Home Rentals in Thailand

[TotallyOz]

I have been in touch with a broker about a home in Pattaya. Not really interested but wanted to see the options. The prices for what they offer for most of the homes are outrageous. Most of the 3 bedrooms in nice secure areas are 85,000 baht. I guess the market is not as bad as many thought if those places are renting out consistently.

 

I would never live in the city as I do feel it is not as safe as the Jomptien area. I had a friend that rented between Pattaya and Jomptien in a very nice large home with swimming pool and his home was broken into a few times. As my realtor was driving by that area, I asked him about home prices there, he commented that only an idiot would move there as the area is know for the robberies. I thought it may have been just a coincidence that my friend had his place broken into but I guess that was not coincidental. The realtor said he would not even show me anything in that area as it was a big mistake to move there. Most of the places he showed were in Jomptien and gated communities.

 

I do know there are many that live in Pattaya and don't live in the gated communities. How safe do you feel? How secure are our belongings? Do the gated communities offer that much more safety?

[Gaybutton]

I do know there are many that live in Pattaya and don't live in the gated communities. How safe do you feel? How secure are our belongings? Do the gated communities offer that much more safety?

 

I'm one of the people who lives in a non-gated community. I don't think I'm any less safe than those who do live in gated communities. My home was broken into once. Meanwhile I have a friend who lives in a gated community, with security guards, and his home was also broken into. If a burglar wants to get into your home he'll find a way, no matter how well you have secured your home. You do the best you can. That's all you can do. Isn't that true no matter where in the world you live?

 

Since the break-in at my home, I secured my home as best as I can. I feel perfectly safe. I also am fortunate that my neighbors all know me and we all look out for each other. If any of my neighbors spot anything going on, I know they'll call the police.

 

I think it's a combination of how well the home is secured, the neighbors, and sheer luck. I certainly don't dispute the idea that a gated community with security guards is a deterrent, but just how much of a deterrent is anybody's guess.

 

I think there's a big difference between how safe you feel and how safe you actually are.

[Guest]

I think there's a big difference between how safe you feel and how safe you actually are.

 

I think you are 100 percent right there. I have noticed that when I go to any gated community, I am never stopped and they smile and brush me inside. Most of the Thai guys I know are stopped and leave an ID at the gate. It seems pretty consistent that if you are Farang, you have little trouble getting inside any gated community.

 

As far as your neighbors, you are right and I have felt the same in several places I lived in the USA. All my neighbors looked after one another. May I ask if the majority of your neighbors are Thai or Farang?

[Gaybutton]

May I ask if the majority of your neighbors are Thai or Farang?

 

All of my neighbors are Thai.

[PattayaMale]

I also live in a non-gated community. I've had the house for about 3 years, but have lived continuously in it for just over a year. We have never had a problem nor has anyone in the neighborhood. It is off third road between pattaya tai and pattaya klang. I mention that because you said you thought Jomtien would be safer, which may be true, but I am in the pattaya city center.

 

My neighbors are a mix of farang and thai and great people.

 

If you are looking for a place, I think Gary from Corner Bar has a very nice house with pool that he rented to a friend of mine for about a year. It is behind the Mac Hotel. My friend liked it very much. It has very good security.

[Guest]

If you are looking for a place, I think Gary from Corner Bar has a very nice house with pool that he rented to a friend of mine for about a year. It is behind the Mac Hotel. My friend liked it very much. It has very good security.

 

I thought that area was high on break-ins. At least that is what 2 real estate agents told me when I told them that was the area I wanted to live in. Perhaps they just did not have a place in that area and trying to rent in the gated communities.

 

I did see the house you mentioned a few years back and it was nice place and the pool was amazing. I really liked the location as well. I didn't see any security when I was there. Did your friend have any security issues?

[PattayaMale]

He did have a break in about a week after he moved in. However, you may want to see what they did to make sure it will not happen again. It is very secure due to the security improvements. He was very happy with the house. Maybe take another look...up to you.

 

As to my neighborhood, we have not have any problems. There are just 2 streets where I live off soi bongkot so the estate agent must have had a different area in mind.

[Gaybutton]

I don't understand why you are using a real estate agent at all. Why? It's easy to find rental property via classified ads, billboards at grocery stores, etc. To me, using a real estate agent is wasting a lot of money for nothing. My suggestion is to try on your own first and use a real estate agent only as a last resort, if all else fails.

[KhorTose]

I agree with GB. The agent is paid a commission by the seller and sometimes they are offered more to push certain properties and homes. Maybe you will be lucky, but I have given up getting straight answers out of them. They have their own agendas, not yours. Also I recommend bargining and bargining hard. If you are planning to rent for one year you should get a LARGE discount over the asking rental.

[Guest]

Honestly, I am not sure how the rental market works here. In NYC the Renter pays the broker fee and the real estate agent gets nothing after that.

 

So, here the buyer pays them. Do you know if that is a monthly percentage? one time commission?

 

I do appreciate all the input and you are right. Nothing is set in stone for me of course but I would love to know what the usual fees are to know what kind of room I have to negotiate. I am honestly not a good negotiator and when I see something I like I make an offer that is close to what I think it is worth and they take it or I move on.

[KhorTose]

Honestly, I am not sure how the rental market works here.

 

It is the person who owns the unit that pays the fee to the agent. I think there is no set rule on fees. May be both commission and one time fee depending on the agency. This is knowledge I've acquired in Chiang Mai only by word of mouth, so check with locals to get a better more precise answer for Pattaya. If no one else knows ask GB. If he does not know he will know who to ask to get an answer. Best of Luck.

[2lz2p]

I agree with GB. The agent is paid a commission by the seller and sometimes they are offered more to push certain properties and homes. Maybe you will be lucky, but I have given up getting straight answers out of them. They have their own agendas, not yours. Also I recommend bargining and bargining hard. If you are planning to rent for one year you should get a LARGE discount over the asking rental.

 

Can't say about payment to push properties, but I have found that the many I have tried to use (with two exceptions) were more interested in their "sales" vs "rentals." My experience with at least 4 real estate agents, other than the two I am going to mention later, was not good - in all cases, I had given the realtor a list of my requirements -- in two cases, they never got back to me and in the other two, they took me to see properties, which did not meet my requirements. Now for the two good experiences.

 

My first two rentals were handled by the same realtor -- I was shown properties that were within my "specifications and price range." In the first house, the owner was in Belgium and the realtor handled everything and collected the rent each month -- very responsive to any need for maintenance and a full refund of deposit when I moved out (I hate to clean, so we had agreed upon a set sum to be kept from the deposit for cleaning). The 2nd rental, they acted only as a "locater" - the lease was with the owner (a very nice English gentleman that lived in the same gated village -- paid rent to him, prompt with maintenance -- returned full deposit under the same arrangements as my first rental). It was my understanding they received a fee from the owner for the rental and, in the case of the first house, a percentage of each months rent. They have a good website with many properties in all price ranges. Their site is Pattaya Properties.

 

My current rental was handled by BB Lets. This agency handles sales, but seems to specialize in rentals -- The owner is current at updating his database of available properties (most realtors seem to list a property in their data base and never delete or otherwise update it, thus when you see a property you are interested in and contact them, they inform you, "sorry, that one is rented out" or, as one told me once, "oh, we haven't handled that property for a while, we will contact the owner and get back to you" (they didn't and when I followed up, they said their number for the owner was no longer good, but they were still trying to find them). The realtor I currently have told me he does not do "locater" only -- he said he contracts with owner to handle everything - so my lease is with him (he is a farang and lease is in English). I have found him to be great to deal with -- he has a wide range of properties in all price ranges.

 

As to asking price and negotiated price -- absolutely correct. In my first rental, the English agent told me the asking price and then told me what they would probably "take," which was about 5,000 Baht less. My current agent told me the asking price and when my bf wanted to negotiate, put him in touch with the Thai owner -- we rented for 7,000 less per month from the asking price (we did agree to a 2 year lease, though). I'm well pleased with the house and village, we have been here about 18 months and the lease gives me the option to continue it for another 2 years at the same rate.

 

 

[Gaybutton]

Speaking of security, the following appears in PATTAYA ONE (that's the new name for PATTAYA CITY NEWS. They've changed their name, for reasons unknown.)

_____

 

Break-ins Continue here in Pattaya

 

Break-ins are continuing here in Pattaya and both residential and commercial properties are being targeted as the higher cost of living here in Thailand appears to be forcing some to turn to a life of crime.

 

The first case comes from the Soonlodee Garage located at the corner of the Tepprasit Road and Sukumvit Road. Police were called to an office at the rear of the garage early on Monday Morning. The back door to the office had been forced open and the owner claimed that 2,000 Baht in cash and two digital cameras had been stolen. The office was dusted for prints and many were taken from the scene and are now being analyzed by officers who will do their best to locate the thieves regardless of the lack of clues in this case.

 

The second theft we are reporting on comes from the Town and Country Property Office located in South Pattaya. As employees turned up for work on Monday Morning, they noticed that a break-in had occurred and called the Police who soon arrived and checked the point of entry.

 

The thieves had partially knocked down a concrete wall at the side of the office and entered through the hole in the wall. 75,000 Baht in cash and a hard disk containing important company information were stolen. Fingerprints and other forensic evidence was taken from the scene and Police will add this case to the many break-ins waiting to be investigated at Pattaya Police Station.

[Guest]

The thieves had partially knocked down a concrete wall at the side of the office and entered through the hole in the wall. 75,000 Baht in cash and a hard disk containing important company information were stolen. Fingerprints and other forensic evidence was taken from the scene and Police will add this case to the many break-ins waiting to be investigated at Pattaya Police Station.

 

 

HOLY SHIT. A concrete wall busted down and broken into. That is really like something from the movies.

 

I have a friend who lives in a secure Condo and he has someone try to break into his room when he was there. Luckily, they were not able to gain entry but he gave the security guards hell for letting someone up without his permission. I don't expect that break-ins are uncommon at all. Most go unreported. I'll also assume that the more depressed the economy becomes, the more break ins will occur. As I spend much time in Brazil and know the crime there is sky rocketing and has always been dangerous, I hope and pray that the people in this wonderful country do not go down that road.

 

Thanks for the article GB. Reading from your post and a few others on here, it seems that a friendship with your neighbors may be one of the most important deterrents for the crime.