Job Discussion Forums

[Lumix]

Hey everyone,



I'm going to be moving to Hanoi in the end of September and I was wondering if anyone might know of a room in a shared flat, if not a whole flat for rent? Hopefully I could find something in the $450 range, furnished.


Does anyone know of any online resources other than Craigslist and The New Hanoian?


If any one is willing to share knowledge regarding, or give any feedback about unique neighborhoods in Hanoi, both 'good' and 'bad', I would greatly appreciate it.


Thank you to anyone who answers this post!!

[inky]

Lumix, you should be able to find something nice in that price range, and probably something a lot cheaper. If you already have a job, the best thing to do is to look for a place nearby. If you haven't been hired yet, I'd suggest doing the guesthouse thing for 3-4 weeks, get settled and find work, then look for a permanent place, near work. Often, teachers at your school will prove to be a good resource, people are always coming and going. Most people go through an agent, I can give you the email address of a reliable guy if you want.

[Lumix]

Thanks Inky,

That'd be great if you could give me your guy's info. I've already got a job lined up. My plan is to arrive about 10 days before my contract begins and hopefully find a place and get settled in. I'll be shooting for something clean in not too loud of an area. I intend on renting a scooter, so being reasonably close to my school is good enough. My school seems to be pretty much in the center of the city. Any insight and/or you may have on the different neighborhoods would be greatly appreciated.

thanks again,

[snollygoster]

If you stay in a guest house for a few days, you can find a place yourself pretty easily. Agents work like this (usually)
They approach an owner and talk the owner into raising the price because the agent will get the first months rent-after that the owner is left with a tenant who pays a higher price than the owner had expected- Everyone except you, is happy.

Price and quality will depend where you want to live. If your employment is central, the area around Pho Hue is good, and there are lots of alleys with 2/3 story houses for rent- I rented one there for $400 month and it was furnished etc, and I had no problems.
later I moved to near the Temple of Literature, and that also is a good area. Central. In Hanoi, its important to have transport as its more spread out than HCMC.

No matter what, with your budget, you will get a quite respectable place- I had complete houses, but you may not need so much space.
That was 2 years ago, so no doubt prices will have increased.
Ask your employer to help, or take a trip around and ask questions.

[inky]

The opinions re: agents expressed by 'snolly' are not universal truths, just impressions MOD EDIT. You can find reliable agents who will try to help you negotiate the prices down. I'll PM you my agent's details (tell him I sent you, I get a commission) (just kidding).

Specifically regarding house shares, since you already have a job, you can seek help from the school. Ask their HR rep to post your request on the board in the teachers' room. People are always looking for roommates.

[Lumix]

That's great, thank you both for the advice. It can be pretty exciting and daunting to get a feel for a city before actually going there - these tidbits of information really help. Thanks for sharing with a 'newbie'.

Inky, I'll take your advice and get in touch with the guy. Thanks again.


Cheers,

[snollygoster]

Thanks for your comments- Take heed of Inkys advice too- If you read the blog I mention, by the nature of life here, it is of course slanted by opinion. Your opinion may be different once you have settled, but the advice has worked well for many newcomers, and I am sure any differences will not have much impact either way.
Good luck.