Our house hunting started 6 months before we actually got to Saigon, the moment we found out we would go there. We were quite stressed because we had no idea about the Vietnamese real estate market. So we started to browse never-ending house listings and we began to figure it all out: serviced apartments - $400-$600/month, 1 BRM apartment - $500-$600, 2 BRM apartments or houses - $600-$800, luxury villas in residential compounds - $2,000 and more.
One month before leaving for Saigon, we contacted several realtors. Some of them answered and told us to call them when we'd be in the city, while others didn't answer at all. Out of those who did, the answer we got from Chum's House was the most encouraging, professional, and friendly at the same time. We provided Dang Van Tram with the information he needed (area, price range, type of housing), and agreed to meet as soon as we were in Saigon.
Everything happened as planned. We meet on July 4th at their office on Bui Vien (backpacker's area), visited 3 properties, and chose the last one - a 4-BRM traditional Vietnamese house next to the Zoo. Huyen, Thoa, and Phung- the three girls that work for Chum's House - assisted us through the whole process and negotiated with the landlord. They managed to convince her we should pay only 1-month deposit on signing the lease, and another 1-month deposit the moment we'd pay the rent for the second month. One typically has to pay a 2-month deposit on signing any lease and rumor has it the landlords will soon ask for 3-month deposits. Huyen also translated all discussions from English to Vietnamese and back and told us she would help us whenever we have communication problems with the landlord during our contract.
What you needed for signing a lease contract in Vietnam:
- passports;
- permanent address in Vietnam (this could be your work address);
- rent for the first month + 2-month deposit.
Our experience with Chum's House was excellent ad we do recommend them. Chum's House - 121/21 Bui Vien, Pham Ngu Lao, District 1, HCMC. Email: chum@chumshouse.com; Phone: 01699.727.306.
Other useful resources for finding a house in Ho Chi Minh City are listed here.
Nice post, the city is quiet like the wild wild West. Love it here!
ReplyDeleteTom from Saigonstay
I have worked with Chum's House on several occasions and have been super impressed! My first rental agency in HCMC damaged property in our house and were very very unprofessional about it. Tram won't give you the run-around, he's great to work with. Highly recommend.
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