Recommended Real Estate Agent

[robbo1100]

Can any forum members recommend a reputable real estate agent who is good at their job?

If possible I would like a recommendation for:

- An agent in Bangkok around the Silom/Sam Yan area.

- An agent in Central Pattaya.

While I always appreciate advice and recommendations from anyone trying to be helpful, I would prefer the recommendation coming from someone who has bought or sold through the agent they recommend and who owns or has owned property here in Thailand. 

[Geordie59]

I was happy with the service I got when buying mu condo through Far East Realty in Pattaya.
Their office is on 2nd road opposite Royal Garden shopping mall. They also have a place in Jomtien.

[Czmate]

Rented,bought,sold with East Coast and no complaints at all.

[jayfx]

Gecko Properties, Central Pattaya Road. If it's for rentals, ask for Ning. She will bend over backwards to help you out. Very professional and a great character too. 

[TommyUK69]

Try selling it yourself, Save the 5%. Facebook worked well for me. Also Baht and Sold.

[robbo1100]

18 hours ago, TommyUK69 said:

Try selling it yourself, Save the 5%. Facebook worked well for me. Also Baht and Sold.

I have a background in real estate sales and I saw too many people trying to save themselves 5% of the sale price only to miss out on maximising their price and lose 20-30%. Some things are better left to the professionals.

Thanks for taking the time to reply TommyUK69.

[Larssonn]

7 hours ago, robbo1100 said:

I have a background in real estate sales and I saw too many people trying to save themselves 5% of the sale price only to miss out on maximising their price and lose 20-30%. Some things are better left to the professionals.

Thanks for taking the time to reply TommyUK69.

ive heard agents to be called many things but never "professionals" 

for me personally after dealing with them in most ways possible ive come to the conclusion they are less professional than a former McDonalds clown , would also trust a broke bargirl more than any agency when discussing honest buisness proposals aswell .

atleast ive heard it all now from theese forums , "professional" agents …….. cheers and thanks for the good laugh anyway and have a look what requirements are needed to open a agency or work as a agent here in LOS but guess all thousands of threads about how shit they are may be incorrect , afterall you have a background and probably know better than all the thousands of posters in their awfull experience dealing with thoose damn clowns called agents .

[robbo1100]

3 minutes ago, Larssonn said:

ive heard agents to be called many things but never "professionals" 

for me personally after dealing with them in most ways possible ive come to the conclusion they are less professional than a former McDonalds clown , would also trust a broke bargirl more than any agency when discussing honest buisness proposals aswell .

atleast ive heard it all now from theese forums , "professional" agents …….. cheers and thanks for the good laugh anyway and have a look what requirements are needed to open a agency or work as a agent here in LOS but guess all thousands of threads about how shit they are may be incorrect , afterall you have a background and probably know better than all the thousands of posters in their awfull experience dealing with thoose damn clowns called agents .

Really? But you're Swedish? The Swedes have the best and most ethical real estate agents in the world. For starters, it's still the only country where you must complete a university degree in order to work in real estate and they also pay the highest base wage before commission to encourage honest practices. 

I lived and worked in Sweden for 2.5 yrs and you're the first Swede that I've ever met that has spoken ill of the profession except for one girl I knew who wasn't bright enough to pass the high level of mathematics required to enter the university course.

Maybe you have had a bad experience, just remember there are unprofessional people in all occupations.

I have been in the real estate business for a long time and I can spot the bullshit artists and the con men a mile away. I am hoping to get a good recommendation so that it makes it easy to accomplish what I want to do. So while I always appreciate people offering their help, I'd rather this didn't become a real estate professional bashing thread but one where people can recommend agents that they have experience with, are competent and honest.

[Czmate]

I told my agent who has sold my place what I wanted for it he worked the price up and I got what I wanted  plus a few extra baht. My recommendation is to use an agent that has been established a good few years with a reputation to protect. Maybe I’ve been lucky but the ones have been involved with I couldn’t fault and all acted professionally.

[Larssonn]

56 minutes ago, robbo1100 said:

Really? But you're Swedish? The Swedes have the best and most ethical real estate agents in the world. For starters, it's still the only country where you must complete a university degree in order to work in real estate and they also pay the highest base wage before commission to encourage honest practices. 

I lived and worked in Sweden for 2.5 yrs and you're the first Swede that I've ever met that has spoken ill of the profession except for one girl I knew who wasn't bright enough to pass the high level of mathematics required to enter the university course.

Maybe you have had a bad experience, just remember there are unprofessional people in all occupations.

I have been in the real estate business for a long time and I can spot the bullshit artists and the con men a mile away. I am hoping to get a good recommendation so that it makes it easy to accomplish what I want to do. So while I always appreciate people offering their help, I'd rather this didn't become a real estate professional bashing thread but one where people can recommend agents that they have experience with, are competent and honest.

quite correct except this isnt Sweden , this is Thailand where anyone can work as an agent aswell as open a real estate company .

The Pattaya located agencies are all complete thrash atleast from my personal experience , may have been unlucky and if you find a good Bangkok located one to sell a Pattaya sale cindly share that info .

be carefull with recomendations , many friends and agency workers around and i hope your experience ends well , you dont state if youre buying / selling / renting tho so its  hard to provide a second option to agencies .

[KittenKong]

8 hours ago, Larssonn said:

this is Thailand where anyone can work as an agent aswell as open a real estate company .

Absolutely.

Anyone working in real estate in Thailand is unlicensed and, by definition, unprofessional. In my experience they are dishonest, stupid and lazy as well.

[DaffyDuck]

Absolutely.
Anyone working in real estate in Thailand is unlicensed and, by definition, unprofessional. In my experience they are dishonest, stupid and lazy as well.

My experience as well. I haven’t met any really professional real estate agents — which, of course, becomes a problem if one is in the market to buy something.

[kansuwan]

For Bangkok, strongly recommend this firm:  http://www.condothai.com/

Though based in Ekkamai, they cover sales/purchases all over the city.  

Have bought and sold condos via them - totally painless process, no language problems, good at chasing lazy buyer/seller agents on client's behalf.  No farang surcharge and did 90% of the heavy lifting at the Land Registry.

General manager last time I dealt with them was Sangpen Chung:  [email protected].  This lady and the ladies she worked with all had very good English.  

 

[localguy]

Andy at Can Do Property, office in View Talay 6

Ethical guy who fights on behalf of his customers

https://www.candoproperty.com/

 

[krups gusto]

On 7/21/2018 at 02:55, robbo1100 said:

I have a background in real estate sales and I saw too many people trying to save themselves 5% of the sale price only to miss out on maximising their price and lose 20-30%. Some things are better left to the professionals.

Thanks for taking the time to reply TommyUK69.

There's a great study of sales prices for real estate agents selling their own owned properties from a few years back.  In short, realestate agents selling their own homes got on average a 5% premium over when they were selling other people's houses.

Not a surprising fact on the face of it.  A realestates incentives are more heavily influence by a faster sale than a higher price.  That's a natural economic response to incentives in a commission model.

But it does point out that realestate agents are not trying to maximize sales price for people selling their homes.

[flyingscotsman]

I have a few friends who have lived in Pattaya for quite a few years.

Some of them own condos, some of them rent.............but all of them have said that pretty much every condo agent in Pattaya are not to be trusted. I've read good and bad reports on this forum on every condo agent I can find in Pattaya (mostly bad though)

I am in the process of moving to Pattaya at the end of this year and have no idea what to do.

Do I find a condo myself and contact the owner directly? Can the owners be trusted not to rip me off?

Do I try some of the agents and see how that goes?

It's an absolute minefield

[Larssonn]

8 hours ago, flyingscotsman said:

I have a few friends who have lived in Pattaya for quite a few years.

Some of them own condos, some of them rent.............but all of them have said that pretty much every condo agent in Pattaya are not to be trusted. I've read good and bad reports on this forum on every condo agent I can find in Pattaya (mostly bad though)

I am in the process of moving to Pattaya at the end of this year and have no idea what to do.

Do I find a condo myself and contact the owner directly? Can the owners be trusted not to rip me off?

Do I try some of the agents and see how that goes?

It's an absolute minefield

the owners cant really rip you off but with all buys and sells in Thailand you need to know prices yourself , keep deposit as a absolute minimum if you decide to buy something and pay at landoffice only . "50-100k should be enough" depending on unit ofcourse .

you can "use" any agency to show you alot if units , wont cost you one baht but dont buy from them as it  will be a very high price + including their comission wich the seller could discount instead for you in a direct sale .

would never recomend things like this to honest folks , but they dont deserve better and dont trust forums too much about pricings either , most have never and will never own anything and as such know very little about actual pricings .

its a rough market and very unforgiving if you make mistakes , but also alot of opportunities for the correct minded buyer .

hope you find what you seek and personally i would recomend talk to juristic offices and security guards in the house you wish to buy in , that with some luck could get you a good deal .

cleaning companies in the houses usally know sales too but havent had even 1 normal pricing from them so far myself .

trust yourself and good luck 

[Scuba+]

I have a few friends who have lived in Pattaya for quite a few years.
Some of them own condos, some of them rent.............but all of them have said that pretty much every condo agent in Pattaya are not to be trusted. I've read good and bad reports on this forum on every condo agent I can find in Pattaya (mostly bad though)
I am in the process of moving to Pattaya at the end of this year and have no idea what to do.
Do I find a condo myself and contact the owner directly? Can the owners be trusted not to rip me off?
Do I try some of the agents and see how that goes?
It's an absolute minefield

Rent for a few years unless you already know the area and condo you want to live in. I've changed my mind a few times where I'd like to live

[freedom42]

29 minutes ago, Scuba+ said:

11 hours ago, flyingscotsman said:

I have a few friends who have lived in Pattaya for quite a few years.
Some of them own condos, some of them rent.............but all of them have said that pretty much every condo agent in Pattaya are not to be trusted. I've read good and bad reports on this forum on every condo agent I can find in Pattaya (mostly bad though)
I am in the process of moving to Pattaya at the end of this year and have no idea what to do.
Do I find a condo myself and contact the owner directly? Can the owners be trusted not to rip me off?
Do I try some of the agents and see how that goes?
It's an absolute minefield

Rent for a few years unless you already know the area and condo you want to live in. I've changed my mind a few times where I'd like to live

THIS!!!!

I have moved twice after each 12 month contract. You will find that what might be nice a peaceful one week is a nightmare the next. There is a migrant camp about 100 meters from the house I live in now that are working on a massive condo complex. Of course there are about 50 soi dogs that bark and fight all hours of the night now, and some fucker drives in at 5 am every morning blasting his horn and on his loud speaker "gin khao, gin khao". 

A guy and his partner came to look at the house to buy here, and came with an agent. I spoke with the agent and he said it is definitely a renters market, as the area is flooded with empty condos with more being built He said the developers double the price right from the start. So the list price of 3.9 million is only costing the developer 1.95 million. He told me about 3 properties he sold to 3 different buyers in the past year or so, and all have sold at a 20% loss since they purchased. 

My agent that I have used for my three properties now has bent over backwards to address any problems, even though his agency takes one months rent as commission from the owner and he only gets 25% of that as the agent as his cut. I can definitely recommend him as a quality fellow. (Also is great to rent from a farang owner, as they have a conscience and don't try to gouge you 3000 baht to sweep the floors after you move out for a "cleaning fee".

[KittenKong]

13 hours ago, flyingscotsman said:

I have a few friends who have lived in Pattaya for quite a few years.
Some of them own condos, some of them rent.............but all of them have said that pretty much every condo agent in Pattaya are not to be trusted.

I think your friends are very sensible.

Personally I go one step further: I simply don't trust anyone here, regardless of profession or skin colour.

[PBear66]

1 hour ago, freedom42 said:

THIS!!!!

I have moved twice after each 12 month contract. You will find that what might be nice a peaceful one week is a nightmare the next. There is a migrant camp about 100 meters from the house I live in now that are working on a massive condo complex. Of course there are about 50 soi dogs that bark and fight all hours of the night now, and some fucker drives in at 5 am every morning blasting his horn and on his loud speaker "gin khao, gin khao". 

A guy and his partner came to look at the house to buy here, and came with an agent. I spoke with the agent and he said it is definitely a renters market, as the area is flooded with empty condos with more being built He said the developers double the price right from the start. So the list price of 3.9 million is only costing the developer 1.95 million. He told me about 3 properties he sold to 3 different buyers in the past year or so, and all have sold at a 20% loss since they purchased. 

My agent that I have used for my three properties now has bent over backwards to address any problems, even though his agency takes one months rent as commission from the owner and he only gets 25% of that as the agent as his cut. I can definitely recommend him as a quality fellow. (Also is great to rent from a farang owner, as they have a conscience and don't try to gouge you 3000 baht to sweep the floors after you move out for a "cleaning fee".

Very good and i about the problem of neighbours if you buy in a town like Pattaya.

Who is the agent? 

[flyingscotsman]

All great advice guys, thank you, much appreciated.

I have been coming to Pattaya on/off since 2001 and know my way around and where I would be happy/looking to stay.

But I will 100% not be jumping in with both feet and buying right away.

My plan was always to rent for probably the 1st 2 years and then look at buying somewhere.

My issues were that for every one person who says 'I used whatever agency and they were excellent' you then see 2 or more saying that they are not to be trusted as they had a bad experience with them.

My take on it was that if you use an agency and you have any issues then at least you have an office to got to and try to sort the problem. Now that's not to say the agency can/will sort out any problem you have, but in theory they should. Where as if you rent directly from the owner then you are 100% reliant on the owner being honest and helping you.

I was told of one such incident a few years back where an English guy rented from the owner (another English guy) and the owner basically ripped him off. The renter was working offshore on a 4 week rotation and when he came back one trip the owner had kicked him out and changed all door locks. The guy lost all his clothing etc as the landlord had just thrown everything out. Turned out the renter had 2 months left on his rental and the landlord got a better offer for his condo so he threw the renters stuff out and moved in his new tenant. The new tenant knew nothing about this and when the guy confronted the owner he was to basically f*ck off or he'd end up in hospital. He apparently went to the Police and they just said 'nothing we can do'.

[Scuba+]

All great advice guys, thank you, much appreciated.

I have been coming to Pattaya on/off since 2001 and know my way around and where I would be happy/looking to stay.

But I will 100% not be jumping in with both feet and buying right away.

My plan was always to rent for probably the 1st 2 years and then look at buying somewhere.

My issues were that for every one person who says 'I used whatever agency and they were excellent' you then see 2 or more saying that they are not to be trusted as they had a bad experience with them.

My take on it was that if you use an agency and you have any issues then at least you have an office to got to and try to sort the problem. Now that's not to say the agency can/will sort out any problem you have, but in theory they should. Where as if you rent directly from the owner then you are 100% reliant on the owner being honest and helping you.

I was told of one such incident a few years back where an English guy rented from the owner (another English guy) and the owner basically ripped him off. The renter was working offshore on a 4 week rotation and when he came back one trip the owner had kicked him out and changed all door locks. The guy lost all his clothing etc as the landlord had just thrown everything out. Turned out the renter had 2 months left on his rental and the landlord got a better offer for his condo so he threw the renters stuff out and moved in his new tenant. The new tenant knew nothing about this and when the guy confronted the owner he was to basically f*ck off or he'd end up in hospital. He apparently went to the Police and they just said 'nothing we can do'.

Now let's hear the landlords version of events.

 

Either side you need to meet them to check they aren't shady

 

[flyingscotsman]

49 minutes ago, Scuba+ said:

Now let's hear the landlords version of events.

 

Either side you need to meet them to check they aren't shady

 

I've no reason to doubt the story as my mate knew the guy through work.

But yes, I agree there could be a landlords side to the story.

I was merely trying to point out there could be issues going either way agent or owner.

[chris2004]

"Professional" ha ha", that's a good one. The last one i tried to sell my condo couldn't even be bothered to respond and list it for sale even though i provided them with details and photos.