Househunting, I am doing it wrong?

[tyznd]

I just did the opposite & moved from CM to HH. The endless traffic, awful air quality year round - not just burning season - & nowhere to walk without being asphyxiated by diesel fumes - after a decade gave up & moved to fresh air. I would never recommend living in CM - loved it for years - but it has changed so much - & not for the better. Too bad. A lovely city ruined

Second that. Will be heading south myself before the end of the year.

Between the pollution that lasts months and not weeks, increasing traffic problems and putting up with the annual BS to get a retirement visa extension, I've had enough. I recommend anyone considering CM to think it over carefully as you may find the grass is not greener here from where you are coming, especially if you are concerned about your health.

[junglechef]

I moved from HH to SS and love it here. I'm closer to Mae Jo then Rumchok so maybe a few min more then 1/2 hr to town but very village feel, actually rural as I only can barley see any houses from my place. Totally agree for me a moo ban doesn't hold any attraction. If you have any questions feel free to pm me. I would like to add the smoke is bad enough for me to take a two month beach vacation every burning season, but there sure is a silver living in that!

Edited May 17, 2016 by junglechef

[Aussie69]

Hmm

[ammagic]

I actually lived near Rimping Meechoke before giving up & moving to HH. Many days I could barely get out of my Moobaan - too much traffic. If a city's livability is partly judged by its walkability then CM scores very poorly. Yes you can walk around downtown but the air quality is awful. I have bronchial issues & in the end had to give up on CM. Loved it for years but no longer. Miss some aspects but for me personally nothing beats living in fresh sea air. Good luck house hunting!

[anto]

I actually lived near Rimping Meechoke before giving up & moving to HH. Many days I could barely get out of my Moobaan - too much traffic. If a city's livability is partly judged by its walkability then CM scores very poorly. Yes you can walk around downtown but the air quality is awful. I have bronchial issues & in the end had to give up on CM. Loved it for years but no longer. Miss some aspects but for me personally nothing beats living in fresh sea air. Good luck house hunting!

When they have the Monday and Tuesday market its crazy around there .Now they are redeveloping the whole of Rumchok Plaza next door so it will have even more traffic .I live about 3 km further out where its very quiet and peaceful .

[Mark123456]

I live about a 5 minute walk from Meechook Plaza and the traffic really isn't that bad. It has got a little worse since they started work on the underpass by Thepanya Hospital but once that's finished I guess it should improve. The Monday/Tuesday market is a pain in the backside because it means it is difficult to find a parking place in the plaza on those days. In our moo baan you would have no idea you were close to ruamchook junction, it's also very quiet.

[Paul944]

You can have a drink and pizza at Viva Pizza along the Canal road. Check if the house of my wife's aunt has been demolished yet for the extension of the Canal road. When I was sitting there a lot of foreigners came there to eat.

On the internet you can find a lot of real estate agencies in Chiang Mai.

Take a look at the Grand Canyon when you are in Hang Dong it is becoming a touristic viewpoint.

[BB1955]

Were doing just the opposit looking to move down there ...

[JaseTheBass]

Were doing just the opposit looking to move down there ...

Seems the more sensible choice.

[MaeJoMTB]

I'm wondering why the OP is faffing about driving around, when all he has to do is walk into a real estate agent's office with a list of his requirements.

Probably because he knows rented through agents costs double.

Always amazed at the jokers who don't get that everything marketed in English is double the price for the same property marketed in Thai.

Edited May 23, 2016 by MaeJoMTB

[Aussie69]

Well i think double is a bit of an exaggeration; however I think was the whole point of the OP asking, how can he make his search more efficient by getting some helpful advice. I feel sorry for him after some of tbe responses

[TheSiemReaper]

Real estate agents here are often a source of a bargain or two. My own place was 10,000 Baht a month cheaper via a real estate agent than going direct (as my mate who wanted to live here discovered when he tried to go direct). Yes, they are paid a commission but that often leads to negotiating a realistic price on your behalf rather than the one the landlord will insist on and won't back down on for fear of losing face when dealing with a farang. They also arranged for the brand new (but hideous) furniture to be removed - something that the landlord wasn't keen on. Good agents earn their commissions and there are several here. They also make it very, very easy to find something that you want rather than dragging around day after day trying to discover a miracle moment by yourself.

[KhonKaenKowboy]

the English advertising still will likely get you a better deal than your Thai "GF," when negotiations involving a simple yes/no answer seem to take an extraordinarily long amount of time.

[MaeJoMTB]

the English advertising still will likely get you a better deal than your Thai "GF," when negotiations involving a simple yes/no answer seem to take an extraordinarily long amount of time.

If you think of your 'Thai g/f' as a agent, you will understand what's happening.

[thelongshoot]

Can I just offer a massive appology to everyone who replied to my post! It looks like I did a hit and run - posted looking for feedback and then buggered off without having the manners to even reply. I deleted all saved passwords and couldnt remember what mine was, so couldnt post. I had it saved on my phone and followed the thread that way but no way am I replying to a load of posts on my samsung! So anyway thanks everyone for the replies, I appreciate it very much.

We followed all of the advice posted here, but in all honesty we decided CM isnt realy for us. I love the place and will always holiday there but it is just too busy for me. It seems like all the suberbs we checked out realy are places to live only, and offer little in the way of restraunts, cafes, local bars etc.... All 'local' ammenaties seem to be small retail parks dotted around the edge of the city with big supermarkets, mcdonalds, starbucks etc. I was hoping to move to one of these suberbs and just stay there most of the time, nipping into CM city only when I needed to, but it just isnt like that up there. No way can i live in the city, and i will never ever curse Hua Hin traffic and its 2 traffic lights in the town center ever again!

So we are going to stay down here in Hua Hin. I am a bit bored of the place but its laid back here, traffic is never a major problem and it is nice having the sea air and stuff. Plus, just a couple hours from Bangkok.

Thanks again and appologies once more for seemingly looking a little ignorant with my lack of responses!

Best

TLS

[NancyL]

Thanks for the update and good manners! Seems that you're in the right place.