Apartment price increases...

Well, I've left VN now, but I have a friend (who has also left) and he has a lot of free time which is mostly spent on the Internet, so he often says, "Hey, look at this super nice apartment in Nha Trang/Danang for 3 million vnd/month! or sometimes 4 or 5 million.

I think most of these postings are on Facebook. I can understand wanting to talk to an agent in person and see the place first-hand, but you might want to check out what you can find online.

Before I left VN, I felt that there was more downward pressure on rents in Vung Tau.

In any case, I think that some landlords may still be overly optimistic about the upcoming "high season" and would rather put the rent up and wait than accept a lower offer at this time.

I'm in Vung Tau, and the rents have not decreased at all.

If anything, they are well and truly on the increase. This could be due to the vast influx of locals holidaying here, by the busload all through the week.

The other side of that is a 2 bedroom 2 bathroom apartment that will now have 4 queen size beds in it. The ones that I looked at, which were occupied at the time, had at least 6 occupants.

Great for the owners and the agents but an immense pain in the butt if you are looking for somewhere to live.

July 4th, when I moved back in the VT 2 bedroom apartment that first cost me 11 million VNĐ in 2019, it was still costing 11 million.

As we were moving out on August 1st, the landlord begged us to stay for 10 million, and implied that she might be willing to lower the rent to 9 million if we signed a "really long lease".

We just moved into a Hội An house that cost my American friend 8 million when he lived here in 2019.

We are also paying 8 million a month through the same agent, over 3 years later.

I would echo what someone wrote about getting away from agents and find listings by landlords.

However, in order to deal directly with a landlord you will almost certainly need to speak Tiếng Việt OR have a Vietnamese wife or close friend help you.

There is no such thing as an agent who works for you (they ALL work for the landlord, since the more money they get for the landlord, the more money they make).

Information shared by agents should be taken with a huge grain of salt.

And I'm the guy who has shared that apartments in Nha Trang are dirt cheap compared to pre-covid rates.

2 bedrooms that used to go for 8 to 10 million are now as low as 5 million.

Yeah my evidence is anecdotal, same as the OP's.

It's just not isolated to what one one agent in one city is saying.

I think it varies from city to city. Ha Noi is showing increases.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/ampe.vnexp … 23795.html

@departed00

If you or other expats are in the process of rental shopping, I'll share my strategy to finding the best deals on rental units which has worked well for me.

#1. Take a walk around the neighbourhood you want to live in, looking for signs stating "Cho Thue" (for rent). The sign with "cho thue" might have the prefix "Chung cu..." (apartment), or "Nha..." (house). So, Nha Cho Thue means "House for rent", and Chung Cu Cho Thue, "apartment for rent".

#2. Get a VN friend to look and/or ask around for you. If they find something acceptable, the price they will be quoted will be what the landlord feels a VN person would be willing to pay (which just might be less than what the landlord feels you'd be willing to pay).

#3. Try not to spend too much time on English language property sites. They'll have E̲n̲g̲l̲i̲s̲h̲ ̲l̲a̲n̲g̲u̲a̲g̲e̲ ̲p̲r̲i̲c̲e̲s̲.

departed00, when you have the time, please keep us updated on your search results/efforts. We'd very much appreciate it.

More than often you will see "căn hộ cho thuê" which also means apartment for rent.

Could have used this information two months ago.

Could anyone give me any information on breaking a lease without losing all or the majority of deposit?

Thank you in advance for any and all help.

Could have used this information two months ago.
Could anyone give me any information on breaking a lease without losing all or the majority of deposit?
Thank you in advance for any and all help.
-@robertbottle30

For what reason? Just because you've found a cheaper place to live?

Give us something to work with.

Could have used this information two months ago.
Could anyone give me any information on breaking a lease without losing all or the majority of deposit?
Thank you in advance for any and all help.
-@robertbottle30

If you find someone to take over the lease it might be ok. Otherwise it will be bye,bye deposit. Check your lease to see what is written in it.

@OceanBeach92107

Something to work...

The agent I work with for long term visas is in Saigon. I thought that there might be a possibility of a relationship which started looking too much like my last marriage. I should have just stayed in DaNang upon return from visa run to Cambodia. Long story which I think we've already endured.

Saigon is not working for me and I wish to return to DaNang where I'm closer to people that I know.

The relationship was not with visa agent!

@OceanBeach92107
Something to work...
The agent I work with for long term visas is in Saigon. I thought that there might be a possibility of a relationship which started looking too much like my last marriage. I should have just stayed in DaNang upon return from visa run to Cambodia. Long story which I think we've already endured.
Saigon is not working for me and I wish to return to DaNang where I'm closer to people that I know.
The relationship was not with visa agent!
-@robertbottle30

I appreciate you sharing your personal story.

I don't see how any of that would affect your ability to cancel the lease and get your deposit.

@OceanBeach92107

Gotta try!!!

So the situation in Vung Tau currently seems very pricey for what you get so i've decided (finally) on Da Nang for at least 3 months.

Will move start of Dec but the prices in DN seem to also vary quite wildly.

Anything near the beach in An Thuong or Son Tra perhaps 8tr+ for a one bed or studio. My friend took a new one bed place for 5.5tr on the river near Mega Mart yesterday for 3 months, the shortest lease the landlord would accept. Looks like a good deal although personally i'd prefer to be beachside as daily beach walks and easy beach access are very important to me.

I have a friend there who's got a 3 bed house in Son Tra for 10tr but he signed a 2 year lease, not bad. I think that if the 3/12 month tourist visas return next year then i'd expect the prices to rocket in DN again, and some landlords are perhaps holding out for this.

Nha Trang still the cheapest spot here by far i'd say. I was there a few weeks ago and it was dead but quite pleasant. Just doesn't have the eating/community options plus easy access to the airport that DN has though...