The Ultimate Expat’s Guide to Renting Property in Vietnam

Being the country’s largest commercial and urban hub, Ho Chi Minh City is currently the largest city in Vietnam. It is also a really attractive place for foreign investment and expat living, with many housing units and subdivisions located near international institutions, a vibrant culture, and great facilities that cater to expats.

When you want to look for an apartment to live in HCMC, there’s a good chance that the plot of land or the unit that you plan on renting is thoroughly documented under the state’s registry.

This means that whether you plan to rent a house or rent a place in D3, or even stay at D7 or in an apartment rental in D2 (popular living areas in HCMC for expats), you can expect that the property is registered for lease, and there’s no need to worry with any legal issues on your part.

Types of Property You Can Rent

There are all kinds of properties you can check out at sites like PropertyLaunch VN that you can rent, whether you are looking for a 2-day trip or a month-long vacation in Vietnam.

• Apartment – A lot of apartment units for rent are often un-serviced and unfurnished. You can find an apartment rental in Ho Chi Minh City in a lot of housing areas, and a Saigon apartment rental is perhaps the most common (and arguably cheap) type of property rental available.

• Condominium – Most of the time, you can find a condominium rental in District 1, D1 to be the quite expensive because it not only is fully furnished, but also because of its location and the regular traffic in a downtown area that makes it really convenient to live in.

• Villa – You can also choose to rent a house in HCMC that’s not too far from the action downtown, but also isn’t too near if you want a break from it to enjoy some peace and quiet. However, a villa rental can be just as expensive as a condominium.

Tips on Renting Property in Vietnam

Looking for a good Saigon apartment rental can be time-consuming, but when you find yourself that one hidden gem that no one else has gotten to, the hard work can really pay off with the ideal place in the country just for you.

When searching for a place to rent, whether online via websites like http://www.propertylaunch.vn/ or by physically visiting apartment buildings, here are a few tips you want to keep in mind:

1. Memorize Vietnamese phrases. When you’re house-hunting for a suitable villa rental for your short stay, an apartment rental in D2, or even simply to rent apartment in Saigon in general, you want to be on the look-out for particular phrases, such as the following:

Nhà cho thuê – Literally meaning “house for rent”. Seeing this sign should be a godsend for you, as you wouldn’t have to pay for a housing agent to lead you to a selection of homes for you to rent.

Phòng cho thuê – This phrase means “room for rent”, and while a lot cheaper, you will only be renting a single room, and may be inconvenient in a lot of other areas.

Ở ghép – This phrase indicates that a group of people are looking for someone to share the rent with.

Nữ – This phrase indicates that the housing is for women only.

Sinh viên – If you see this phrase, it means that the housing available is only for university students, and any of these types of units would not be a good place to rent for you as a foreigner.

2. Opt for unfurnished housing. It’s a rule of thumb when you’re looking to rent a house or an apartment that you automatically go for the one with unfurnished housing, as it’s not only cheaper than the furnished units, but it also lets you fill up the place with furniture of your own choice.

The same strategy also works if you plan on moving into a permanent location in HCMC, especially since you can simply buy used furniture from other expats who don’t have any need for it anymore.

3. Try not to be too picky. If something in a previous unit isn’t to your liking, you can always move on. There’s bound to be an apartment rental in Ho Chi Minh City or a villa rental that will have everything you want and need in a place for your short-term stay.

While it’s good to have something in mind when choosing to rent apartment at HCMC, it’s also good to not have too high of an expectation when the best place for your budget and your lifestyle isn’t what you expected at first.

4. And lastly, don’t rush. There’s no need to take the first apartment rental in Ho Chi Minh City that comes your way – the last thing you need is to get locked into a one-year contract when you’re only in the country for less.

Should You Count on Apartment Finding Services?

As much as possible, your best bet for finding a good place in Vietnam is by actually having a friend, family member, or colleague who lives there, as they can actually help you look for the best places for you.

While you want to avoid most online real estate websites specifically catered to foreigners for this reason – a lot of them tend to overprice housing units – there are a few that have great deals and really good locations, especially if you know where to look.

What to Do Before Renting an Apartment in Saigon

Saigon apartment rental in Saigon can be a daunting task. After all, Saigon is one of the biggest cities in Vietnam, and there can be so many rental choices to choose from, all of which have a lot of considerations you have to keep in mind of. How will you choose between all the districts of Ho Chi Minh City? Will you choose to rent apartment in Saigon, or will you opt for a villa rental instead? As HCMC is a huge city, there are many things that you will need to do in order to make sure that your stay is the best that it can be.

Know the Districts

Before anything else, you will need to keep in mind the number of listings that you can expect to see from every district. Most listings to help you rent apartment at HCMC are commonly from four districts, namely Districts 1, 2, 3, and 7. Condominium rental in district 1, D1 for example, wouldn’t have a lot of listings. This is because district 1 is a crowded district, due to its boisterous and lively atmosphere. If you would find a listing here, it may tend to be on the upper limits of your budget. However, if you can afford it, and the vibrancy of the district does not bother you, District 1 can be the perfect spot for you.

If you choose to rent a place in D3, check www.bestrent.vn for a myriad of great apartment options. D2 is a quieter district compared to District 1 and has what is often to referred to as a suburban atmosphere. It’s a good compromise for people who would like to a bit of peace and quiet and still have access to the malls and tourist spots in D1. There will be more listings available from here, and you would be able to find a large population of expatriates.

If Districts 1 and 3 aren’t the right place for you, you could always choose to look for an apartment rental in D2. D2 is perfect for families, as it has some of the best international schools in Vietnam. Here you could also find malls, parks, and less congested traffic. You would find a lot of opportunities to rent a house here or find a listing for a villa rental.

Of course, you could also always choose to stay at D7. For a lot of people, D7 can seem like a different world entirely, due to its zoning and planning. Here you would find a lot of high-rise buildings, as well as large spacious parks that are perfect for families or simply to just lounge around in. There are also a lot of malls and cafes in this district. Due to its layout, this district has large roads, relatively quiet neighborhoods, and a lack of traffic congestion, as well as pollution. You may also find a lot of listings to rent a house here in D7 or choose from one of many listings for a villa rental.

Do Your Research Early

While knowing the districts is already half the battle, you will also need to brush up on a lot of other things to know about apartment rental in Ho Chi Minh City. Trying to find a Saigon apartment rental can be a daunting task, so you’ll want to be armed with all the information that you can possibly gain. This research may take the form of internet searches, as well as reading up on books and magazines. You could find more in-depth information about how it is to stay in each district by interviewing one of the locals living in Saigon. Perhaps you know a friend of a friend or someone who used to stay there not so far back.

Aside from talking to locals, you can also start to contact agents a week before your move. A good time frame to start contacting agents early is about a week or two before your actual stay begins. This is so that you can get a feel for your apartment, just in case you’re having last-minute concerns about the place. This is also a good way to get to know the neighborhood, and scout out important sports such as the nearest grocery store, convenience store, hospitals and cafes. Plus, you may even get a chance to meet your new neighbors.

Know What You Need

Knowing what you need is an important thing to factor in when looking through Bestrent Vietnam for a place to stay. Just as it is important to understand what your apartment can give you, it is also important to understand what you need from it. Everyone has different needs for their apartment rental in Ho Chi Minh City. For example, some people couldn’t live without a Wifi connection, while others need to have a quiet neighborhood. For others, having a spacious kitchen or a large bathroom is what is important to them.

A good and systematic way to go about this is listing down all the things that you would need to have in your rental. This can be anything from a close proximity to a mall, or large windows. From that list, choose the top three things that you absolutely cannot live without, and make sure that you’re honest and practical about it. Remember to talk to everyone else who is moving to the apartment with you, and create a compromise about what you would need to prioritize when you rent apartment in Saigon.

Of course, you should also remember that while there are many listings for apartment rental in Ho Chi Minh City, you will have to compromise on some things. You may not get all the things that you prioritize on your list, but chances are, you’ll grow to love your place when you rent apartment in HCMC.

Why You Should Invest in Picturesque Kahuna Ho Tram Resort

The beautiful beach town of Hồ Tràm in Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu Province, Vietnam is a dream paradise that showcases private beach resorts, condominiums overlooking the sea, world-famous fine dining restaurants, the biggest casino in Vietnam, the best hotels, a world-class golf course, and the premium destination for rest and recreation outside of Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi.

One of the most famous integrated beaches is the Kahuna Ho Tram Strip in Vietnam Vung Tau. Along with its sister beach Hồ Cốc, Hồ Tràm is poised to become one of Asia’s premier destinations for local and foreign tourists alongside Macau and Phuket. Called the Las Vegas of Vietnam, Kahuna Ho Tram is now expanding its integrated resorts through property investment opportunities.

Ho Tram, Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu Province

The city of Vũng Tàu in the Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu Province itself is a well-known destination for tourists who wish to get away from the hectic city life of Ho Chi Minh City, because it offers not just world-class amenities, but is also located near a gulf river and is surrounded by nature.

It used to be a destination for ships during the colonial period, but it’s now known for its role in the offshore oil industry. Its beaches, however, still draw the beachheads because of spectacular views of its pristine waters. It’s also dotted with various pre-colonial and colonial sites, an 11,000-hectare rainforest, and mineral and hot springs.

Recently, it has become popular among tourists for its famous beaches in Vũng Tàu, Long Hải, Hồ Cốc, and Hồ Tràm. Rapid development in these areas have opened opportunities to invest in condo by purchasing beach villa for sale or owning a villa beside the golf course. Opportunities are also open for holiday resort investment, property investment, and owning your own Vung Tau condo for rent.

Hồ Tràm and Hồ Cốc Beaches

The so-called twin beaches of Hồ Cốc and Hồ Tràm in Vietnam is becoming the country’s premier destination for entertainment and recreation. South of Hồ Cốc, Hồ Tràm boasts of the Kahuna Ho Tram Strip, which features Vegas-style facilities. Known for their accessibility from the nearest city, it is the preferred destination of travelers because of the variety of hotels, resorts, and activities that you can choose from.

For most of the year, the beaches are in good condition, although holidays and weekends are usually jam-packed. The once humble fishing villages with few open-air markets is now being developed into a resort and casino capital in the country.

Kahuna Ho Tram Resort

When the ambitious plans for an isolated casino and resort was abandoned, local and foreign business investors took over the project and produced the Grand Ho Tram Strip in 2013. Additional projects have been ongoing since then and Kahuna Ho Tram now boasts of the Kahuna Ho Tram Strip, the Bluffs Golf Course, beach clubs, villas overlooking the seascape, five-star hotels and restaurants, entertainment shops and facilities, various shops, and many more.

Kahuna Ho Tram Resort is now opening its doors for property investment of luxurious condominiums, villas, and condotels. If you invest in condo, you will also get to enjoy everything that Kahuna Ho Tram has to offer at one of its integrated world-class beach resorts, the grand casino, the internationally-renowned golf course, posh five-star hotels, game centers, dragon slide and pools, central park, award-winning spas, miniature golf course, grand cinema, fitness center, kids’ corner, and the endless breathtaking view of the sea.

If you invest in condo at Kahuna Ho Tram Resort, you will be picking from one of the 136 standard units and the 64 units with special amenities, such as a pool or Jacuzzi, a beach front villa, villa beside golf course, and a villa double key. All of these properties are designed to maximize the breathtaking view of the sea and are equipped with facilities that will make you feel like you’re living in a luxury liner instead of on land. Get your own Vung Tau condo now with one of their beach villa for sale and feel like royalty with the best services that Kahuna Ho Tram Resort has to offer.