Accommodation Woes - Independent House vs Apartment

1. Has the BIS offered any help/suggestions? Did you ask?
Schools often help you find accommodation. Another little racket some have is to rent the place for you, collect a deductible tax receipt, then bill you for the rest.

2. Upon arrival just check into a cheap hotel then go hunting. Building managers do double do / extra pay renting apartments (even if they use a friend as the 'agent').

3. Agents are less than honest, putting it nicely, and charge one months rent as commission.

4. You will have make a 2-month security deposit PLUS first months rent. On moving in.

5. Never ask "What's the rent"., the question should be "What's the total monthly cost".

6. Put the cable TV, water, InterNet in your name. The EVN-HCMC electricity bill is usually in the L/lords name. Only pay the EVN bill - not the L/lord. Bills have a habit of attracting commission.

7. The L/lord will need your passport/visa/permit to register your occupation with the Cong An. There is NO CHARGE by the police for this, only L/lords try to rip you by saying there is.

8. Leases are typicality one year in duration, which is why you need to take time to choose your place. Hard to recover deposits!

Jaitch wrote:

3. Agents are less than honest, putting it nicely, and charge one months rent as commission.

Just a note this is paid by the landlord not you! But does give the agent more incentive to keep the rent higher.
But there are plenty of good agents around.
Just take your time and don't be rushed into something not suitable.

laidbackfreak wrote:

Just a note this is paid by the landlord not you! But does give the agent more incentive to keep the rent higher.

Any cost incurred by the Landlord is passed on to the Tenant. Few costs are 'free'.

One exception was the Landlord of my condo where my branch office is located. Last year we met through an agent, this year we extended the Lease and he deducted one months rent - the would be agents fee - and I now get the apartment for eleven months rent, spread over twelve monthly payments.

of course all costs are passed onto consumers, but its an indirect cost rather than one you need to find the money for at the signing of contracts, unlike the deposit and rent.

Incidentally I've never had an issue getting my deposit back, guess I've just been lucky with my landlords.

Friends

The discussion has moved to the costs involved , which is definitely one of most important aspects of hiring an accommodation. But my initial request was to get your advise and comments on which are good apartment complexes in and around Dist 3, near British Intl School Primary Campus. If i cannot find a decent apartment complex with good facilities, should I go for an independent house. My only prob is that these are monolitihic buildings with no facilities like swim pool, gym, community activity, kids play area, etc. And I have heard there are security issues also

Pls advise

Don't lose your faith on others, agents are also human, so of course there are bad and good ones. I got a job as an agent when I was still a student. I love my job cuz I have chances to meet a lot of foreign friends, firstly to improve my English and secondly to help others. I know a lot of expatriates who don't have a lot of money (in thoughts of many VNese people, Westerners are always rich), I helped them to buy second - hand furniture at a very low price but still in good condition. With some friendly people, I am willing to help them without any commission (of course I only can help them in evenings or at weekends cuz I can't do private things in my office, you know, I also need to spend my gasoline, my time on showing them apartments, but I don't ask for anything back).
And especially, my coworker also does the same...
VNese people are really friendly and always want to be helpful, and I hope you will meet a good agent (if you need to find your house through an agent ^^)

Far easier to find good property when you are here. It's a very difficult market to do online here as things are very fluid.
Real Estate tends to move more by word of mouth as much as anything else.
As nhung said plenty f good realtors (pro's and amateurs) around to help you one you are here.
I can put you in touch with a good one if you need, just let me know.

potomac76 wrote:

... But my initial request was to get your advise and comments on which are good apartment complexes in and around Dist 3, near British Intl School Primary Campus....

Read my earlier comment.

No one can choose your ideal / optimum home except YOU.

Your employer will help, the BIS headmaster has been here years.

Staying in a low-cost hotel upon arrival and searching is the best option. Low cost hotels are no more expensive than apartments. If you have valuables you can stash them at BIS.

Travel time to work is important; transportation mode is equally important. Next on your list is distance to the supermarket (which also sell beer). Have a spouse - what about her transportation?

Is there flooding on the street where you are thinking of living. Are there nigh time pool halls or karaoke joints (closing time here is 03.00H).

Depending on the area there are either two or four rush hours daily.

Only YOUcan figure the permutations. Of course, if you choose to live in a USD$2,000/month joint, several of the items are covered but there again, once you leave the gates ...