Life on the Dark Side - (The Black Mountain) - Pros

[JW]

The area where Orchid 3,4,5 and 6, Red Mountain, Hamlet etc is a really cool place to be, I have lots of friends/clients etc living there and all enjoy it. Breezes are nice, its very quiet at night, 10 mins into town - soi 88 and 94 are awesome for food so you dont go all the way in if you dont want to.

Baan Ing Phu is a really amazing project but I do find that area a little more remote... and thats why some people prefer it... you just have to decide what you want .

Good luck!

JW

[Coldmike]

HHF, don't feel so bad. I'm American too and am nearing retirement and think about all of the issues above. I'd love to do what you did, but fear the same financial fate. That being said, the states aren't that great a place to be now either. Retirement in the US would be great if you're wealthy with the ability to go to Thailand or elsewhere as you please. The US cost of everything keep rising and services there are absolutely terrible. I've been in and out of Thailand for 25 years, but never lived there for any real length of time, but, everything considered, I like it there much more than the US by far and miss it when I leave. I found that buying a small condo in Cha am on the beach was just right for me and my Thai wife for now. When we do move there, I would probably stay with a condo, maybe bigger, but security, maintenance and overall convenience can't be beat. (not terribly expensive either)

I do still dream about an 'estate' like you had, but I don't think that'll every work for me financially.

[hhfarang]

^ Condo is a smarter move in my opinion. I wanted to go for a highrise beach condo but the missus wanted an "estate" to house her heard of soi dogs.

Really, in all honesty, I designed and built such a big house because originally there were to be four people living there with me being the only non-Thai and the only male, hence the home theater, home gym, dedicated office, and big garden to give me places to escape to, but after short stints two of them went back to their previous homes because they missed friends and weren't crazy about living in Hua Hin long term.

[dundrillin]

Frank, we rented instead of plunging in at the deep end. You can get the feel of a place once you do that. Also, you can ask locals about building projects, remember some of these projects are never completed. Also ask the forum, there is a lot of good advice available.


So, did you buy on the Dark Side in the end`?

No we didn't buy at all in the end. We came out originally with a huge container, with view to retire and buy a house or condo. We took a rental in HH for 3 months, unloaded our things into the rented house for storage. After careful consideration we decided that the best option for us was not to live full time in Thailand. We love Thailand, love visiting, enjoy every second that we are there. We now have the freedom to come out and rent for as long as we want. We can also have the choice to go to other countries.
Sometimes I wonder if we should have stuck it out, but to be absolutely honest, there was not an awful lot to do for us there. We are not golfers etc. We used to like the restaurant side of things, swimming etc. but we found we were saying things like "Oh, we must go to Tesco or Villa Market" almost 4 or 5 times a week....I actually don't like shopping, well, not that type anyway
I suppose I thought of a dream, having a lovely garden, doing some of it myself....then the reality set in, fear of snakes etc.
I envy people who "are happy with their lot"...I get bored quickly. We went everywhere in the time we were there, temples, markets, the vineyard, beach, long drives down south, there is loads to do. We've been out quite a few times. The last visit was to Phuket. I prefer HH to Phuket.
We hope to come out soon

I wish I had had your good sense Siani. I didn't rent first, in fact I bought land to build on one year before moving here, retired 5 years before I had planned to and then moved lock, stock, and barrel, built a huge expensive home (our "dream" home) with a big expensive garden saw and did everything in the first two or three years, visited nearly every part of Thailand and am now bored to death with the country and climate. We went broke fast supporting that property and with the rapid rise in the cost of living and devaluation of the dollar and had to sell that home, but unfortunately, the way I ended my career early and cut all ties (along with the costs of health care) prevents me from being able to go back now. If I had done it your way I would be happily living in my home country and looking forward to my vacations in Thailand every year. In my opinion you did it the right way.

I know lots of retired people who spend winters here and live the rest of the year in their home countries near family and life long friends and I envy them.

Amazingly honest reply HHF. Sorry to hear your bored. Have you ever considered a holiday house exchange. This could be a relively cheap way of returning home for a month or so each year and i'm sure many Europeans would also like a swap. I have friends who have done it and it worked out well.

[Frank La Rue]

The area where Orchid 3,4,5 and 6, Red Mountain, Hamlet etc is a really cool place to be, I have lots of friends/clients etc living there and all enjoy it. Breezes are nice, its very quiet at night, 10 mins into town - soi 88 and 94 are awesome for food so you dont go all the way in if you dont want to.

Baan Ing Phu is a really amazing project but I do find that area a little more remote... and thats why some people prefer it... you just have to decide what you want .

Good luck!

JW

Talking about Baan Ing Phu I'd like to hear from someone who lives there

- I got the price list from Peter Ton, not exactly on the inexpensive side, but there are also a couple of villas for resale on Thailand Property Web site - I want to go and check it out because of the seemingly open architecture inside/outside and judging from the pics also between each property and it's surrounding.

One may possibly gill allone but not claustrophobic! The pics are promissing

[Frank La Rue]

...........too late to edit it seems, my last post should read:


....One may possibly get lonely but not feel claustrophobic! The pics are promising

[richard]

Of course it's a personal preference issue and I've met people who:

1) Live in the sticks and want to move into a condo in town
2) Live in town and want something more remote
3) Live here and want to go home
4) Live here so many months and live at home for the rest of the year

The people I've met that fit into category no. 4 seem to be the happiest and if I had the means I'd certainly consider living at home in the UK but spending most of my time here in rental accommodation.

Here being south east Asia

[ste860]

i know BIP very well ,its a well run developement ,and i know most of the owners ,they all seem happy with their choice

i also know peter well ,why not ask him if he has any rentals i know a few villas rent out on there

that way you can see before making any commitment

[hhfarang]

I also think Richard's category number 4 are the happiest people I've met here... that's people who have worked out a way to spend winters here and the rest of the year in their home country near friends and family. I have not, financially, figured out a way to do that and I envy those who have.

[dundrillin]

Possibly due to the fact that I did not carry out Big Boys instructions when replying to posts you may have missed the post I tacked on to the bottom of yours. So I'll repeat - look into the possibilities for holiday house exchange. They may be short or semi long term,obviously you could arrange several in various locations to extend your trip. Thailand and HuaHin in particular is a very popular holiday destination as you are well aware I think you would get plenty of offers.

[Big Boy]

I did not carry out Big Boys instructions when replying to posts

What instructions were those?

[Edit] Did I say something that was not clear? Please feel free to ask again if clarification is required. Happy to help if I can.

[Edit 2] I've just re-addressed the post in question, and hope I've fixed it for you.

[dundrillin]

It was How To Use Quotes On The Forum. The instructions were fine,I just need to read them properly. I've always had a distant relationship with instructions despite being told at Uni' --- when you've tried everything and nothing works READ THE INSTRUCTIONS!

Anyway thanks for sorting it out.

[Krys]

Hello to anybody,

I just finish to read your intersting post because I am in the same situation that some of you ... looking for buy a villa or a condo, and can't decided myself !

Bang In Phu seems realy nice, but villa so expensive ... for me !
do you think that some appartment are available ?
the way of live in HHin seems to changed during last year's.. and it becoming more busy place with a lot of invest... but can it continued like this a long time without any problem ? (water, carbage, pollution, price, etc....) and becoming a second ...Pattaya ?
what you think about it ?

Red Mountain seemps to be a nice project too and I hard that a nexw project will starting soon .. because villa are already sale (most of them) but it continued to be a villa with the eternal problem of 3 x 30, right ?

For some friends who live in thailand, since a long time (most of them on island), they all told me that I am crazy to buy one ... condominium is definitivly more safe for be sure to keep it !

Wille be happay to get your advice too

thank's a lot for all your information and for your help

[dundrillin]

Welcome

Just rent a property until you have made a decision,there is no reason to rush.

[Gérard]

Welcome

Just rent a property until you have made a decision,there is no reason to rush.

Good advice !