Homes for Sale in Chiang Rai

In Chiang Rai there are a large number of used homes for sale at prices much cheaper than you would pay in a Western country. You can find great bargains but you can also end up with an expensive headache if you do not look out for potential problems. Here are some tips to help you.

• Make sure the house is not in a flood zone. Look for a light brown line around the bottom of the house that would indicate flooding. If the house has been repainted, look at other houses in the neighborhood and if you can, talk to the neighbors and ask them if the area floods.
  
  
• Look for small cracks in the walls. Some settling will occur naturally but a large number of cracks in a house indicate that the base of the house is not thick enough. If the house is only 5 years old imagine what it will be like in another 10 years.
  
  
• Look at the ceilings for water damage. The most common problem we find is a roof that leaks. Whether it is a severe problem or minor problem, it needs to be taken care of before you purchase the house.
  
  
• Look for termite damage. Termites are everywhere in Thailand and one customer said that when living in a wood house "you have to constantly wage chemical warfare to prevent them from turning your house into dust." Possibly overstated but if a house has been invaded by termites and nothing has been done about it, it is only a matter of time before you have serious problems. Look for trails of dirt and small cement tunnels going up walls that indicate their presence. This is a potential time bomb.
  
  
• Check the water supply. Some areas of Chiang Rai have city water but just outside the city everyone depends on well water. The city water supply is not bad but pipes do break so having a back-up well is a good idea. If you are buying a house with well water, test it thoroughly, especially in the dry season, when the water tables are lower. 
  
  

There are some major differences between Western Houses and Thai houses that you should be aware of.

• First, no houses in Chiang Rai have heating. Although it can get cold for two weeks or so a year, it is never cold enough to justify the cost.
  
• Second, central air-con is available but it is only found in top end houses. Much more common are wall mounted units that cool just one room and are energy efficient.
  
• Third, central water heating is extremely rare. Almost all houses have an electric or gas water heater installed in the bathroom that heats the water on demand. These are also much more energy efficient.

One of the most informative websites for house building in Thailand and ways builders cut corners is Cool Thai Houses.  They have lots of good information on how a house should be built and show pictures of a house being built from the ground up.

Take a look at our large selection of Houses for Sale.