Home sweet home for the year of 2018 is a great loft apartment in old building District 3. Along the Saigon Canal, allow us to wander through the neighborhood and park, and we are only a 150m away from major bus lines. Local sea food Restaurants, food stands, and convenience stores are liberally sprinkled about, and right next door is a large traditional local market Nguyen Van Troi.
Rent is VND16M a month, which converts to $700. I think all of Vietnamese will talk with you that is so expensive for a local old building. The local can rent an apartment in the same area with only $400-500 per month, but the unique design make it different. We want to stay in old building to enjoy the local atmosphere but not stay in the low quality with many problems. This one has been refurbished totally and perfectly.
I asked the landlord and the agent about management fee included . Surprisingly, there is no management fee here.
And here their answer for my requirements:
“Hey, can you include electricity in the rent?” No problem but with an allowance of $40 per month (the average bill for one person in hottest month is around $50). “How about water and sewer and garbage?” OK. “Internet? Can you include Wifi in the rent?” Of course, that is included.
We found this home through a friend of a friend recommendation. The owner had recently renovated it .
Let’s check it out
Highlights are the color and two lightwells inside the apartment. You literally can view up the sky and watch the rain when you enter the apartment. And, the other lighwell is in the bathroom, you shower like you are outdoor.
All colors are balck and white. From floor to the ceiling are painted in white. The furniture are made from recycled wood form Mekong Delta.
The apartment has 1 mezzanine bedroom, one bathroom and toilet, kitchen, and open living/dining area. There is also a small outdoor patio for smoking and garden and small area for hanging cloths after washing. The total size is a little greater than the 55sqm.
The living and kitchen space has very cosy lighting and open space, and the couch is quite enjoyable to sit upon. Along the far wall is for our projector. All
apartment let’s in a lot of natural light. The kitchen has all of the necessities… a rice cooker, a hot water dispenser for tea, and a range top for cooking. There is no oven, which seems pretty standard, although we won’t be baking any bread (There are some great bakeries nearby!) We purchased some plates, bowls, and glasses at the Ikea to fill the rest of our dining needs. Our blender found a new home, and it still makes delicious green smoothies for us every morning
The Bedroom has a great King-Size Bed and a white cloth rack for hanging cloth. There is no cabiniet in the
apartment. All are open. So I have to be very tidy.
One issue is the noise from neighbor Karaoke or music in Holidays sometimes. People are not friendly but they respect your life and never ask or complaint any thing (I’m also a quite person from Thailand).
We didn’t dig deeply into the rental market, but there are places available for less (that aren’t as nice or as well located) and there are places available for much more more. Still, I think we did well and are getting a great deal
We really love the place. It is comfortable and beautiful, and is a great place to rest our heads after a busy day in the city
* For the mathematically inclined readers, you will note that $700 + $60 ≠ $760 for all fees included for 1 person in one bedroom
apartment in District 3
housing
