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Determine What You Want


Determine What You Want

Before you begin looking for a place to rent, take the time to consider:

How much can you afford to spend

There are three main costs associated with renting:
  • Start-up costs,
  • Periodical rental payments, and
  • On-going living expenses.
You will need to work out how much you can afford to spend on all three of these costs. Failure to do this could see you miscalculate your total expenditure and blow your budget. You could end up paying money on the security deposit, advance rental and find yourself unable to pay for the satellite television or telephone connection.
 
Use an income and expenditure worksheet, to determine your personal budget. How much could you afford to spend on rent each month after taking into account all other living expenses? Make sure you allow for unexpected expenses, e.g. medical or car repairs. Perhaps even allow an extra 10% of expenditure to ensure you can cover these expenses.
 
Quick Tips
If you are trying to save money for a future expense, e.g. a deposit on a home or annual health insurance, remember to factor this into your monthly expenses. You could put it away in a special savings account so that you won't be tempted to use it for entertainment or the like.
 
Now determine how much you are likely to spend on start-up costs, such as:
  • Security Deposit (Bond),
  • Rent in advance,
  • Furniture removalists,
  • Connection of services, e.g. electricity, telephone, cable TV,
  • Furniture, e.g. bed, table & chairs, fridge, curtains and etc.,
  • Kitchen utensils, e.g. cutlery, crockery, cooking pans and etc.,
  • Linen, e.g. towels, sheets,
  • Hot Water Shower system.
Do you have sufficient savings to pay for all these items? If not, then keep in mind that many of these items could be provided by the landlord, borrowed from friends or bought second hand.
 

What type of home do you want

There are many different types of rental housing to consider, including:
 
  • Houses: freestanding bungalows,
  • Semi-detached houses; one common wall,
  • Townhouses,
  • Condominium: apartment or unit,
  • Serviced Apartment: includes services similar to those found in hotels,
  • Shopfronts: standard Thai constructions 4 metres wide and usually rising three to four floors - equivalent to terraced houses,
  • Holiday Accommodation.

Where would you like to live

Both your budget and your lifestyle will influence where you choose to live. When considering the financial aspects, start by taking a look at the average rental values in the areas you like. This will enable you to determine which areas are likely to be within your budget.
 
Finding a location that suits your lifestyle is also very important. Look through the following list and note down those factors that are important to you.
 
  • Close to work place
  • Access to Public Transport
  • Close to Family/friends
  • Close to shopping facilities
  • Close to Hospitals
  • Close to Schools
  • Close to Beaches
  • Close to Parks
  • Close to Sporting Facilities
  • Close to Restaurants and Entertainment venues
  • Appealing streetscape
  • Low noise area
Once you have worked out what you want in a rental, you are ready to start searching.