MrSam wrote: ↑Sun Feb 17, 2019 5:09 am

atst wrote: ↑Sun Feb 17, 2019 3:53 am I've always paid straight to the owner who will provide a lease agreement to sign no problem much the same as using realestate

Yeah ive had a look into it, $0.25 pkw or something along those lines anyways. Most people seem to be working it out as $50 pm for both, not sure how accurate that is but seems in the ball park.

Yeah they come round and collect the cash?

get an apartment higher up, its cooler. not directly under tin roof. try for north side of building. i only use aircon about an hour a day, just before bed and rarely this time of year. biggest electric cost is fridge freezer. my utilities in a studio are about $40 a month. if you use aircon a lot then check if it is an inverter or not. inverters are more to buy but literally cost half as much to run.

MrSam wrote: ↑Sun Feb 17, 2019 2:37 am
So to set the situation, i arrive, hotel booked for a week, i have been in contact with a estate agent who are keen to meet the day after i arrive, i have a few i would like to view, if i like the apartment.. what happens next? how long would i need to wait to get the keys and move in?

Any advice would be great! thanks.

Although the tenant does not pay the agent, I believe it is worth avoiding agents. Firstly because you can target your search more efficiently by looking for cards in the streets that you like, and secondly a good landlord will appreciate not losing the first month's rent by way of agent's commission and will be more amenable to your requests for improvements to the apartment. Mine supplied a new washing machine and bedding (which all cost her about the same as the commission would have).
Once you talk to any agent you run the risk of them claiming they represent a landlady that you have contacted directly so it's best to give them a wide berth at first. Maybe go to one if your own searches don't bear fruit.

MrSam wrote: ↑Sun Feb 17, 2019 2:37 am How long does it take to rent an apartment? back home you would need to go view, see the estate agents, wait till all paper work goes through and then probably wait a couple weeks to get the keys. From what i have seen and read things work differently in PP and Cambodia in general.

Any advice would be great! thanks.

You should be able to move in the next day assuming the apartment is already empty and fit for habitation. The landlord just needs to draft the rental agreement and get you to sign it and pay one month in advance plus one month deposit. Take some time to peruse the agreement and challenge anything you need to. It's a buyer's market and most landlords will accept reasonable changes.

MrSam wrote: ↑Sun Feb 17, 2019 2:37 am back home you would need to go view, see the estate agents, wait till all paper work goes through and then probably wait a couple weeks to get the keys.

I don't know where back home is for you, but I've never heard of any place where you generally wait several weeks to get keys to an empty apartment.

MrSam wrote: ↑Sun Feb 17, 2019 2:37 am i have a few i would like to view, if i like the apartment.. what happens next?

The apartments you are seeing online now that you would like to view probably won't be available when you arrive here and ask to see them.

Cam Nivag wrote: ↑Sun Feb 17, 2019 4:11 pm

MrSam wrote: ↑Sun Feb 17, 2019 2:37 am back home you would need to go view, see the estate agents, wait till all paper work goes through and then probably wait a couple weeks to get the keys.

I don't know where back home is for you, but I've never heard of any place where you generally wait several weeks to get keys to an empty apartment.

MrSam wrote: ↑Sun Feb 17, 2019 2:37 am i have a few i would like to view, if i like the apartment.. what happens next?

The apartments you are seeing online now that you would like to view probably won't be available when you arrive her and ask to see them.

It happens in Australia if checks and references take a long time. So super easy in Cambodia.

Concur, go with a dinky guest house or hostel for the time being... I used khmer 24 to get my place but you do have to figure out the communication dilemma in oder to navigate gate the landlord customer interaction...

More than likely ill be moving soon bc there are some other options becoming available once i get over the distance to and from... Happy hunting, im still looking for furniture ahaha

Check what you pay for electric and water. Some apartment add a bit on the price allegedly to pay for lighting communla areas lift etc, some have seperate fees for that. ALWAYS check the contract or could wind up paying twice what you expect to, especially in the flash new condos that have a nasty habit of putting up fees in low season to make up for the lack of customers

Thank you everyone for the reply's!
so my plan has changed due to all this, booked a hotel for the first week, then going to do the whole hostel thing day by day till i find and apartment. Gives me time to wander about and have a look for my self.

so for a rough idea, the things ive been looking at online are western style apartments.. going through a landlord directly how common are these to find?
things id be looking for, washing machine purely for convenience, balcony as im a smoker, wifi, western style, not too fussed if its a studio or apartment.. a gym in the building would be amazing but i know for around $350 and the area i want to be in is a far stretch!

now from what ive seen, these range anywhere from $300 - $400 around riverside, which is the area i want to be, my boundary being from central market to riverside. Is this an agents price or landlords price?

I have stayed in this area before so know the area, plus the job i will be doing is in and around this area.

I would like to hear about some other areas if people currently live in them or have? there seems to be a lot to rent around BBK3 and Russian Market.