Island View: House hunting in Phuket

PHUKET: I’ve been living the good life at a posh little condo in Kathu for a couple of years now. I’ve changed to at least four different apartments, but all in the same complex, because I liked the idea of having a pool and a gym I can use daily.

However, I’ve come to realize that I may be paying too much money for too tiny a space. Thus began my house hunting expedition a few months ago.

For a start, I joined numerous groups and pages on Facebook dedicated to available rentals in Phuket. I started checking classified adverts in the Phuket Gazette newspaper and asking my colleagues for advice on where I could find a house that matched my specifications.

After researching on my own and taking advice from friends and colleagues, I journeyed through the suburbs of Kathu, Cherng Talay, Pa Khlok, Rassada and even as far as Mai Khao, taking pictures of ‘for rent’ signs outside houses and made an extensive list to plow through during the weekend.

Soon, my apartment sounded like a call center as home owners and real estate agents started getting back to me.

As expected, some were too pricey for my budget, whereas others had a range of issues, such as poorly designed bathrooms, seepage issues or maintenance.

Just when I’d given up hope, I discovered a surprisingly affordable two-storey, two- bedroom, three-bathroom house with a big kitchen, a bar area and a closed-off sala located in a quaint little neighborhood in Rassada. I rang the bell, surveyed this beauty and slept on it for a night. The next day, after making a few arrangements with the landlord, I paid a month’s deposit and signed the papers for my move in ten days’ time.

Some might say I got lucky, but the fact is it took me over 200 kilometers of riding around (at times in the rain) and a lot of planning to pull all this off.

So for those of you who are looking into making a move, my advice is to look ‘long and hard’, and not succumb to the pressures of working a full time job while doing it. Phuket has plenty of accommodation options and the right one is out there.

— Zohaib Sikander