Condo or House?

[pitchag]

If thinking of house visit the area at night before committing to see if it is infested with dogs that bark all night at the slightest noise one dog sets of the others.

If a condo is your choice again check the place out for building work around the place and also for large workers camps in the vicinity they start to make a noise very early in the morning and at weekends

Try and stay clear of Soi Watboon and anywhere near Park lane resort

[tropo]

No! The price I gave is from my last bill for June 2014!

657 baht for 168 units -> 3.9 B/unit

You just forgot that the kWh price depends of the consumption

and that houses pay electricity at a higher rate than condo apartments

I have no idea what my rate would be if I went that low as I've never used that little in a month, but it wouldn't be of much use to the general expat population who like to use air conditioning.

I'm not aware of electricity being cheaper in condos. I doubt it.

I seem to recall it is, possibly it is on a commercial rate, but I think the price does not come down with the amount of units used.

Also TV was included in the maintenance fee.

My price per unit does decrease as I decease usage. It was 4.34 in March when I used only 371 units. I

..but there has been a jump in the last year. Last June = 4.465 per unit, this June = 4.71. 2 years ago was 4.29 (usage nearly the same for all 3 readings)

[KittenKong]

Another brag post? I already told you I was envious of your vast wealth.

Why do you assume that I have the slightest need to brag? Very odd. As far as I'm concerned this is simply a discussion. I have seen hundreds of condos in Thailand, of various prices and sizes. Some I would have liked to live in and others not. And it certainly wasnt the most expensive or largest ones that I liked the most.

Care to mention the buying price or renting price for that 300 sqm condo?

The price wasnt fixed and I suspect that an offer of 70-80KB/month from the right person would have got it. I saw another similar place without a private pool for sale for 14MB, but not in Pattaya.

Your only reason for not moving in there was because you're worried about looking silly? Why would a rich guy look silly in a 300 sqm penthouse?

I dont give a flying xxxx about how I look; I was concerned about how I would feel. The two are very different as far as I'm concerned. I previously owned a house quite a bit larger than that, and I felt a bit silly there when there was no one else staying there. But I really dont care what my neighbours thought of me then, nor do I now.

[KittenKong]

You won't find a decent furnished condo to rent under 20K in a nice area, and that would be a dog box with cheap furnishings.

Nonsense.

[kiniyow]

My 2 Thai dogs Kiss me every day because they have a big yard to play in and grass to run on~~

[tropo]

You won't find a decent furnished condo to rent under 20K in a nice area, and that would be a dog box with cheap furnishings.

Nonsense.

This is surprising then. You must have lower standards than me then because I couldn't find any condo that I'd live in for under about 30k. I need at least 2 bedrooms and nice furnishings. Who would have thought the resident multi millionaire could slum it in an under 20k condo.

[tropo]

Another brag post? I already told you I was envious of your vast wealth.

Why do you assume that I have the slightest need to brag? Very odd. As far as I'm concerned this is simply a discussion. I have seen hundreds of condos in Thailand, of various prices and sizes. Some I would have liked to live in and others not. And it certainly wasnt the most expensive or largest ones that I liked the most.

Care to mention the buying price or renting price for that 300 sqm condo?

The price wasnt fixed and I suspect that an offer of 70-80KB/month from the right person would have got it. I saw another similar place without a private pool for sale for 14MB, but not in Pattaya.

Your only reason for not moving in there was because you're worried about looking silly? Why would a rich guy look silly in a 300 sqm penthouse?

I dont give a flying xxxx about how I look; I was concerned about how I would feel. The two are very different as far as I'm concerned. I previously owned a house quite a bit larger than that, and I felt a bit silly there when there was no one else staying there. But I really dont care what my neighbours thought of me then, nor do I now.

I don't why you feel the need to brag about your wealth, but you do. You actually stated your net worth on another thread recently and made it quite clear you're a multi millionaire who doesn't mind dropping a few million baht here or there due to it being a small fraction (a few percent) of your net worth.

Feeling silly, looking silly - same same. No one would look or feel silly in an expensive penthouse with a pool. Quite the reverse actually.

If you can rent that 300 sqm condo with a pool for only 70 - 80 k baht per month, it's probably nowhere near as nice as you were suggesting it was. Judging by your comment above, that you could rent liveable condos for under 20k, I may have had you wrong from the start. You're probably just a pretend millionaire with a big mouth.

[KittenKong]

You won't find a decent furnished condo to rent under 20K in a nice area, and that would be a dog box with cheap furnishings.

Nonsense.

This is surprising then. You must have lower standards than me then because I couldn't find any condo that I'd live in for under about 30k. I need at least 2 bedrooms and nice furnishings. Who would have thought the resident multi millionaire could slum it in an under 20k condo.

You are foolish. Not everyone either needs or wants a 2-bed condo. In fact I would say that most people here do not.

[KittenKong]

Feeling silly, looking silly - same same.

Not at all. If you cant see that then I dont know what else I can say.

[tropo]

You won't find a decent furnished condo to rent under 20K in a nice area, and that would be a dog box with cheap furnishings.

Nonsense.

This is surprising then. You must have lower standards than me then because I couldn't find any condo that I'd live in for under about 30k. I need at least 2 bedrooms and nice furnishings. Who would have thought the resident multi millionaire could slum it in an under 20k condo.

You are foolish. Not everyone either needs or wants a 2-bed condo. In fact I would say that most people here do not.

Not as foolish as you. I know what is around for 20k. I've done extensive condo searches in the past as I was contemplating living in one. I couldn't find anything I wanted to live in for that price. Not even close. Even 1 bedrooms.

The fact that you can find condos for under 20k that you'd happily live in indicates to me you have low standards, especially for a multi millionaire with millions to spare.

[tropo]

Feeling silly, looking silly - same same.

Not at all. If you cant see that then I dont know what else I can say.

You've said more than enough already.

[properperson]

The biggest I have seen here was nearly 300sqm and very nice it was too, complete with a private pool on the wrap-around terrace.

I was very tempted to take it myself but I probably would have felt a bit silly in it on my own.

Oh to be a shilling behind K K ..........

[KittenKong]

Not as foolish as you. I know what is around for 20k. I've done extensive condo searches in the past as I was contemplating living in one. I couldn't find anything I wanted to live in for that price. Not even close. Even 1 bedrooms.

I suspect that you are simply not very good at searching.

[Suradit69]

Cons to rent a condo hmm well most sites charge way above the standard rates for water,electric,unless you have government electric which you can get for a one off fee naturally.

Depending on location nationality of other renters/owners as some are noisy

Pros secure.

Therefore do some investigation of the sites you are interested in before venturing into any contract,as reflection of cost is greatly reduced if long term residence is required.

"Cons to rent a condo ...

Depending on location nationality of other renters/owners as some are noisy"

Not sure what "location nationality" is, although I assume it can be filed under the "white man's burden" when dealing with the supposed lesser peoples of the earth, but it would seem these nefarious persons of certain "location nationality" also buy/rent houses. A totally unscientific survey of threads dealing with farang rants turns up more complaints about barking dogs, annoying children run amuck, loud & drunken orgies, noisy cars or other machinery, etc. from home owners than from condo dwellers.

[balo]

I have lived in both, I own a condo but had to move to a house temporarily because of too much noise at the site where they are building more condos next to my room. So I moved to a house in a peaceful location in Na Jomtien.

Pros about condos, you get a nice unit in a secure place with 24h security, a nice swimming pool, gym , nearby restuarants etc.

Cons , if you're unlucky, you will get too much noise from the neighbours or outside from construction work . A condo is small in size so if you live alone its just fine but for 2 or more people you want to live in a house to get some space around you.

A house can also be very noisy to live in, especially in a thai village.

Sent from my SM-P601 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[TheFishman1]

It all depends on what you like I was renting a nice one bedroom new condo now renting a nice house to me you get more for your money in a house. The owner takes care of the lawn I get free internet free wate free gas. Life is Good

[KittenKong]

A totally unscientific survey of threads dealing with farang rants turns up more complaints about barking dogs, annoying children run amuck, loud & drunken orgies, noisy cars or other machinery, etc. from home owners than from condo dwellers.

I think the reason for this is that in most condo buildings pets are banned and any unruly behaviour is stamped on quickly by the front office/security. Commercial activity is also banned, so no machinery noise etc.

Certainly in my building on the very rare occasions when some new renter has his TV up so loud that I can hear it I just tell security and the TV goes off within minutes. The same applies to parties in the pool area: the participants are ejected fast. I dont think it would be so easy to do this in a village.

Thankfully most people with children are sensible enough not to live in a condo.

[Pattaya46]

Cons [about condos], if you're unlucky, you will get too much noise from the neighbours

or outside from construction work .

If your neighbour make noise, just ask him to stop.

If he refuses, management & security guy will quickly solve the problem,

while in a house there is little you can do or hope...

Nobody, in house or condo, is immune of a construction near his place.

A condo is small in size so if you live alone its just fine

but for 2 or more people you want to live in a house to get some space around you.

Not all condos are shoebox!

There are many houses that are smaller than my condo by example, and I live alone in it.

Edited July 14, 2014 by Pattaya46

[Basil B]

With a house there are a lot more things to go wrong, and getting the landlord to put them right can be problematic, true the same could be said for a condo to a lesser degree, but if you do get problems in a condo then possibly it is something that the condo own maintenance team would sort out.

Also with a condo you are not paying for electricity to light out doors or the run the pool, or for water for the gardens, etc.

My advice to the OP find a hotel for a couple of weeks when you come down to Pattaya and shop around, there are many real estates agents, publications and websites including TV advertising property to rent.

Check out the following:

http://property.thaivisa.com/rentals/rentals-pattaya/condo-rentals/

http://property.thaivisa.com/rentals/rentals-pattaya/house-rentals-pattaya/

Edited July 14, 2014 by Basil B

[guzzi850m2]

Our needs are all different.

OP should start renting an condo short term and take it from there.

House for me with wife and a kid. We fill 2 shopping carts once a week and its easy to unload the truck and carry our stuff 5 meter to the house.

The truck is parked under a roof so it can rain as much as it like, not affected.

If I lived alone I would have a condo, lock the door when going 2 month overseas working. Not easy to do with a house.

My housing estate is fairly upscale with many Thai doctors living there and they seldom having noisy parties, the people making the most noise are kids (during day time) and the expats having a party but I am not bothered.

There is really no point in this topic, live in what you prefer/suits your needs and that's that.

[KittenKong]

There is really no point in this topic, live in what you prefer/suits your needs and that's that.

I think the point of the topic is that the OP is trying to work out which answer suits his needs. Therefore the varied responses should be helpful for him.

[Basil B]

Our needs are all different.

OP should start renting an condo short term and take it from there.

House for me with wife and a kid. We fill 2 shopping carts once a week and its easy to unload the truck and carry our stuff 5 meter to the house.

The truck is parked under a roof so it can rain as much as it like, not affected.

If I lived alone I would have a condo, lock the door when going 2 month overseas working. Not easy to do with a house.

My housing estate is fairly upscale with many Thai doctors living there and they seldom having noisy parties, the people making the most noise are kids (during day time) and the expats having a party but I am not bothered.

There is really no point in this topic, live in what you prefer/suits your needs and that's that.

I can tell you that where I had a condo, when I arrived back with with a big shop the truck would reverse up to the door and the security guard would get his trolley off load the truck while I paid the the driver and take the shopping up to my room.

But yes you have a child, a house is better, anywhere above ground level would scare me.

[Brit_Doggie]

Sorry peeps my previous post concerning utility costs was copied from word but didnt come out in the same format here.

unfortunately after trying to edit same a notification appeared not allowed so we all stuck with it until a mod deletes,

which i have requested for them to do.

All not bad news though at least we can all get a general idea of the expected electronics bin,and b4 anyone comments no i wasnt drunk when i posted the said original document.

Edited July 15, 2014 by Brit_Doggie