Finding a place to live
- By letgothailandexpatdemo
One of the biggest challenges you will face when moving to Thailand is “where to live”. The best way to determine the location and home, apartment, or condo, is to partner with an experienced realtor. There are a several reasons why you should partner with an experienced realtor:
Many neighborhoods in Bangkok are different from one another. While not apparent at first, the location of where you live in the City will greatly affect your overall happiness.
The best locations are near to the BTS (above ground train system) AND Toll Roads. This is because whether you are driving yourself (or being driven by a private driver), or riding public transport, many of the city’s infrastructure is located near to these two main arteries.
Living off of a Soi (Thai for neighborhood street) can be much more peaceful, as the traffic level and noise is substantially lower than main roads. However, just because you’re on a Soi doesn’t necessary mean you lose any walkability.
Renting a house can often be much more enjoyable and your money will go further than renting an apartment or condo, especially if you have children or pets. Renting a home is often much more financially favorable than buying a home of the same size and location. Many condos or apartments have limitations of no pets allowed, or only pets of a certain smaller size.
There are many neighborhoods in Bangkok you may consider. While most Westerners frequent the Sukhumvit area, it is not necessarily a great place to live to due heavy levels of traffic no matter the time of day. The same goes for Sathorn and Silom. Thong Lor is a hip neighborhood, with one of if not the highest real estate prices, but it does offer great walkability and many hip night spots. Note that everything in Thong Lor is more expensive than other areas of the City (coffee, food, etc.). Your cost of living will be measurably higher if you live in Thong Lor.
One of the best neighborhoods in Bangkok, when considering location and accessibility, cost, walkability, restaurants and bars, and overall vibes is Ari. Ari is located near Victory Monument, and has a good mix of mostly Thai people with some Westerners sprinkled throughout.
Another option similar to Ari is Phloenchit. Phloenchit is also on the same BTS line as Ari, and has a great city and park mixed vibe to it. In addition, Phloenchit has a variety of restaurants catering to all types of food, many of them highly regarded. The area is also dog-friendly, including an expansive greenbelt with a distance of over one mile, running from Lumphini Park to Benchakitti Park.
Be wary of living too far outside the City center neighborhoods. While weekend traffic can be light, if you move to Bangkok includes working, you may find that the commute time increases significantly during peak hours (8:00am-10:00am, and 4:00pm-7:00pm). It is imperative that you be realistic about your requirements for location early on in your search. Generally, you do not want to live more than 30 minutes commute without traffic from the City centers.
If you are looking to retire in Thailand, or want a slower place of life, there are many beach towns, mountain towns, and places in up north Thailand that are great. While we won’t go in to detail here, be sure to check out Khao Yai (3 hours from Bangkok to the immediate North), Hua Hin (3 hours from Bangkok to the immediate South), Cha’Am (2.5 hours from Bangkok to the immediate South), and any of the islands that you may interest you. Note that if you have not visited Thailand post-Covid, some of the major islands such as Phuket or Koh Samui have transformed in recent years and are now heavily developed and much more populated than the pre-Covid period. This has led to a number of issues including over-development, water drought concerns, and increased costs; all of which have reduced the quality of life for long-time residents. Be sure to do your diligence and work with a trusted realtor before settling in your new home.
One tried and true Realtor firm is FazWaz. FazWaz has locations all over Thailand, but their Bangkok office is especially a good fit for Westerners looking to relocated to the City. All of their staff speak English, and one agent in particular, Brian Nanthawichan, has lived in both the U.S. and Bangkok, is fluent in English and Thai, and is in an especially good position to advise expatriates on what they may be looking for in the greater Bangkok area. Some of the best assets in Bangkok never hit the market, and having access to these ‘pocket listings’ can be invaluable. If you are just starting your search, or have browsed the internet looking at available options, give Brian at Fazwaz a call or send an email with your requirements, and they will assist you for the complete life cycle of your search, execution of contract, and through to move-in day.