Housing - What to do?

[stament]

We're going to be moving back to CM early next year. We plan to own our own home but not sure what is the best option:

1/ Build our own ideal home (fraught with difficulties I would assume)

2/ Buy a new/second hand house which won't be ideal but fits most of the criteria and is ready to move in without any work

3/ Buy a cheaper second-hand house and modernise it

Having looked at houses for sale in and around Hang Dong most of them seem to be in gated communities which is fine (we don't have a preference), but the gardens look very small. We would want a garden of say 20m x 20m really as we have small children.

Not sure if any of the moo bans have parks, if so not so much of an issue. Currently we live in a 6th floor apartment not near a park and we do feel "couped" up a bit like battery hens!

Any advice from people who have similar experiences would be helpful as would any recommendations as always ;-)

[aircooledflat4]

in a word, rent.

/thread

[Costas2008]

I'm just waiting to see how many will tell you to rent a house.......................

[Sparkles]

Rent before you buy.Our village ,Banwangtan, in Hang Dong,has twice the number of houses for rent and sale than it had 6 years ago.

Then you can take your time and look around. If you make a mistake resale is not easy at the moment.

[masuk]

I continue to be surprised at the lack of recreational or sporting areas anywhere. Seems a developer / moo baan can go ahead and not have to include playgrounds, skateboard areas, in fact anything requiring kids get off their rear ends after school and have fun!

Remember there are no zoning rules for dogs, number of dogs, light industry, repair shops, even a disco.

Read up on rental contracts, discussed at length on this forum. If modifications or alterations or repairs are to be made to a place, ensure that all work is carried out before moving in.

[umbanda]

Rent before you buy.Our village ,Banwangtan, in Hang Dong,has twice the number of houses for rent and sale than it had 6 years ago.

Then you can take your time and look around. If you make a mistake resale is not easy at the moment.

Good advice. While your rent you may find a not very old foreclosed house (max 10 years old) , that you may buy from the bank for half of the original value. Some just needs some cosmetics, and are a good option and investment.

[stament]

Rent before you buy.Our village ,Banwangtan, in Hang Dong,has twice the number of houses for rent and sale than it had 6 years ago.

Then you can take your time and look around. If you make a mistake resale is not easy at the moment.

In all likelihood that is what we probably will do to start with. I guess I was thinking more long-term as we'd probably be in CM for the next 5-10 years or so.

From your post can I take it that it's a buyers/renters market at present due to over-supply of housing in the Hang Dong area? I've read that Thai's don't like buying second-hand properties - does this mean that the price of these is lower than new builds on a like for like comparison?

[stament]

I'm just waiting to see how many will tell you to rent a house.......................

Not had very good experiences thus far with a couple of estate agents. Maybe I'll get some offers of people wanting to rent/sell their house on here!

[AnotherOneAmerican]

KKN.co.th are selling new 3 bed, 3 shower, houses all around CM for around 1.8M.

Small garden but with a gated community everyone sits outside with the kids in the road every evening.

Plots are generally 55TW, but larger are available @10k/TW extra.

(I'm not saying it's a good idea to buy a house in your wife's name though)

[pgrahmm]

We live in Lanna Pinery in Hang Dong....there is a pool and tennis courts here along with some lawned areas (some with play sets) that would allow some play/frisbee/picnic activity. Dogs are not allowed off the owners property without a leash and kids are out and about with their friends riding bike, kicking soccer balls, doing what kids do.....70% Thai....our house is 210SM and is not one of the large houses.....about 9PM most lights are off and it's quiet.....traffic is not a problem at any time unless your routine takes you into CM....

Riding the bikes around I'd say 25-35% are vacant or for sale/rent.....The yards are small but some homes bought two or three lots when they moved here & there are a few open lots still around....

So - what you are looking for is out there....Hang Dong to me is a great place with many options lifestyle wise.....

[AnotherOneAmerican]

Rent before you buy.Our village ,Banwangtan, in Hang Dong,has twice the number of houses for rent and sale than it had 6 years ago.

Then you can take your time and look around. If you make a mistake resale is not easy at the moment.

In all likelihood that is what we probably will do to start with. I guess I was thinking more long-term as we'd probably be in CM for the next 5-10 years or so.

From your post can I take it that it's a buyers/renters market at present due to over-supply of housing in the Hang Dong area? I've read that Thai's don't like buying second-hand properties - does this mean that the price of these is lower than new builds on a like for like comparison?

Often s/h houses cost more than new.

Everyone will want an inflated price from a foreigner, secret commissions aboud, finance is harder to get.

Better to buy from a developer with published prices, and the ability to arrange a home loan.

Same problem with foreigner enclaves around Hang Dong, foreigners are rich and are charged more for everything.

[scorecard]

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in a word, rent.

/thread

Or at least rent for 6 m/ 12 months to get more information before you decide.

One 'must' for my family is a fully residential / family oriented village.

This of course has upside and downside:

- Can be nice family / community atmosphere, especially if there's a nice pool etc., but of course these things need proper maintenance and monitoring.

- Never again want to buy into a village where the whole thing is not being managed or being managed inappropriately, etc. Been there done that in a village in Chonburi city. Seemed all good on the plans but when all completed the developer made his nasty sister, who owned a big transport company, the job of managing the village. Lots of serious problems, two examples:

1). Her fleet of 40 covered pick up trucks parked inside the village at night time and blocking many private driveways, plus regularly repairs going on until very late at night inside the village. She refused to discuss it.

2). Madam decided (no discussion with other owners) that the village should have 5 security guards. In reality the village funds were paying the security guards but they were located at her main big truck compound. She and original developer refused to discuss.

[Sparkles]

Rent before you buy.Our village ,Banwangtan, in Hang Dong,has twice the number of houses for rent and sale than it had 6 years ago.

Then you can take your time and look around. If you make a mistake resale is not easy at the moment.

In all likelihood that is what we probably will do to start with. I guess I was thinking more long-term as we'd probably be in CM for the next 5-10 years or so.

From your post can I take it that it's a buyers/renters market at present due to over-supply of housing in the Hang Dong area? I've read that Thai's don't like buying second-hand properties - does this mean that the price of these is lower than new builds on a like for like comparison?

Often s/h houses cost more than new.

Everyone will want an inflated price from a foreigner, secret commissions aboud, finance is harder to get.

Better to buy from a developer with published prices, and the ability to arrange a home loan.

Same problem with foreigner enclaves around Hang Dong, foreigners are rich and are charged more for everything.

Yes you can buy a new house but then there's the add ons like a kitchen ,landscaping, plants,trees and lawn..Many don't even have built in wardrobes and getting the builder to come back to rectify problems you may have can be dicey.The building standards of new houses being built has declined as the availability of good trades people has declined due to this current building boom.

There are always people who need a quick sale or have given up on the inflated price they listed. Plus buying second hand you can see what is around you. We have friends who bought a new house and 2 months later the new house next door was sold and in moved a family with 3 constantly barking dogs.

We are far from wealthy,living in a very modest house and frankly I would never trust a Thai developer but each to his own....at least rent first.

[AnotherOneAmerican]

There are always people who need a quick sale or have given up on the inflated price they listed.

I have never met such a Thai,

I have encountered foreigners like this, but they usually paid way over the odds, and their idea of a bargain price is usually more than an undiscounted Thai asking price.

But as I said, s/h involves commissions, often including a substantial commision for the foreigners wife.

When I was looking at s/h houses, my gf always tried to negotiate a 500k price rise, split 50/50 her/seller.

Not an uncommon problem.

[stament]

Interesting responses so far and food for thought!

Has anyone had any experience in building their own house I wonder? I've got some land in "the village" where we plan to build a house - a long-term project. And yes the house and land will/is be in my wife's name, and no I don't have a problem with this as it's a family house for the kids too. Just thought it would be worth covering off that point to prevent the flood of responses warning me! ;-)

[metisdead]

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[AnotherOneAmerican]

Interesting responses so far and food for thought!

Has anyone had any experience in building their own house I wonder? I've got some land in "the village" where we plan to build a house - a long-term project. And yes the house and land will/is be in my wife's name, and no I don't have a problem with this as it's a family house for the kids too. Just thought it would be worth covering off that point to prevent the flood of responses warning me! ;-)

Remember, in most rural villages the resale value for anything you build will be zero.

People are moving away from the villages.

What are the schools and hospitals like in the area? usually pretty basic, often no internet.

Essentially you would be forcing any children into the most basic of existences with no chance of any education.

With rampant drugs, drunkenness, relatives living off you and lawlessness.

Not to mention, could you endure such a life?

No English speakers at all, and depending where you are, maybe no Thai speakers either (rural villages often have their own language).

Very few foreigners remain sane away from the cities, city suburbs are quite nice, best of modern and pastoral.

ANd a chance of selling, if you ever decide to move.

[evenstevens]

Interesting responses so far and food for thought!

Has anyone had any experience in building their own house I wonder? I've got some land in "the village" where we plan to build a house - a long-term project. And yes the house and land will/is be in my wife's name, and no I don't have a problem with this as it's a family house for the kids too. Just thought it would be worth covering off that point to prevent the flood of responses warning me! ;-)

Remember, in most rural villages the resale value for anything you build will be zero.

People are moving away from the villages.

What are the schools and hospitals like in the area? usually pretty basic, often no internet.

Essentially you would be forcing any children into the most basic of existences with no chance of any education.

With rampant drugs, drunkenness, relatives living off you and lawlessness.

Not to mention, could you endure such a life?

No English speakers at all, and depending where you are, maybe no Thai speakers either (rural villages often have their own language).

Very few foreigners remain sane away from the cities, city suburbs are quite nice, best of modern and pastoral.

ANd a chance of selling, if you ever decide to move.

fair dinkum a.o.a.

you are right out of your tree, with the above post

got a great giggle, thks for that

[eyecatcher]

I disagree also. Fact is that resales in moo baan identical chatacterless houses is nion impossible.

You get a unique house in a rural village and firstly you will never get tired of the house and the place and secondly if you do decide to move on then buyers will be queing up.

Dont forget rural around chiang mai is only ten minutes from the moat in any direction so that includes hispitals schools dentists bus station and airport.

I would concur though that unless you are already in a long term relationship then buying property is not very sensible.

Thereafter; well you know your girl better than anyone and whether its worth a final shot at happiness for you both before you leave this mortal coil.

[AnotherOneAmerican]

I disagree also. Fact is that resales in moo baan identical chatacterless houses is nion impossible.

You get a unique house in a rural village and firstly you will never get tired of the house and the place and secondly if you do decide to move on then buyers will be queing up.

Dont forget rural around chiang mai is only ten minutes from the moat in any direction so that includes hispitals schools dentists bus station and airport.

I would concur though that unless you are already in a long term relationship then buying property is not very sensible.

Thereafter; well you know your girl better than anyone and whether its worth a final shot at happiness for you both before you leave this mortal coil.

How many times a week do you come into CM center? 6 or 7 times?

And your house right next door to American missionaries.

Hardly rural.

Now think no bars with English speaking people, and no tourists for your business.

Can't see you lasting a week away from the big city.