensive' in your view.

Of course, you can always find cheap places with little going for them. Depends what you want but to say going through an agent costs twice as much in a 'free' market seems odd. Surely folk would then buy condos and let them out through agents at twice the going rate?

[FiftyTwo]

If the agent is so good ..... why not tell us what you got and how much it cost?

Usually agents are twice as expensive as finding a place yourself.

C'mon, we all like a good laugh at the noobs.

PS, after a quick browse

This property they advertise at 15k/month would normally rent privately in the 4-7k region.

http://www.chiangmaihouse.com/property/2332/

Does going to an apartment website to book count, in your view, as renting privately?? ie no agent.

If so, it aint cheap. Check out Smith Residence-always full but probably 'too expensive' in your view.

Of course, you can always find cheap places with little going for them. Depends what you want but to say going through an agent costs twice as much in a 'free' market seems odd. Surely folk would then buy condos and let them out through agents at twice the going rate?

I think the agents targeting foreigners are hoping their customers have no idea of CM prices.

And remember, house rental agreements are normally 1 year, so no get out once you have been 'taken'.

Smith Residence (7k/month) isn't excessively priced for monthly lets.

(Many comparable places for 5-6k, but not aimed exclusively at white foreigners)

The house I picked out of their adverts was a fairly common type, 2 bed up to 12km out, rabbit-hutch moobaan.

SK is one of the cheapest suberbs.

Normal rental of this style property to Thais is 4k unfurnished to 7k with decent furniture.

The photos show cheapest, 'index style' furnishings so I would say 6k/month tops.

[Ebenweb]

If the agent is so good ..... why not tell us what you got and how much it cost?

Usually agents are twice as expensive as finding a place yourself.

C'mon, we all like a good laugh at the noobs.

PS, after a quick browse

This property they advertise at 15k/month would normally rent privately in the 4-7k region.

http://www.chiangmaihouse.com/property/2332/

lol... then I deffinitely won't tell you what we paid. I guess the bottom line for us was that Sandy found us something great within our budget and was very professional and easy to deal with. I can see how, if we're still living here after our first year is up and we're better connected with the local goings on, we might try and bypass the agents entirely. I can't see how we could have done that at this stage though, being complete CM virgins with no Thai language skills at all.

We also ended up with a home owned and maintained by a retired American guy who's attention to detail and standards of upkeep are incredible. I can tell he's going to be a great landlord and is already going out of his way to help us enjoy the area.

[FiftyTwo]

We also ended up with a home owned and maintained by a retired American guy who's attention to detail and standards of upkeep are incredible. I can tell he's going to be a great landlord and is already going out of his way to help us enjoy the area.

Foreign CONTROLLED rentals (foreigners can't own houses by the way) are usually the most expensive types.

But Thai owned rentals are cheaper as the landlord normally repairs nothing, you have to DIY (usually repairs are very cheap).

[Ebenweb]

We also ended up with a home owned and maintained by a retired American guy who's attention to detail and standards of upkeep are incredible. I can tell he's going to be a great landlord and is already going out of his way to help us enjoy the area.

Foreign CONTROLLED rentals (foreigners can't own houses by the way) are usually the most expensive types.

But Thai owned rentals are cheaper as the landlord normally repairs nothing, you have to DIY (usually repairs are very cheap).

yep, his wife is thai and both their names are on the lease.

if all you vets promise not to laugh at me, i'll invite you to my over-priced home for coffee and you can teach me how to say "sucker" in Thai. i'm betting it's "farang"...

[beau thai]

If the agent is so good ..... why not tell us what you got and how much it cost?

Usually agents are twice as expensive as finding a place yourself.

C'mon, we all like a good laugh at the noobs.

PS, after a quick browse

This property they advertise at 15k/month would normally rent privately in the 4-7k region.

http://www.chiangmaihouse.com/property/2332/

Does going to an apartment website to book count, in your view, as renting privately?? ie no agent.

If so, it aint cheap. Check out Smith Residence-always full but probably 'too expensive' in your view.

Of course, you can always find cheap places with little going for them. Depends what you want but to say going through an agent costs twice as much in a 'free' market seems odd. Surely folk would then buy condos and let them out through agents at twice the going rate?

I think the agents targeting foreigners are hoping their customers have no idea of CM prices.

And remember, house rental agreements are normally 1 year, so no get out once you have been 'taken'.

Smith Residence (7k/month) isn't excessively priced for monthly lets.

(Many comparable places for 5-6k, but not aimed exclusively at white foreigners)

The house I picked out of their adverts was a fairly common type, 2 bed up to 12km out, rabbit-hutch moobaan.

SK is one of the cheapest suberbs.

Normal rental of this style property to Thais is 4k unfurnished to 7k with decent furniture.

The photos show cheapest, 'index style' furnishings so I would say 6k/month tops.

Smith has some cheapo rooms for sure but better rooms are 20k suites-and his new build due to complete next March is all suites-because he has igh demand at that price.

[masuk]

If the agent is so good ..... why not tell us what you got and how much it cost?

Usually agents are twice as expensive as finding a place yourself.

C'mon, we all like a good laugh at the noobs.

PS, after a quick browse

This property they advertise at 15k/month would normally rent privately in the 4-7k region.

http://www.chiangmaihouse.com/property/2332/

YES, I found Sandy extremely helpful and competent.

As for the house mentioned above, it seems a lot considering there is only 1 shower, and no mention of a dining table or chairs. Doesn't appear to be any bedding - just the beds.