Down under or Thai? Aussie mum trades Oz for Land of Smiles

[Fugitives]

We are planning on retiring to CM early next year. We are trying to decide between buying or renting a home. One aspect of owning that occurred to us was the possibility of home exchanges

with visitors who would want to spend a couple of weeks in CM while allowing us to use their home.

Does anyone living in CM have any experience with home exchanges. Thanks for any info.- LOIS & JOHN

[rishi]

Sorry, no experience ... but I can immediate think of a few eventual problems by sharing one's "property" with someone else ... can't you?

Why not just rent something (easily done) until you've got some clever insight on what to do next?

[Fugitives]

Thanks for the comment but the practice of home exchange is well established and the process involved in setting one up effectively eliminates most all of the concerns you'd have regarding turning your place over to strangers. Always found that gathering useful information in advance

gives you a better feel for the big picture. JOHN

[rishi]

Thanks for the comment but the practice of home exchange is well established and the process involved in setting one up effectively eliminates most all of the concerns you'd have regarding turning your place over to strangers....

Always ready to learn: this well established practice of home exchange that eliminates most/all concerns ... etc. --- Can you please refer me to some Chiang Mai based (or Thailand based) company I can trust?

Edited July 18, 2006 by rishi

[Fugitives]

What you need to do is to google "Home Exchange" and get some idea of what is going on.

The home exchange is not something that is brokered locally in CM or Thailand but it is internationally based. JOHN

[rishi]

... okay, I've got it now. This international concept of "Home Exchange" hasn't quite reached Thailand, yet ... but no problem, Thailand has a lot of entrepreneur spirits ...

Okay, I'll do it ... Here's my offer .... You buy your place ... You give me exclusive rights to rent it out ... I take 20% of the actual collected rent ... If the tenants have any problems, well - they can Google for their solution ...

PM me if that caught your attention

[Nignoy]

... okay, I've got it now. This international concept of "Home Exchange" hasn't quite reached Thailand, yet ... but no problem, Thailand has a lot of entrepreneur spirits ...

Okay, I'll do it ... Here's my offer .... You buy your place ... You give me exclusive rights to rent it out ... I take 20% of the actual collected rent ... If the tenants have any problems, well - they can Google for their solution ...

PM me if that caught your attention

There are 5 or 6 established home exchnge sites, For example Home exchange .com has over 800 houses all over the world available, at the moment there are 11 house swaps available in thailand, its a very popular and safe way to get your house and pets looked after while you are away ,for longer periods, for example next year we have a swap arranged with a couple in southern germany, we have been swapping homes for 8 years never had any problems ,why be so negative rishi, suggest you turn your brain on before making comments on subjects you obviously know nothing about, home exchange on phuket has been popular for years Nignoy

[rishi]

... why be so negative rishi, suggest you turn your brain on before making comments on subjects you obviously know nothing about, home exchange on phuket has been popular for years ...

... correction accepted. Good luck to you all ..

[Charma]

This sounds like a good idea. Especially for ex-pats who would like to spend part of their time back home. Perhaps there is already an established exchange community in Thailand? Or maybe the ex-pats in Thailand are far too sceptical a bunch to contemplate it!

[rishi]

As I've gathered from here and elsewhere - you do do some good thinking, Charma - in case you have som money to go by your mouth - well, I do so - but my brain needs more cash than I have. (wouldn't take long to rip this newbee off his savings, though --- despite his googled experience)

[Guest endure]

We are planning on retiring to CM early next year. We are trying to decide between buying or renting a home. One aspect of owning that occurred to us was the possibility of home exchanges

with visitors who would want to spend a couple of weeks in CM while allowing us to use their home.

Does anyone living in CM have any experience with home exchanges. Thanks for any info.- LOIS & JOHN

Is one of you Thai? If not, how do you intend to buy any land?

[rishi]

... ssh ... the standard Phuket/Patthaya/Samui solution of course ... but please, don't mention it in this law abiding Chiang Mai forum ...

[Charma]

As I've gathered from here and elsewhere - you do do some good thinking, Charma - in case you have som money to go by your mouth - well, I do so - but my brain needs more cash than I have. (wouldn't take long to rip this newbee off his savings, though --- despite his googled experience)

Well the OP has at least made a good start by joining this forum. I wish I had done it many years ago and I would not have had to learn some lessons the hard way! I sincerely hope that he does not get ripped off and that he/they have a good read of this forum before they decide to go ahead with their retirement plans. He is looking in Chiang Mai and as other posters have indicated, it is one of the areas that seems at the moment to be free of the worst excesses found elsewhere!

Maybe the long standing members should always remind themselves that new people are signing up all the time and they will not have all had the benefit of seeing or hearing the latest news on property and business issues in Thailand- it does just not get much of a mention outside the "Thai bubble".

Foreign ownership of land is still being advertised as a legitimate and hassle free option by large and (apparently) respectable companies. Those lucky enough to stumble into a forum like this should be pointed in the right direction to make more informed decisions. I don't think they should be laughed at or told they are stupid (as I have read on one post on this forum). Unfortunately, many more will read the glossy brochures, accept the salesmans patter and make the assumption that business here is just like it is in the west. They may go ahead not knowing the risks involved.

[Nignoy]

This sounds like a good idea. Especially for ex-pats who would like to spend part of their time back home. Perhaps there is already an established exchange community in Thailand? Or maybe the ex-pats in Thailand are far too sceptical a bunch to contemplate it!

ran a check on the 5 house exchange sites we are members of. there are currently 116 properties registered for exchange in thailand , there are even 3 swaps for disabled even more in singapore and malaysia,lots of expats make use of these facilities,never heard of any body being ripped off or having their house cleared out or damaged, we have had house swaps in Thailand, Canada , New zealand and UK ,touch wood no problems up to now, mind you the one year we left our house empty a group of aussie bludgers trashed it, which was well documented in an earlier thread, but for you doubters believe what you want, house swap is the dogs gonads Nignoy

[earlofwindermere]

There's also a large email classifieds list in Chiang Mai that may be able to help you. A local expat church puts out an email each week with ads for a variety of things (you don't have to be a member to join the list). There are a lot of ads about housing (rentals, housesitters, sublets, etc) and you can post your own ad at any time as well. To subscribe, send a blank email to [email protected]. With 800+ members, you'll likely find somone interested.

[changchang]

Thanks for that tip, earlofwindermere.

[tigerbeer]

thanks for that information earlofwindermere.

[earlofwindermere]

Someone passed the info onto me...the least I can do is pass on the info as well.

[Charma]

This sounds like a good idea. Especially for ex-pats who would like to spend part of their time back home. Perhaps there is already an established exchange community in Thailand? Or maybe the ex-pats in Thailand are far too sceptical a bunch to contemplate it!

ran a check on the 5 house exchange sites we are members of. there are currently 116 properties registered for exchange in thailand , there are even 3 swaps for disabled even more in singapore and malaysia,lots of expats make use of these facilities,never heard of any body being ripped off or having their house cleared out or damaged, we have had house swaps in Thailand, Canada , New zealand and UK ,touch wood no problems up to now, mind you the one year we left our house empty a group of aussie bludgers trashed it, which was well documented in an earlier thread, but for you doubters believe what you want, house swap is the dogs gonads Nignoy

Is there a chance you could provide links to the exchange sites you are members of? I am quite interested in looking into this a bit more.

[ThaiPauly]

Sounds like an excellent idea, I would imagine there could be some Visa problems for WAG's

(Wives and Girlfeinds )

But my main concern would be "Where would I store all my Wife's clothes that fully take up 4 big wardrobes )"

[Maejo Man]

'bout time you showed up TP How was the trip?

[SamSipEt]

Sounds like an excellent idea, I would imagine there could be some Visa problems for WAG's

(Wives and Girlfeinds )

Highly impressed - I thought that if you put a wife and girlfriend together the result would be similar to a small thermo nuclear device. Please please please share the secret of having your cake and eating it.

[Charma]

Sounds like an excellent idea, I would imagine there could be some Visa problems for WAG's

(Wives and Girlfeinds )

But my main concern would be "Where would I store all my Wife's clothes that fully take up 4 big wardrobes )"

Is this a typo or a stereotype?

[Fugitives]

Would like to thank all of you who contributed info. It gave me the understanding that the concept is in use and practical. Did concern me at first that the only feedback forthcoming would be simple-minded self indulgence but that proved to be aberrant. Otherwise please rest assured that

I have been scammed my sixty years and in traveling twenty years in Asia I've encountered enough really clever people that my instincts are well honed. Please don't mistake civility for naivete. Thanks again- JOHN

[ThaiPauly]

'bout time you showed up TP How was the trip?

Trip, what trip,,,do you mean the one where I was suppossed to go to the UK but the doctors at the INTERNATIONAL hospital in CM punctured my lung during a routine procedure that nearly killed me after they sent me home to die??

If you mean that one....I have still to make it until I am able to fly agian, looking to cahnce my arm, lung whatever around 10th August.

I did take a train trip to BK for two weeks however, your lung cannot collapse on a train.

Hope you are safe and sound behind bars now MM

[Maejo Man]

Trip, what trip,,,do you mean the one where I was suppossed to go to the UK but the doctors at the INTERNATIONAL hospital in CM punctured my lung during a routine procedure that nearly killed me after they sent me home to die??

Hope you are safe and sound behind bars now MM

Yeah that was the one I thought I was the only one having a run of bad luck...Sheesh. PM me when your drinking arm is functioning, and I'll get those beers in.

Life behind bars is not all it's cracked up to be, but the motion sensors with the 500 watt halogen lights seem to be the envy of the neighbourhood

[rishi]

Did concern me at first that the only feedback forthcoming would be simple-minded self indulgence but that proved to be aberrant.

Hi Fugitives, I sort of figure that it's my replies you're referring to here ... keep in mind that my first reply wasn't anything but an advice on taking it easy and not make arrangements long distance ... You're reply to that waste of time was of what nature?

[kevdulounge]

I exchanged my home using a home exchange service home exchange service called exchange my home, everything went well. We exchanged for 3 months with a couple in san francisco. Id be glad to you more about it. just MP me.

[Nignoy]

Well our home exchange went well, no problems at all , we embark on our next home exchange to switzerland on the 21st of this month, had to cancel our exchange for singapore in august because of mrs Nignoys heart Operation( she has keyhole surgery tomorrow) at the moment there are over 30 thai properties available for home exchange on our website, it has become a popular way to see the world without hotels all you need is trust Nignoy

[mcgriffith]

Well our home exchange went well, no problems at all , we embark on our next home exchange to switzerland on the 21st of this month, had to cancel our exchange for singapore in august because of mrs Nignoys heart Operation( she has keyhole surgery tomorrow) at the moment there are over 30 thai properties available for home exchange on our website, it has become a popular way to see the world without hotels all you need is trust Nignoy

Off topic, I know, but just want to wish Mrs. Nignoy a successful operation, and a speedy recovery.

McG