Job Discussion Forums

vabeckele · Joined: 19 Nov 2010 Posts: 439

Just went to view a couple of apartments in the new tower block area known as Time City in Hanoi - Has anyone here had a look?

They are moderately priced. A smallish two bedroom flat was going for 7 million plus maintenance fees of 700,000 a month. The master bedroom had no sockets for any electrical appliance and certainly no cable for the TV, Only the living area had this. I think there are about 10 blocks of flats and each one has 23 or 27 floors, I forget already. Anyway, the lifts are slow and while the flats are now empty all is ok, but I can imagine, if you live on one of the top floors it is going to be a long wait and ride.

Coming from a metropolitan city and having being raised in tower blocks I can see, that what looks nice now, will, in a couple of years be jam packed with people in a part of the city with nothing to do - So just hanging around the blocks of flats is going to be one major past-time there. From experience, I know what happens when you get a whole load of people with different backgrounds living together in tight spaces.

I don't see the attraction, but I understand the need to allocate space effectively, and this place has certainly done that, but when I can rent out a nice house, why would I rent out a city apartment in a block of flats?

If I didn't need to get into the city I would live in Long Biên.

skarper · Joined: 12 Oct 2006 Posts: 477

I really don't understand the market for high rises here. In Da Nang we have plenty of space for houses and plenty of empty properties yet they keep throwing up new tower blocks which stand half empty.

Bigger cities OK - maybe. But I wouldn't want to live in one.

I did in Korea for a while and it was OK - quite nice really - but it's an expensive option.

TRH · Joined: 27 Oct 2011 Posts: 340 Location: Hawaii

Having moved from a house to an apartment in HCMC, I find there are a few significant advantages. In our house, my wife always insisted on four padlocks even for a quick trip to the market. We slept with the padlocks too, which I found frightening in case of a fire. Once we returned from an overnight trip to find one of the padlocks damaged by an attempt to get in.

In an apartment house you can lock the door and go. Motorbikes, which seem to be a prime target for burglars, are watched by security guards in the garage. A noticeable number of the occupants of our building work for airlines. A Vietnam Airlines pilot told me that he likes it because he is gone for a few days at a time. Another tenant is a station manager at a remote airport and comes home only on weekends. They couldn't safely do this with a house. Additionally, I wouldn't have put it exactly this way, but one Vietnamese owner here told me that the good thing is that everyone in the building has a job. It may not be completely true, but in a regular neighborhood there sometimes seem to be many with no visible means of support.

Before moving, I feared that an apartment would be a little isolating as it can be in western countries, but here a large apartment building seems to spawn a number of shops and street vendors around with a symbiotic relationship.

If you have a multi-generational family, an apartment could get a little crowded and if you had a house, your mother-in-law could watch it when you are away. If you are single or a couple, an apartment has some real advantages. I would really think twice before buying one of these apartments. The construction quality is less than ideal and as vabeckele says, they may not look nearly as attractive in the future. However, renting one for a few years seems like a reasonable way to deal with housing.

vabeckele · Joined: 19 Nov 2010 Posts: 439

You make a valid point about security, TRH. Something I hadn't considered. And as I will be away a lot, yes, it would be a big plus to have that security structure around the clock.

I am always on guard in a house of my own. No need for any of that with 24 hour security.

Dekadan · Joined: 09 Dec 2011 Posts: 95

I'm going to be starting a teaching job in Ha Noi next month. While I'm familiar with HCMC, I don't know very much about Ha Noi. Any suggestions on decent places to live? I expect to be there for at least 2 years. I'd like to have a 2 bedroom unit, and open to either a house or an apartment provided there's a balcony. Any tips would be appreciated!

Daveric · Joined: 03 Jan 2014 Posts: 37

Where is your job at?

In the north, you may want to live in the West Lake area that many Westerners seem to like and is pretty. Personally, I like Hoan Kiem Lake better because it is in the center of town and is also pretty.

If you are working in the south or Tu Liem, then all bets are off.

montblanc20 · Joined: 21 Jul 2013 Posts: 53

That is exactly what my vn friend down here said. In the north near the big lake or center near hoan kiem is good. South is bad. How is the air quality near west lake?

kurtz · Joined: 12 Mar 2008 Posts: 518 Location: Phaic Tan

Dekadan · Joined: 09 Dec 2011 Posts: 95

Thanks for getting back to me!

Yes, that's correct, it will be in the West Lake area. It would be nice to have an area that's not too crazy with traffic. What's the likelihood of finding a furnished 2 bedroom? What kind of price range could I expect? I don't need anything too fancy.