What are the best strategies for securing rental property in Thailand before and after arrival?

Question

just wanting to know people’s experiences of securing a rental property for their time in Thailand. 
were you able to secure one before you arrived or did you organise alternative accommodation (hotel, airbnb) for the meantime then go looking for rentals afterwards?

Ask Thailand · Answer

Many expats recommend against securing long-term rental properties in Thailand before arriving, advising instead to book temporary accommodation like a hotel or Airbnb for initial stays. Experiences shared include the importance of viewing properties in person to assess factors such as noise, condition, and overall suitability. Various commenters suggest taking time to explore different areas before committing to a lease, highlighting the flexibility of month-to-month rentals in contrast to long-term contracts. Additionally, it’s emphasized that rental availability in Thailand is high, reducing the need for premature decisions.

Tay ******* · Answer

Thankyou everyone this was very helpful

Anonymous ****************** · Answer

Take your time just get a cheap room and see what area you want and also what part of the town you like. Also locals may know a good place. If you take long term your stuck month to month is fine and gives flexibility. Thailand  is amazing and so many places north south east west dont limit yourself

Knowledgeabl************ · Answer

Don’t secure one before you come,

Spend a month looking g around different areas where you want to stay.

Property in Thailand is in a massive over supply it’s not like the west where you struggle to get rentals ,

You could rent 15 properties in one day in Thailand with no competition

TaupeSqu********* · Answer

If you don’t already have somewhere lined up then best to book an AirBnB with good ratings for one month, then extend if you like it, honestly I’ve tried every method and it’s the most convenient / weight off the shoulders. I used to run around Chiang Mai like a crazy asking every condo to see a room, I don’t bother anymore, I just lock in a legal 1 month then go from there. Especially helpful if you have big luggage as nothing worst than hotel hopping with 6 months worth of gear.

Tony ********* · Answer

I’ve seen many places that are 10-20 years older than when the photos were taken for online advertising.

Dany ******** · Answer

always check out the place in person first. very important. never blindly sign and pay for something.

sometimes even advisable to visit the place / area during various hours of the day to see noise, traffic, other things…

CleverOc********* · Answer

I definitely recommend booking an Airbnb for at least 3 days (I’d do a week going forward) to get a feel for different areas of whichever city / town you’re moving to and seeing properties yourself. As others have mentioned you can usually see a place and be moving in within days, things move quickly in Thailand.

Brandon ************ · Answer

The time between viewing a condo and being able to move in is generally 2-3 days.  It's far too risky to try to arrange something before arriving.  Book a hotel or AirBNB for 1-2 weeks and then do research on areas or buildings you are interested in.  Once you arrive you can then view some rooms and decide.

Jada ********** · Answer

I booked a serviced apartment for 3 weeks. There is no way I am signing a lease unseen. I have 2 realtors and they will take me around after I arrive to check locations.

Things like smells, pest issues, hidden earthquake damage, actual condition of the condo, street noise, etc need to be experienced in person in my opinion.

I also look up each condo and check Google reviews which is very helpful in narrowing down places.

Unforgettabl************* · Answer

It’s generally a bad idea to secure any sort of long term accommodation sight unseen. You might not realize that the walls are paper thin or other issues with the building and such.

What are the best strategies for securing rental property in Thailand before and after arrival?

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