Real Estate Jobs For Australians - Is there any work or advice on.....

The "lie" of the land is exactly that here mate. 

Everyone here is an agent for something.  Every taxi driver, street wise schmuck and muppet can sell you something here OR knows someone that can, and they all talk rubbish.

You see very few "real estate " offices here.   That's because a Sale Contract means nothing here.  If you were to find a buyer for a locals property , they will only piss you off and deal directly with the buyer you have found and say they knew that person already.   There goes your commission.

Ya see, foreigners here are not supposed to be the guys getting commission. 😀😀

Besides, foreigners here can only Lease property on these dodgy 50 year deals they've just introduced.    They have nothing to sell apart from the balance of the lease.  A good deal for idiots.

If your on your own, you'll be cannon fodder for the local corrupt officials.   You'll need a VN partner ,wife whatever to have any chance.   And both of those options can bite you on the ass as many have found.

If you think the Gold Coast is full of spivs, bankrupt truck drivers Amway sales dorks ,......wait till you get here.

Best advice....sit back on the beach here,  enjoy the low cost economy for at least a year and keep your eyes and ears open and watch the train wrecks that have tried and failed & learn from it.

The most successful foreigners here are in the  " make it for Dong & sell it for Dollars" game. That's the export game.....the multi nationals have done well out of it haven't they.

You can too if you find a product that you can make here for peanuts and sell In foreign markets.

Competing against the locals in something here is difficult since they operate on extremely thin margins.  They have family working for them, suppliers and officials on their side, and know the place backwards and can live off the smell of an oil rag.   

Then you have the issue of bribes , coffee money etc that will take the cream off any possible profits.     

Your best option is the export game since you'll have the benefit of substantial markups in foreign markets.     Just come and enjoy the lifestyle here , see what works and what to steer clear from.

Thanks for the reply.

It sounds similar to most Asian countries, although I have never been to Vietnam, I have been to Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, Philippines, Singapore, Hong Kong etc..

I am looking for a beach area that has not been "found" by the many major hotel groups, but has a lot of scope to sell/lease land to foreigners. I don't mind the corruption side of things, at least it is out in the open in Asia and usually is peanuts compared to the west. I thought I would have to align myself with a local Vietnamese entity and I am open to that too.

Thailand is now to expensive and there are thousands of foreigners in all parts, Cambodia is also ridiculous in property prices and Myanmar is still not a place I want to live.

I guess I am looking for Phuket 20 years ago, an Island/Beach Oasis pre development era.

Any opinions on locations that might be close is appreciated.

Yep, Yogi ' s assessment is as good as it gets... 

... a fair warning not to jump in at the deep end without prior experience.

Yogi's back.
You could try Quy Nhon, if you like a place that's not too overdeveloped yet.  It's on the coast half way between Nha Trang and Da Nang.   
People say it's like Nha Trang was 15 years ago. Not many expats there yet but it's a good spot.

Nha Trang is getting over developed with "ghost hotels" and apartments and a few guys here were thinking of Quy Nhon as an option for something a bit more relaxed.

Just be careful of people on this blog offering "help".   There's a lot of Vietnamese opportunists on here looking for foreigners with business Investment capital.   They'll offer all sorts of services to help you on your way, or be a business partner.     

Given the time of day now, most of them will be still asleep from their afternoon "nap" but will be out and about soon looking for a prospect to "help".    A lot of them wouldn't know shit from shoe polish.

So be aware.........   

C'mon sleepy heads...wakey wakey.  There's a guy here wanting to spend his money.😀

Cheers Yogi.. Are you and Aussie or a Brit?
I had a quick Google search.. It looks relaxed..
I will be over in about 5 months I guess, maybe sooner, Im willing to trade a few beers if your up to giving me the lowdown once I arrive..
Thanks again mate, much appreciated.

asiabound wrote:

Cheers Yogi.. Are you and Aussie or a Brit?
I had a quick Google search.. It looks relaxed..
I will be over in about 5 months I guess, maybe sooner, Im willing to trade a few beers if your up to giving me the lowdown once I arrive..
Thanks again mate, much appreciated.

Aussie mate.   From your neck of the woods GC.   

It's a great life here provided you  use some common sense.     A lot of foreigners have found that their Money is welcome,...but they are not.   There's a lot of truth in that. 

The multi nationals do well here because of the history behind how they got here after the sanctions were lifted in the years following the war.    The big foreign company's pay massive bribes to the top end of town here to do business.  For those bribes they get the slave labour in the industrial parks.  That's the only reason they are here....peanut wages and low cost of manufacture.   

The small foreign guy has to deal with local schmucks and scammers (cops) which keep popping up with all sorts of bullshit reasons for wanting coffee money. 

In addition to that , if you are successful your local  staff ( which you'll have to employ to get the permits to operate) will " white ant" you.  They will copy everything you do, give your suppliers and contacts details to a competitor and eventually undercut you and your out of business OR working for the fun of it.  It happens a lot.

You'll also get the NO problems, yes yes yes treatment right up until you've invested a lot of money in Plant ,equipment, infrastructure etc...Then AFTER you've spent the money and are locked in....the problems will start.   Your over a barrel and have to play it how they want.

The big multi nationals carry a lot of weight.  If they get "played" with , they threaten to pull out and NO MORE Bribe money for anyone.    There are a lot of poor countries that would like to have their business, and they know it.     

If your short of patience , this is not the place to do anything.   Bars and Restaurants are usually a one way ticket to the poor farm.    A lot of hours , staff pilferage, coffee money for idiots  & all for what........for very little gain.

But it's a great life for digital nomads.   If you can work globally online....you've got it made in the shade. 

Cya

Couldn't have said it better than Yogi 007 , the "real estate agents/brokers " here would have to be the most pathetic , unorganized , incompetent , thieving  , lieing , cheating , dishonest bunch of rabble I have ever had the displeasure of dealing with . English placement people for teachers run a close second . They carry on like an octopus on acid
I would put cyclos above them on an honesty scale !!!!!

VN Growth Masks in 2-speed Economy

Pretty much summarized by Yogi.

Mate,,,
Very doubtfull you are going to make a buck in V N...
Maybe can make an existence,,,, survive if lucky.
Just enjoy it.Relax and wait for an opportunity..
It isnt Australia,,, real estate tenure has 3 levels,,, different colours.
None seem very secure..
And you alone want to try and out do 96,000,000 people.
Best things about dreams....they dont come true

fredaussie wrote:

Mate,,,
Very doubtfull you are going to make a buck in V N...
Maybe can make an existence,,,, survive if lucky.
Just enjoy it.Relax and wait for an opportunity..
It isnt Australia,,, real estate tenure has 3 levels,,, different colours.
None seem very secure..
And you alone want to try and out do 96,000,000 people.
Best things about dreams....they dont come true

Thanks for your optimism mate..

I will take the advice given and fly over a few times and enjoy the country first before making any decisions.. I realize Asia is fraught with problems for a foreigner making money in business.. I look at it like a game of chess.

Will see anyway, thanks again

Only difference is you can win at chess...
No such thing as a foreighner makeing money from business in VN.
Mate,,, really your not listening.
12 months minimum to get a company going.
Then you need a VN accountant that specializes in tax rules for foreighners.
I am thinking you have not been there so have none of there language.
It just goes on and on.found this out first hand.
Couldnt get out quick enough.
Dont say you were not warned!!

I think everyone has given you the absolute best advice. I live in Nha - Trang  and keep an eye on Real estate. The market is so slow. The Vietnamese normaly want to buy land and build new. Houses are on the market for years   foreigners  can only by a lease for a maximum of 50 years and I belive this rule only applies to appartments. Vietnamese will introduce buyers to sellers and expect a percentage of the sale. They are not estate agents. I know a guy who formed a real estate buisness , it lasted about a year before he gave up. Vietnam is not going to make foreigners rich, so just enjoy what it has to offer.

Exactly....
Russian Ruble collapses Nha Trang cops it..along with the other places they frequent...
Finding a little undeveloped area when the world economy is bad?? Mmm
Easy to buy,,, selling is another matter,,, good for the grand kids?
How can you dream up going to a third world economy,,, whith no knowledge or prior experiance there and expect to make money.dream on.
There is 3 different coloured tittles for land i think,,,red, pink and white.
Only 1 has secure tenure...
Also 1st of july i think was possible to buy frehold land after change of rules
But only so many in each ward...same with apartments..only so many in each block...if they change the rules like the visa rules,,, why would you bother.
To fly over,,, treat it like a game of chess!!
They will have your money in no time....extremly cunning people.
The best i have come up against trying to do business in 4 countries.
I was happy to get my money and get out,,, i was lucky.many loose all

I was a Real Estate Agent, Business Broker & Auctioneer in Queensland, at Cairns exactly...I speak French, English and reasonably well Vietnamese
I live in Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa, I also would like to do something... I am in Vietnam for over 10 years, My wife is vietnamese
WE can  talk, write to me..?
Kind Regards
J.P

Me,,, i am from cairns...
Or the guy dreaming of makeing it big?

JP simpson...
Lived at clifton,, you are french,,
Had that silly double decker bus...
I know you i think
Peter Ford....was a brother in law?
Eric Walker was with you at simpson RE?

philonguc wrote:

I was a Real Estate Agent, Business Broker & Auctioneer in Queensland, at Cairns exactly...I speak French, English and reasonably well Vietnamese
I live in Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa, I also would like to do something... I am in Vietnam for over 10 years, My wife is vietnamese
WE can  talk, write to me..?
Kind Regards
J.P

Will do mate. cheers

fredaussie wrote:

Me,,, i am from cairns...
Or the guy dreaming of makeing it big?

Never said I was trying to make it big, just looking for opportunities.. I spent 4 years in Cambodia and made a good living and 15 year's in Thailand and also did well... Plenty of nay sayers around the globe mate, I respect your point of view, but thats YOUR view.. Ill see what happens, thanks for your input.

Please contact me on ....****

What address will your incoming mail be from ????

I will look out for it.

David.