Rental Housing Difficulties

SteinNebraska wrote:

I can't believe how difficult it is to try to find a house to rent.  Batdongsan and Dot Property are full of places that look decent.  Unfortunately they are either A: not really available, B: aren't even the actual property for rent or C: are the actual property but the price listed is not even close to the accurate price.  It appears just a means to snag someone as a "potential renter" and the push the agenda of what they have available at the time.

My experience, so far:

I've found 3 great places to live since returning to Đà Nẵng.

I looked online and made phone calls.

However, in all three cases, I didn't find what I needed and wanted until I actually went to the neighborhoods that interested me and began walking around.

Boots on the ground worked for me.

Here in Vung Tau one agent has been advertising the same properties for 4 years. He and his cronies just keep rotating the same ads with different addresses. I have also seen the same house advertised in Vung Tau and Saigon at the same time. No morals these agents.

The real estate listing websites are definitely messed up, so many mistakes, but useful for an overview. Pretty sure you can find businesses of all types without morals. We had good luck in Saigon Phu My Hung with an agent, as inside Sky Garden there are a dozen agent offices with listings. My anecdotal evidence.

The general guidance is if an agent doesn't have what you want, go elsewhere. I never expect to get the apartment with the lowest price, there will be too much competition or it is a loss leader. And never rent without seeing the property in daytime (roosters, business and school noise) and night (karaoke, music, shady characters).

colinoscapee wrote:

Here in Vung Tau one agent has been advertising the same properties for 4 years. He and his cronies just keep rotating the same ads with different addresses. I have also seen the same house advertised in Vung Tau and Saigon at the same time. No morals these agents.

They must have learned that trick from NY Craigslist.

Wxx3 wrote:

colinoscapee wrote:

Here in Vung Tau one agent has been advertising the same properties for 4 years. He and his cronies just keep rotating the same ads with different addresses. I have also seen the same house advertised in Vung Tau and Saigon at the same time. No morals these agents.

They must have learned that trick from NY Craigslist.

It is damn annoying. The guy posts about 50 ads per day across many websites. In a small city like VT thats a bucket load of ads.

I confronted him one day about it and he just slinked off and couldnt give a damn.

I’ve pretty much decided I want to live in Oasis or Oasis II in Bình Duong for a lot of reasons so I’m heading up there today to camp out and do the feet on the ground thing.  GF has two or three appointments already set up for today so hope all goes well.

As a follow-up we were fortunate to view five properties today that all were of the same size and type that we were looking for.  The main takeaway from this is only one of which was listed for rent on Batdongsan or Dot.  The others were through the local rental dealers/agents/ etc.  We were able to make a selection and sign the paperwork.  Move in tomorrow.

Excellent, thx for the follow up

oh dear.

is this typical? I know my (now ex) wife always saying how they lie and cheat similar to what you say.

I hope note because all my plans rest on those rental figures being reasonably true.

Hi,

if you need to rent...please let me know.   I do have two properties (Penthouses) near Gigamall - Pham Van Dong Blvd.   You also can check out my fb:   diaoc saigon

BTW, I am an owner of these two properties (Not Agent).    I currently living both in Los Angeles & Vietnam.    I do traveled back and forth few times a year between two countries.

Hi there Thomas (?).

initially short-term, then somewhere bigger long-term. but I definitely do not want to stay in HCMC.

why would I unless I want to do business? there is nothing attractive about and it has no inherent attractions eg beach, mountain and is far more expensive.

so, now, plan to visit various town I hear of, or have been, stay for am week say, and check the out and ten decide which one offers best lifestyle and budget.

basically most of the towns along the coast, especially if they are smaller. I couldn't get excited about Da Lat, and BMT is similar HCMC, except cooler and not so busy/expensive.

Hi Macintyre,

Hope you are doing great.   Thanks for your reply.

thanks for sharing and enjoy wherever you are.   Be safe and good luck.

yes. I agree. unfortunately (in terms of effort AND travel), VN really is not up to the full Internet thing, and most properties are simply never listed on Internet, or indeed anywhere.

And the only answer really is to walk around and ask locals. when we purchased our beachfront property  in Ninh Hai (next to Doc Let), my (ex) wife and daughter just walk around and ask locals what is for sale (of course it is a very small place).

But this process is obviously difficult and time-consuming logistically, and impossible without a Viet speaker, to do for a number of places. it really is only possible when you have already decided on one location.

So, unless you have decided this already, you really need to visit all the places on your short list on an inspection tour disguised as a holiday, that itself is time-consuming and somewhat expensive, if you have a limited budget, but otherwise could be most enjoyable.