A place to settle in Thailand - Khon Kaen, Hua Hin, outskirts of BKK, Ban Phe

[slipperylobster]

Choosing a place to live doesn't have to have anything to do with BUYING a home.

Lots of very inexpensive houses to rent anywhere in Thailand if you know how to look, bypassing anything advertised or through agents. And a long-term rental at a low monthly price makes it worth while spending your own money to fix it up how you like it, without all the risks and extra costs of actually owning it.

Agree 100 percent.

It is not necessary to purchase a home until you worked out where you want to live, and how long you are going to stay.

Condos you can own, I hear, but with all the fees, and the inability to sell it when you need to.....well, some people have money for that.

Until I get some solid reassurances that I am in charge of my assets here, there is only one way to go......six month leases for me....no deposits...pay in advance, goes in my gals name.

Think of renting as an insurance policy..... and take all that hard earned cash and put it in the bank......why not give some to the wife too?

15,000 baht for six months is what I pay....3 bedroom/3bath/2 rai...in the city of udon. Special deal, but if you get good people around you, it can happen.

[dominique355]

Choosing a place to live doesn't have to have anything to do with BUYING a home.

Lots of very inexpensive houses to rent anywhere in Thailand if you know how to look, bypassing anything advertised or through agents. And a long-term rental at a low monthly price makes it worth while spending your own money to fix it up how you like it, without all the risks and extra costs of actually owning it.

..doesn't have ANYTHING to do with buying a home? Really? Why else would you buy a home?

You probably wanted to say that you don't NEED to buy a home. Renting is an alternative.

IMHO renting is more expensive that buying. Real estate going only up, chances are you make a profit when you sell again while you will never recover the rent you paid.

[Neeranam]

Bangkok, hands down.

I happen to live in the Min Buri area and if I feel like seeing the ocean, I am in Hua Hin in 2 hours and in Pattaya in 90 min.

The outskirts of Bangkok have all I want for my home:

- near the city with all the shopping/entertainment possibilities

- many opportunities to meet friends and new people (I need some intellectual challenges sometimes)

- 20 min to the airport

- quiet and safe

- daily shopping within 5 min drive

But I am a city boy, I would get bored in any other place than Bangkok. My garden is all the nature I need.

Of course a home in Min Buri costs more than in Khon Kaen or Hua Hin. Although I am not sure about Hua Hin. So you have to invest more initially, but real estate prices are going up so in the long run, it's no loss.

Do you know the prices in Khon Kaen? Alnd here is now very expensive. Near my house there is some land near a main road which is for sale - 5 rai for 200 millio baht. The Chinese embassy recently bought less land for a similar price.

I understand being near the ocean but Pattaya? There are better beaches nearer.

Are you implying that people in Khon Kaen are not intellectually challenging? You've been in Bangkok too long buddy.

Edited March 19, 2014 by Neeranam

[Neeranam]

Choosing a place to live doesn't have to have anything to do with BUYING a home.

Lots of very inexpensive houses to rent anywhere in Thailand if you know how to look, bypassing anything advertised or through agents. And a long-term rental at a low monthly price makes it worth while spending your own money to fix it up how you like it, without all the risks and extra costs of actually owning it.

Agree 100 percent.

It is not necessary to purchase a home until you worked out where you want to live, and how long you are going to stay.

Condos you can own, I hear, but with all the fees, and the inability to sell it when you need to.....well, some people have money for that.

Until I get some solid reassurances that I am in charge of my assets here, there is only one way to go......six month leases for me....no deposits...pay in advance, goes in my gals name.

Think of renting as an insurance policy..... and take all that hard earned cash and put it in the bank......why not give some to the wife too?

15,000 baht for six months is what I pay....3 bedroom/3bath/2 rai...in the city of udon. Special deal, but if you get good people around you, it can happen.

I rented here for 20 years. Last year I bought. I think of my mortgage payments as rent but in 15 years I'll have no rent and my kids will have a lot of cash when I die. If I'd bought when I first came here, I'd have no rent now. But unrealistic as only a total plonker would buy a house in their first 5 years in Thailand. Edited March 19, 2014 by Neeranam

[dominique355]

Bangkok, hands down.

I happen to live in the Min Buri area and if I feel like seeing the ocean, I am in Hua Hin in 2 hours and in Pattaya in 90 min.

The outskirts of Bangkok have all I want for my home:

- near the city with all the shopping/entertainment possibilities

- many opportunities to meet friends and new people (I need some intellectual challenges sometimes)

- 20 min to the airport

- quiet and safe

- daily shopping within 5 min drive

But I am a city boy, I would get bored in any other place than Bangkok. My garden is all the nature I need.

Of course a home in Min Buri costs more than in Khon Kaen or Hua Hin. Although I am not sure about Hua Hin. So you have to invest more initially, but real estate prices are going up so in the long run, it's no loss.

Do you know the prices in Khon Kaen? Alnd here is now very expensive. Near my house there is some land near a main road which is for sale - 5 rai for 200 millio baht. The Chinese embassy recently bought less land for a similar price.

I understand being near the ocean but Pattaya? There are better beaches nearer.

Are you implying that people in Khon Kaen are not intellectually challenging? You've been in Bangkok too long buddy.

Wow, quite a big piece of land, 5 rai. But for private living I would not need that much, 1 rai is sufficient and 2 is luxury. And I don't need - correction: don't want - to live near a main road. Contrary to many Thai people who apparently prefer a rather small piece of land on the main road, no garden, 50cm distance to the neighbor's wall.

I was trying to compare house and land prices in a "moo baan" on the outskirts of Bangkok with a similar place in Khon Kaen. Would you believe they are on the same level?

And I also agree, Pattaya is not the beach I want to visit. But Hua Hin's beach is not much better, anyway.

Haha, sorry if I insulted you or the intellectual elite in Khon Kaen, that was not my intention.

[vadimbz]

Can you get out of Min Buri by car let's say between 7:30 and 9:00 in the morning?

[wym]

Choosing a place to live doesn't have to have anything to do with BUYING a home.

Lots of very inexpensive houses to rent anywhere in Thailand if you know how to look, bypassing anything advertised or through agents. And a long-term rental at a low monthly price makes it worth while spending your own money to fix it up how you like it, without all the risks and extra costs of actually owning it.

Agree 100 percent.

It is not necessary to purchase a home until you worked out where you want to live, and how long you are going to stay.

Not even then - I'm saying NEVER buy in Thailand. Except if walking away from that so-called "investment" wouldn't sting even a little bit, including leaving it to the Thai-citizen kids, or your wife in the event of a split.

..doesn't have ANYTHING to do with buying a home? Really? Why else would you buy a home?

You probably wanted to say that you don't NEED to buy a home. Renting is an alternative.

IMHO renting is more expensive that buying. Real estate going only up, chances are you make a profit when you sell again while you will never recover the rent you paid.

No I'm saying whatever your reason, DON'T buy property in Thailand.

Not only are the odds very slim you'll actually make ANY profit, you'll likely not even get your original investment back.

Putting your money into a much less risky investment outside the country - rental property in your home country for example - and paying rent here makes more sense.