| Rent a house in Bangkok | | | | and I stress again - you get what you pay |
| | | | for! And most 12,000 bht houses I've seen are |
| When I first moved to Bangkok, I rented an | | | | usually in serious need of repair and |
| apartment like most newcomers to Bangkok do, | | | | maintenance, and the really nice ones are |
| but as I became more familiar with my new | | | | located way out in whoop whoop district. |
| home town, I decided to be a little more | | | | |
| adventurous and rented a house. Having lived | | | | I don't care as long as rent is cheap. Where |
| in houses over the past five years now, I've | | | | do I look? |
| found that renting a house in Bangkok not | | | | |
| only offers more space and privacy, often it | | | | Again, you won't find any agents to help you |
| is also much better value compared to | | | | there and finding that perfect yet cheap and |
| apartment living. More often than not, it is | | | | nice house is undoubtedly the hardest step. |
| also a cheaper option (per square metre) | | | | It usually takes months of driving around moo |
| compared to renting an apartment or condo, | | | | baan after moo baan, which would mean having |
| which are getting smaller in size these days! | | | | your own transport and knowing your way |
| If you enjoy wide open spaces, appreciate | | | | around. |
| some green in your life - a garden perhaps, | | | | |
| have pets, a large family or simply want to | | | | The word "Moo Baan" translates to "village" |
| maximize your budget, consider renting a | | | | in Thai, but the term "housing estate" would |
| house instead. | | | | be far more accurate. These usually have a |
| | | | guard posted at the entrance and are situated |
| Another advantage in renting a house is, | | | | all over Bangkok. These houses usually offer |
| apartments tend to put a high surcharge on | | | | much better value than stand alone houses, |
| your electricity and water bills. Many | | | | and are a good place for the house hunter to |
| apartments have a minimum charge of 1000 bht | | | | start his/her search. Try areas like On Nut |
| for water alone. That is a significant amount | | | | between Sukhumvit 77 - 103, Bangna, Rangsit, |
| considering my water bill never cost me over | | | | Ramintra, Phayathai, Mo chit etc. |
| 500 bht living in a house with a family of 5, | | | | |
| and we do A LOT of washing! Electricity can | | | | Concerns and other issues |
| be anything between 5 - 7 baht per unit | | | | |
| compared to the actual 3.75 baht charged by | | | | 1) Security |
| the MEA. Living in a house can save you up to | | | | |
| half your utility bills compared to living in | | | | Honestly, I know of many farangs, including |
| an apartment, and believe me it is A LOT of | | | | myself who have lived in single houses and |
| difference! | | | | existed peacefully without any disturbances |
| | | | or trouble for years. I also do not know |
| Thailand is cheap! | | | | anyone who has been burgled personally |
| | | | because they were living in a house. Do you? |
| As you may already know, Thailand (more | | | | |
| accurately, "Bangkok") is not the cheap haven | | | | If you are considering renting a house and |
| many foreigners once thought it to be, | | | | security is a main concern, rent a house in |
| especially when it comes to housing. Property | | | | popular areas like Sukhumvit, Silom and |
| prices and rental have gone up considerably | | | | Sathorn where there are many nearby |
| and that's the way it goes everywhere around | | | | apartments and condos with security. That |
| the world. The very same 2 bedroom unit I | | | | way, you can benefit from the dense security |
| rented 5 years ago (in Silom) has gone up by | | | | in the neighbourhood. |
| 30% in rental and hardly any refurbishment | | | | |
| has been done to it since! "That's | | | | Another option would be to opt for houses or |
| ridiculous" you say and believe it or not, I | | | | townhouse within a "moo baan." There are |
| agree! But hey, I don't make the prices and | | | | plenty around and majority of them have tight |
| if you think agents benefit from that higher | | | | 24 hour security. Common sense would also |
| commission, that's only true when clients | | | | tell me to explore the neighbourhood a little |
| actually think these houses are worth the | | | | and have a chat with shopkeepers and a |
| price and that isn't always the case. | | | | neighbour who might be willing to share some |
| | | | information with you. I'm sure you'll have no |
| Renting a house in Sukhumvit, Silom or | | | | problems getting a friendly neighbour to |
| Sathorn. | | | | spill the beans on the house, its previous |
| | | | tenants and probably things you don't need to |
| If you are looking to rent a house in the the | | | | know about your landlord. Welcome to |
| Sukhumvit, Silom or Sathorn area, then the | | | | Thailand! |
| very minimum rental you are looking at is | | | | |
| 30,000 bht for a BASIC 3 bedroom house. Even | | | | 2) Air conditioners |
| then, they are few and far between in that | | | | |
| range, and more often than not are above 15 | | | | Check to see how many rooms have |
| years old, with dark parquet flooring and | | | | air-conditioning; and how old the |
| lots of wooden built-ins which many people | | | | air-conditioners are. If you are looking at |
| find dark and depressing. | | | | an older house, chances are it will have |
| | | | those big, old blocks that rumble every time |
| Most people prefer something a little | | | | you turn them on. These old air-conditioners |
| brighter and contemporary. That would mean | | | | consume a lot more energy than a new one, and |
| newer houses between 1 - 5 years old and | | | | would greatly increase your electricity |
| these start around 45,000 bht. Depending on | | | | bills. It is also unlikely that the landlord |
| the location, size, décor, facilities etc. | | | | will install new air-conditioners for you |
| these can go up to anything from 150,000 - | | | | unless they are completely dead (even then |
| 250,000 baht per month. For that price, | | | | they will always try to revive the monster |
| please do not accept anything less than a | | | | before even considering replacing it), so |
| spectacular, resort-like villa with a private | | | | make sure that they are serviced and cleaned |
| pool! | | | | before you move in or if you got a good deal |
| | | | on the rent, invest in some new |
| No, but seriously, you do get what you pay | | | | airconditioners! |
| for so be realistic when it comes to | | | | |
| expectations and budget. If you want | | | | 3) Water Pressure |
| something new and modern but lack the budget, | | | | |
| then move further away from the city centre. | | | | Now this is important. Always check that |
| Which also means further away from the BTS | | | | there is a water pump. Then check the water |
| line. Unfortunately, we cannot have it all | | | | pressure on the upper floors to make sure the |
| and something's gotta give. | | | | pump has enough power to deliver a decent jet |
| | | | of shower. I've learnt from experience that |
| Generally, if you go further towards the end | | | | size does not necessarily mean power when it |
| of the BTS line and beyond i.e. Mo Chit, | | | | comes to a water pump, and sometimes a 2nd |
| Phayathai, Phrakanong, On Nut, Bangna, | | | | pump needs to be installed to ensure constant |
| Srinakarin, Rangsit etc. prices drop | | | | deliverance of water into the house. |
| significantly and you get much better deals | | | | |
| which are sometimes worth the extra time | | | | 4) Telephone lines |
| commuting. | | | | |
| | | | Again, from experience it is in your best |
| Is it possible to find a house for 15,000 | | | | interest to check the phone lines to make |
| bht? | | | | sure that 1) you have one and 2) it is |
| | | | working, because some areas (and this |
| Not many agencies deal with houses below | | | | includes many areas in the Sukhumvit, Silom |
| 25,000 bht. Just search the various property | | | | and Sathorn) do not have anymore available |
| website in Thailand and you will see that the | | | | numbers and you will have to join a looong |
| minimum range for houses are 25,000 - 30,000 | | | | waiting list to apply for a new one. Also, |
| bht, where the search usually returns 0 - 5 | | | | older houses above 10 years old tend to be on |
| results. Several reasons for that: | | | | the old, analog system which when faulty, |
| | | | cannot be replaced unless the whole area is |
| 1) There are a lot less decent and rentable | | | | re-cabled. No telephone lines = no internet. |
| houses at < 25,000 bht than there are at say, | | | | You don't ever want to be caught in that |
| 50,000 bht. | | | | situation! |
| | | | |
| 2) If there is, it is usually way out of | | | | 5) Maintenance |
| town, far from any BTS/MRT station. | | | | |
| | | | Houses within a secured compound will have |
| 3) Most people want to live in town, close to | | | | what they call "moo baan fee" or "community |
| the city centre, CBD or near a BTS/MRT | | | | fee" which goes into the maintenance of the |
| station. | | | | estate i.e. security, pool and garden |
| | | | maintenance etc. This is usually included in |
| 4) Apart from location, houses below 25,000 | | | | the asking rent. However, if you try |
| bht are usually older (thus old fashioned) | | | | negotiating on the rent, then more often than |
| and not very well-maintained, which makes it | | | | not, the landlord will exclude this from the |
| very hard to rent. | | | | rent and make you pay for it, so check to see |
| | | | what your rent includes when you are signing |
| 5) If a house is nice and decent with an | | | | the contract. This ranges between 20 - 45 bht |
| asking rent of 25,000 bht or less, some | | | | per square metre. Thus, the larger your house |
| agents mark it up! | | | | the more you pay! I currently pay 3,500 baht |
| | | | per month for my "moo baan fee" (I got a 5000 |
| Thus, it's hard to find nice, decent houses | | | | bht reduction in rent, so it works out) and |
| at 25,000 bht or less... | | | | we have 24 hour security, a well-maintained |
| | | | common garden and a superb pool that is |
| Regardless, there are plenty of cheap houses | | | | regularly cleaned, so I am happy. |
| as low as 12,000 bht for rent, but remember, | | | | |