Is it worth buying a cheap condo unit?

[Passing Through]

Complaining about or trying to legislate away change won't work

Of course it will. Uber, to take a particularly egregious example, is doing its best to change legislation to improve market conditions for itself and at the expense of its competitors. Legislation is exactly why we have fire escapes and minimum wage and health inspectors and driving licences and insurance and taxi registrations and all the other things which help to make life a tiny bit better. Those are, however, hindrances to operators in the new economy, which is why they are all under attack but it's not inevitable that we have to live in a world without any of those things.

[redhaze]

That seems extreme. Uber and airbnb are working because they provide better service at a cheaper price. They provide something that people want.

You're talking about fire escapes and insurance. Yeah, I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say that we can actually probably still have those things.

The laws are outdated and will play catch up with what people have already voted for with their dollars.

[Seekingasylum]

so 20% recouped already for sitting on me arse fighting with people on the internet all day

Not bad, not bad.

But I actually get paid a salary for much the same thing.

So that makes me a professional. You utter c**t.

I neither work nor act as a rentier, I am paid by the UK tax payer to hurl cyber insults.

I think I win

[AntRobertson]

I think you win on those grounds also, however it's a point I can not concede because I'm getting paid right now so it would be akin to dereliction of duty.

[Luigi]

so 20% recouped already for sitting on me arse fighting with people on the internet all day

Not bad, not bad.

But I actually get paid a salary for much the same thing.

So that makes me a professional. You utter c**t.

I neither work nor act as a rentier, I am paid by the UK tax payer to hurl cyber insults.

I think I win

Well, as you're 186 years our senior, I'm not entirely convinced.

[Luigi]

Was asked to rent it out (wasn't really the plan) and did, 10% p/a. They signed up for a 2nd year well before the first year was up, so 20% recouped already for sitting on me arse fighting with people on the internet all day

Im sure you mentioned a tenant not paying rent for a few months and running off with your 65" TV and Xbox

Had them recovered and he was swimming with the bacteria of Chiang Mai Moat by mid-afternoon.



Forgot about that, the ol' memory ain't what it used to be.






Think they were about a week late one month when I checked me bank balance. A quick threat of Nicky coming round to collect and it was sorted.

[Dillinger]

Nice little insurance job was it mate

[Luigi]

Absolutely not. Someone hacked me insurance details and made the claim for the TV, Xbox and Faberge Egg without my knowledge.

[cyrille]

red, how would you feel if you lived in a condo unit and the unit next to yours was rented out nightly via 'airbnb', with any tom dick and harry wandering in and out?

How was your silly McDonald's hypothetical relevant if it wasn't a parallel?

A much better parallel would be a bar whose staff all enjoy insurance and associated benefits of being in employment vs a shebeen that deals only in cash.

I like airbnb just as I like The Pirate Bay, but I don't think they can operate forever unfettered by the law and I can't defend them.

[redhaze]

How was your silly McDonald's hypothetical relevant if it wasn't a parallel?

You can try to complain about the future and things changing, but either way it'll get here. Or its already here. That's as far as the parallel goes. I think it makes sense, not gonna defend it because its perhaps a tad poorly executed.

A much better parallel would be a bar whose staff all enjoy insurance and associated benefits of being in employment vs a shebeen that deals only in cash.

Yeah those places are fun.

Or taxi's versus uber? I did say that too. You could pick what you like, but if you're just gonna go all glass half empty with it I can't save you from that...

[Mex]

Most condominiums in Thailand will never gain value. Here's the way I look at it... I just paid 50K baht for a hotel room, for 1 year. It has a swimming pool, the rooms is cleaned for me, room service, good location, security, etc. If I buy a condo for 1 million baht, I will need to live in it for 20 years before I save money, and the condo doesn't clean itself like my hotel room. Renting an actual apartment would be even cheaper than hotel room of course.

If you've got tons and tons of money, why not. For me it doesn't make sense. I also like the freedom.

The system of "You've got 3 visa renewals in your passport, entry denied!" makes me not want to buy a damn thing in Thailand ever. OK, I don't have a tourist visa, but the instability of knowing the government can come up with any asinine immigration law at any time... I'd rather not have the worry of being denied access to the country where I own property. I'd feel more comfortable buying an apartment in Phnom Penh where their visas are more lax.

Sane advice!! If you don't like the area you can move on...

[CaptainNemo]

I'm a bit skeptical meself but hey-ho.

Is that what you call her (or him)?

[AntRobertson]

...did that make sense to you in your head?