recommendations for a good English speaking real estate agent in CM

[jaideeguy]

My house has been on the market for a while and I've had it with local Thai real estate agents that mostly don't understand the buyer's or the seller's needs. They mostly just bring what I call 'real estate tourists' that don't really have any interest in buying, but want a free tour of CM and a look inside other people's privacy because they've seen all the wats in town and have a few hours to get a free tour. I blame it mostly on the uninformed agents and unprofessional attitudes of the agencies.

Any recommendations for an agency that actually listens and understands their profession??

[JohnGreen]

You could try Simon at Perfect Homes 0806747488, nice guy - genuinely interested in providing a great service. Give him a call.

[Thighlander]

I'll second that...Perfect Homes....Mrs. Bradshaw is tops, and so is Noon. Their marketing is good, and they don't waste your time, showing you what you state you didn't want. That can be a real hassle for buyers. Some of the others, take the listing, and then do absolutely nothing, except steer clients to new developments they have personal interest in.

You should be able to sell in less than a month if you are priced right. Notice how the doomsayers have been quiet lately? The people counting the number of lights on, etc..? I noticed the 1.74 sign is gone at the new Palm Springs Condo. It now reads 2,xxx,xxx.

Show me your listing link, or describe it...I can give you a free appraisal and constructive comments. I've sold 8 homes over the years. Three without an agent.

I estimate it takes about 8 lookers to get a good offer. Make them call first....and give you 1 hours notice (and that is being generous), that way you will exclude the drive through tours. Some even require 24 hours notice, some have tenants....but buyers here often have planes to catch, so I recommend 1 hours notice before showing. If they are that pressed for time, then they won't possibly have the time to sign a good contract and give you EMD.

Start with annual rent x 13......should be in the ball-park.

Edited July 18, 2014 by Thighlander

[anto]

I have found Chiang Mai propertys good .

[sappersrest]

Don't discount tourists. I looked at 6 properties whilst on a holiday here and bought one, and now happily retired here ,good luck with your sale.

[stigvinck]

Hi
Not sure if you want to sell quick but we are always looking for bargains. If you want please pm me some more info and maybe we can come to have a look at your house...

No tourists.. Genuinly looking...

And I also agree with what people say about Perfecthomes. We have worked with them a lot!

Stig

[srn89]

No such a thing in C-Mai

[davevi]

I've been searching for a house for the last two months.

I've worked with five different real estate companies around town.

I can only recommend Elite Properties and Sompong. She speaks perfect English, is professional and efficient. They handle only better quality properties.

I found most of the other agents to either be more interested in the interests of their Thai owner's at the expense of the renter, or that their lease agreements were heavily weighed against the renter, rights, rules, vague language allowing the owner broad control, etc.. In one case the lease agreement used by one company was so renter-biased that I thought at first it was a joke. It was not.

One thing I found about Chiang Mai is that if you're looking for a house there are not many quality homes to chose from. When you do find one you have to insure you and the owner get along well and can communicate, then you need to be sure their lease is acceptable, then check there are no owner-imposed exceptions to how the house can be used, how things are to be repaired, who will pay what expenses, etc.

I've also learned...

• Be prepared to move on if there are any issues with the house you can't compromise on.
• Be prepared to move to another agent or company company if your gut tells you something isn't right.
• There are no exclusivity agreements to rental properties -- any agent can pretty much get you a property -- so don't fear moving on to another company.
• Have an attorney handy to review your contract and never sign a lease that is not translated within the contract.
• If your contract is in Thai and English, be sure to get the Thai sections translated to make sure they match the representative English section. I've found clauses in Thai that are not the same in the English translation.

Those are my thoughts...

And I still haven't found the right house yet.

[Thighlander]

Renting is a different animal, for the most part. Some agents don't do rentals, others only do rentals. I think you may have better luck with a property management company to find rentals. Some of the renters will look at 50 homes; some buyers will look at 3 and actually make a deal. Some renters can't change a light bulb, let alone an air conditioning filter. Renters will say they have 1 cat; they have 4. I would never allow any pets. I would get a hefty deposit, and I would run their credit reports. Most teachers would not qualify. Even more Thais would not qualify. I have met with this lady before....I would expect a tough lease, just because she is experienced. http://www.ht-real-estate.com/

[Loaded]

I've been searching for a house for the last two months.

I've worked with five different real estate companies around town.

I can only recommend Elite Properties and Sompong. She speaks perfect English, is professional and efficient. They handle only better quality properties.

I found most of the other agents to either be more interested in the interests of their Thai owner's at the expense of the renter, or that their lease agreements were heavily weighed against the renter, rights, rules, vague language allowing the owner broad control, etc.. In one case the lease agreement used by one company was so renter-biased that I thought at first it was a joke. It was not.

One thing I found about Chiang Mai is that if you're looking for a house there are not many quality homes to chose from. When you do find one you have to insure you and the owner get along well and can communicate, then you need to be sure their lease is acceptable, then check there are no owner-imposed exceptions to how the house can be used, how things are to be repaired, who will pay what expenses, etc.

I've also learned...

• Be prepared to move on if there are any issues with the house you can't compromise on.
• Be prepared to move to another agent or company company if your gut tells you something isn't right.
• There are no exclusivity agreements to rental properties -- any agent can pretty much get you a property -- so don't fear moving on to another company.
• Have an attorney handy to review your contract and never sign a lease that is not translated within the contract.
• If your contract is in Thai and English, be sure to get the Thai sections translated to make sure they match the representative English section. I've found clauses in Thai that are not the same in the English translation.

Those are my thoughts...

And I still haven't found the right house yet.

That doesn't surprise me.

[Thighlander]

I've been searching for a house for the last two months.

I've worked with five different real estate companies around town.

I can only recommend Elite Properties and Sompong. She speaks perfect English, is professional and efficient. They handle only better quality properties.

I found most of the other agents to either be more interested in the interests of their Thai owner's at the expense of the renter, or that their lease agreements were heavily weighed against the renter, rights, rules, vague language allowing the owner broad control, etc.. In one case the lease agreement used by one company was so renter-biased that I thought at first it was a joke. It was not.

One thing I found about Chiang Mai is that if you're looking for a house there are not many quality homes to chose from. When you do find one you have to insure you and the owner get along well and can communicate, then you need to be sure their lease is acceptable, then check there are no owner-imposed exceptions to how the house can be used, how things are to be repaired, who will pay what expenses, etc.

I've also learned...

• Be prepared to move on if there are any issues with the house you can't compromise on.
• Be prepared to move to another agent or company company if your gut tells you something isn't right.
• There are no exclusivity agreements to rental properties -- any agent can pretty much get you a property -- so don't fear moving on to another company.
• Have an attorney handy to review your contract and never sign a lease that is not translated within the contract.
• If your contract is in Thai and English, be sure to get the Thai sections translated to make sure they match the representative English section. I've found clauses in Thai that are not the same in the English translation.

Those are my thoughts...

And I still haven't found the right house yet.

That doesn't surprise me.

Didn't we see a similar post several weeks ago stating a budget of 3500 thb per month?

[gc777]

I agree with the posts above that recommend Perfect Homes.

[Tham1]

I agree with the posts above that recommend Perfect Homes.

I have never heard of them, Have they been around a while?

[gc777]

I'm new to Chiang Mai so I don't know how long they have been around. My wife took a TEFL course through a language school called SEE TEFL, they recommend them to their students. Our experience as prospective tenants with them was very positive. We e-mailed them explaining what we wanted, they responded promptly and regularly with properties that matched what we had asked for. All the communication was in English which was very well written and spoken on their part and they came across as being very professional. We found a property through them very quickly. There was a small problem with our place when we moved in and they assisted with getting rectified as soon as we raised it with them.

[debrakfurlow]

Jade Chan. Perfect Homes....Speaks chinese, Thai, english. I set down what my criteria was and the 3rd one she showed me was perfect.

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[Thighlander]

Jade Chan. Perfect Homes....Speaks chinese, Thai, english. I set down what my criteria was and the 3rd one she showed me was perfect.

Sent from my SM-N900T using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Could you share with us some general info about what you got. Anecdotal evidence is a good thing about public forums. Size, general area, price?

[debrakfurlow]

I wanted. A newer apt bigger than the standard 40's in a well established part of town with grocery store, restaurants, good meeting places. I got a 60 sq apt with a big separate bedroom, brand new, walking distance to Nimmenhimen (?), walking distance to Maya, and on good days I walk to Central plaza, always available red trucks because I'm next to CMU. I have the entire back wall of my apt with windows with beautiful silk roman shades. Small kitchen, but everything I need. Walking distance to the new Harbor restuarants/pub/shops.There are 2 bedroom apts also. Part of the Punna properties. $400 mo

[Thighlander]

I live in the same area...it's nice. Was that on a 12 month lease?

[debrakfurlow]

Yes. I'd never been to Chaing mai, but have heard my son (who's been here 5 times) talk about it. One day I decided to make a change so I called him told him I was moving here, packed my bags and here i am. Best decision ever. However, I had to leave my Harley home.

That sucks.

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[evenstevens]

Notice how the doomsayers have been quiet lately? The people counting the number of lights on, etc..? I noticed the 1.74 sign is gone at the new Palm Springs Condo. It now reads 2,xxx,xxx.

far from being a doomsayer, but developers prices on new off the plan condo projects are up and down like a brides nightie, whats new??

[debrakfurlow]

Real Estate Agents ALWAYS work for the seller. It's no different in the states. If you entered into a contract with an agency would you expect them to work against you? In the states you can now enter into a contract with an agent and retain them as a Buyers Agent. They they work for you. They can give you information a sellers agent cant.

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[mamborobert]

Real Estate Agents ALWAYS work for the seller. It's no different in the states. If you entered into a contract with an agency would you expect them to work against you? In the states you can now enter into a contract with an agent and retain them as a Buyers Agent. They they work for you. They can give you information a sellers agent cant.

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We digress....but there are Buyers Agents in Chiang Mai already...quite a few in fact, buyinchiangmai.com for example. And nope...have no links with them at all simply to illustrate point.

[Thighlander]

Real Estate Agents ALWAYS work for the seller. It's no different in the states. If you entered into a contract with an agency would you expect them to work against you? In the states you can now enter into a contract with an agent and retain them as a Buyers Agent. They they work for you. They can give you information a sellers agent cant.

Sent from my SM-N900T using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

You have a serious misunderstanding of how the Multiple Listing System (MLS) works in the US. Commision is split, between listing agent and buyers agent. Most states require sellers to disclose relevant information about the home. Many still choose to hire an independent inspector. Agents have been known to steer buyers towards homes that are bigger than their budgets, as a bigger sale brings a bigger commission. There are always some sour grapes, when the market goes down; but no one forced people to buy or borrow. Homes are rarely sold by the listing agent. Some agents specialize in listings, others are strictly buyer's agents, and some will do anything including jumping into the sack with a client.

[debrakfurlow]

I sold for Caldwell Banker in the higher end of St. Louis Mo. and I agree with most of what you say. We qualified buyers before we took them out to look so pushing them to higher priced houses would have been a waste of time. All lenders required an inspection. Not gonna lend on a pig in poke. In 15 years I never knew anyone who slept with the client. I have a hard time believing a jump in the sack could sway a buyer to spend that kind of money. I'm not sure what the explanation on the split was for and I had a very firm grasp on the MLS, but thanks for setting me straight.

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[beau thai]

I sold for Caldwell Banker in the higher end of St. Louis Mo. and I agree with most of what you say. We qualified buyers before we took them out to look so pushing them to higher priced houses would have been a waste of time. All lenders required an inspection. Not gonna lend on a pig in poke. In 15 years I never knew anyone who slept with the client. I have a hard time believing a jump in the sack could sway a buyer to spend that kind of money. I'm not sure what the explanation on the split was for and I had a very firm grasp on the MLS, but thanks for setting me straight.

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Surprised you found that all lenders required an inspection.

I worked for a very large lender that worked on comparables-very hazardous in my view but they wrote about 20bn US a year, but it only stayed on the balance sheet a very very short time!!

[Thighlander]

There is a huge difference in an "inspection" and an "appraisal." Drive by appraisals are still not uncommon. Zillow has developed a multi-billion dollar business by estimating values on homes without ever looking at it. It's remarkably close in some areas.

[debrakfurlow]

OMG An appraisal and an inspection are different things. Holy crap when did that happen???

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[beau thai]

OMG An appraisal and an inspection are different things. Holy crap when did that happen???

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Yeah- a drive by. Right. And then called an appraisal so the Rating Agencies have a better chance of rating it AAA.

And I was talking about computer based comparables, not even a drive by. Which was a big part of why sub prime etc hit the wall.

And now the bankers with short memories are chasing volume again already (to make bonuses)- and the regulators are letting them. Because that pushes up house prices, that makes owners feel better, and take out equity to buy cars etc, and that 'improves' the economy.

Off topic sorry- and on a hobby horse. How the hell do supposedly smart people create the same mess we are only just out of?

[debrakfurlow]

People never learn. Unfortunately those who created it suffered minimal consequences and there's money to be made off the backs of working Americans. Hell, everybody who lost their jobs with the big money companies are now czars under president Obama.

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[scotinsiam]

I'll second that...Perfect Homes....Mrs. Bradshaw is tops, and so is Noon. Their marketing is good, and they don't waste your time, showing you what you state you didn't want. That can be a real hassle for buyers. Some of the others, take the listing, and then do absolutely nothing, except steer clients to new developments they have personal interest in.

You should be able to sell in less than a month if you are priced right. Notice how the doomsayers have been quiet lately? The people counting the number of lights on, etc..? I noticed the 1.74 sign is gone at the new Palm Springs Condo. It now reads 2,xxx,xxx.

Show me your listing link, or describe it...I can give you a free appraisal and constructive comments. I've sold 8 homes over the years. Three without an agent.

I estimate it takes about 8 lookers to get a good offer. Make them call first....and give you 1 hours notice (and that is being generous), that way you will exclude the drive through tours. Some even require 24 hours notice, some have tenants....but buyers here often have planes to catch, so I recommend 1 hours notice before showing. If they are that pressed for time, then they won't possibly have the time to sign a good contract and give you EMD.

Start with annual rent x 13......should be in the ball-park.

I also would like to recommend Simon at Perfect Homes. I heard of him on this thread and contacted him. He came over and gave me a real opinion on the price and current market.

I instructed him to sell my Condo and 6 weeks later it is sold, Very professional and always willing to help with advice, I spend under 1 hour at land office and the money is in the bank - Well named business in my opinion as everything went "Perfect"