House Hunting in Da Nang Vietnam - Should We Move Here?

[@Greedie]

After moving a few times here I'm definitely most wary about housing in VN. If there are a lot of problems that you CAN see, just know that there probably will be a lot more that you don't see until you actually move in and start living in it. We moved to a luxury condo in Danang which seemed all good but there were still a few things really surprising about the place which thankfully weren't complete dealbreakers. I think the first house is way 'safer' so to speak

[@TravelWithNala]

Oh yeah for sure. Luckily these houses are only a few years old and the mess seems to more on the messiness and negligence of the previous tenant and not an issue with the building. But we definitely need to be cautious

[@Botikokz]

Hehe, I was waiting for this video. 0:24 That morning, I was just leaving my place to catch a Grab when I first saw Nala. I thought, ‘Omo omo, could it really be them?’ (You know, it’s not often to see a Husky in our neighborhood). Then I saw Kim, and then You walking with the camera. Nala surprised me with how calm she was while the child was curious and interacting with her-a truly good girl. And Kim is so beautiful ☺️. I wanted to come over and say hi, but I felt too shy. Still, it was so nice to see you guys in person! ✌️

[@TravelWithNala]

Haha that’s so awesome! Feel free to say hi if you ever see us!

[@felishab3726]

I absolutely love your cute little family and Husky! I am a new subscriber, I am loving your channel ! I am learning so much, and your voice is so soothing. Feels like I'm on vacation with you both. When you film your tours and walk around, it is so nice. :)

[@TravelWithNala]

Thanks so much!! 🙏🏼

[@brianrichards7006]

When you mentioned snakes, it brought back memories of a cobra that was lounging near a pool next to a friend's bungalow, in Pattaya 40 some years ago. Oh god, how I hate venomous snakes.

[@TravelWithNala]

Omg that’s terrifying

[@SunnynPhilly]

Both of those homes are really cool! I liked all the natural light and feel of the first home, and it’s nice not having another house right behind you. But the neighbor next door playing loud music would get old fast. The second house has a nice layout. You might consider paying for weekly deep cleaning there to keep mold away. Vinegar and baking soda mixed with water both repel mold, bleach as well. I’d also fill the driveway patio pavers with sand or pebbles/ small gravel for a cleaner look. I’d just get a pile of sand or gravel delivered then sweep it into the open parts of the driveway patio pavers ( if the owner says it’s ok.)

[@TravelWithNala]

You and I are on the same page. We’re thinking we would clean up all the weeds and then fill all the holes with pebbles. We might even cover the entire area with turf afterwards so that I can be a place for outdoor dinners and hangouts. We already get a cleaner 2x a month for our current place so we’ll do the same if we live here 👍🏼

[@DCthebuilder]

All the cabinets are open because they had a huge bug problem. I used to renovate apartments and that’s the first sign that they recently bombed so to release all the bugs.

[@TravelWithNala]

😳😳😳😳😳

[@beebees4680]

I love the house and the neighbourhood looks beautiful at night also. if you guys take it, I wish you both health and happiness in it. All the best from Scotland. 🙏❤️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@TravelWithNala]

Cheers! Thanks so much!

[@dianebaker5243]

Hopefully you both find the right house soon.🥰🥰🐶

[@TravelWithNala]

Thank you! 🙏🏼 worst case scenario we stay in our current place which is not a bad scenario at all. But we do want to try something new, enjoy the process, and learn from the experience

[@nealpp]

there is no way I would pick the four bedroom house. I can deal with a few bugs and some of the plants outside but the amount of mold that I saw on the inside would be a major concern for me. health is too important. Good luck

[@olayinkaoyo]

The bugs = no go for me.🤷🏽‍♀️

[@nealpp]

​@@olayinkaoyo I agree in many ways. not saying I want to invite the cockroaches over for dinner though😂😂

[@socialsamy]

I actually could imaging they can clean the house with 10 people in a day. I've seen a whole full market built from scratch and filled up in 10 days haha I wanna join for the next one especially if Nala is there 😍

[@TravelWithNala]

That’s true. Vietnamese ppl will put up a 3 story building overnight.

[@vpimage]

I want to live in vn, wow your vietnamese language is so good! I been to da nang love it alot! people are friendly to!

[@TravelWithNala]

Thanks but it’s actually really terrible haha. I can speak basic phrases now but there’s so much variation in accents that I can never understand anyone else.

[@bclim96278]

Stay in a condo and save for the future.

[@UncleHoCM]

Nala and kid interaction is precious.

[@creativereader]

the mold scared me.... I would be concerned that they would be able to remove all and just not paint over it.. and Imo it is too big.. but the only thing that matters is which one that fits your need since you are going to live there 😁 I hope you will be happy which ever home you choose

[@TravelWithNala]

Thanks! I love your perspective 🙏🏼

[@adminavatar]

this house looks more modern and well set up, but the mess inside and out just kinda deters you away. Ideally if it's clean and neat, i would pick this one too, but there are a lot of uncertainties

[@TravelWithNala]

Yeah unknowns are always a big thing. There’s higher upside but there’s also more risk

[@KatrinRogers]

Much prefer the first house ! 😊

[@TravelWithNala]

The people have spoken!

[@KatrinRogers]

Love Kim’s shirt/dress !

[@TravelWithNala]

The people have spoken again!!!

[@arliss123]

Prefer the 1st house! This is way too much house unless as you say you have some other house mates. Also, the amount of housework after you do move in!

[@MichelleVoegtline]

I love Kim’s face after tasting the sugary sweet coffee. She looks very much like my daughter.

[@TravelWithNala]

It was not only so sweet but it was like the artificial syrup sweetener 🤮

[@redline624]

Yes, I would be seriously concerned about MOLD, especially with Nala, as K9's do everything with nose to the ground and closer to bacteria and germs. Good luck, love your channel, I'll be in Danang on the 1st doing exactly the same thing, apartment/house hunting. Best thing about your channel, we love that it's real and raw.

[@RC-ik8ip]

yeh definitely stay clear if mould already an issue as it looks invisible but lies beneath

[@yamuiemata]

NGL I prefer the apartment view rather than living in a house... probably because I absolutely hate every neighbor having a rooster 🐔🐓😁

[@TravelWithNala]

I might have to get me my own rooster and train it to be loudest rooster on the block. I always love a good high rise view but we've lived in high rises in LA for like 10 years at this point so I'm ok trying something new. If we're not feeling it we can always move back.

[@eileenhathaway1674]

The price is NOT the same. Think of utilities and the cost of cleaning lady and gardener. Plus insect stuff. So many and I don't think they All came from the outside, lol. The outside tiles help with drainage, which you would have to pay for too. Keep looking!

[@TravelWithNala]

True but that will apply regardless of where we live (except for the insect stuff)

[@Kushal-v8b]

Lot of options in Danang city. Expats considering budget to luxury options

[@TravelWithNala]

Yeah for sure. Da Nang is a modern big city with great options.

[@louisstennes3]

Any country in SE Asia with a long rainy season will have mold. Just a fact of life that you learn to live with and you get all that green, moldy fungus on all the exposed surfaces. Makes it unsightly and needs to be cleaned off every year to keep it looking nice. As a Vietnam Vet I learned to survive on my one year tour at DaNang and served two other tours, one in Nha Trang (which has the absolute most beautiful beach in the entire world} and one at Phu Cat. If I was alone in the world I would be spending my sunset years in Nha Trang!

[@TravelWithNala]

Yup! Can't avoid it just have to be diligent about taking care of it.

[@quangb8448]

What I've noticed about cleanliness in VN is it's not very clean. My AirBnB, my first hotel and my current hotel, they are not very detail oriented and mold is not a priority to them. You should haggle down 3-5 mil.

[@TravelWithNala]

There's definitely a lot of rush jobs. Luckily we have some cleaners that we trust to do an amazing job but I'm concerned with lots of little broken things like broken hinges, missing knobs, cracks in walls etc

[@nncadi1]

House that needs to be cleaned, I’d pass.

[@TravelWithNala]

It's always a risk. If it was just cleaning then we could hire cleaners ourselves but there were also just so many things broken or missing. I'm hoping they pull through on fixing everything but always gotta stay cautious

[@davebuc4823]

a big price but; if you can handle it and get someone to move in that is ok; that is one huge house. seems a lot to be cleaned up. any chance the owner would clean it all up then think it looks so much better and is worth more? sure would like to move to viet nam but; no chance. i was in viet nam 1969 to early 71 and would love to visit. i know it has been over 50 years but; it seems the country has vastly improved. good luck

[@NHJDT]

I wanted to go to Da Nang until I learned about the Agent Orange chemicals still in the ground causing health problems. I canceled my trip there and went to the Philippines instead

[@quocdatlam8297]

Get a pressure spreading hose blow the front yard it will clean 100% must be strong pressure hose ok im gurantee it will clean brand new brighter 😅😂

[@TravelWithNala]

Yeah we could clean it ourselves if needed but it seems like a basic thing a landlord should take care of before a new tenant moves in. We’re hearing the landlord might decide to put some brick tile on that wall. That would be nice and easier to maintain

[@bettyli6635]

2nd house has a better layout, but the bathrooms are horrible, and the place really needs a really deep clean. Kim's shirt-dress is cute. It's good to be pro-active around street dogs. My ex-husband's dog just got bit and required stitches. 😢

[@qweasd5521]

going for newly built house/apartment is a must in my experience even a redecorated option is a no-no since not a single landlord ever maintains the place well enough you will just get unpleasant surprises every other day with mold, dirt and stuff breaking tolerable when on budget but anything above 1k shouldn't be like this (imo)

[@TravelWithNala]

Yeah that's a really good point. There's a lot of shortcuts taken on renovations like putting wallpaper over mold, gluing broken stuff back together etc. And if you have 10+ years of those kinda renovations, the problems just all start to poke their head out at once

[@qweasd5521]

​@@TravelWithNala yep also once the money is sent most landlords lose interest in both you and your problems :) have you considered viet style narrow homes?

[@TravelWithNala]

haha yeah that's probably a global thing. I always factor in my head the cost of fixing and maintaining stuff because I never trust that a landlord will take care of it. We did but one of our wants is an outdoor space where Nala can play

[@qweasd5521]

@@TravelWithNala Bothering with fixing and maintaining itself should not be a thing when renting kinda? Actually moved from monarchy a month ago and also considered a house (no dog tho). It's awesome on paper until you hear of stories when people use triple fumigators in a single room against mosquitos, fight roaches daily and rats weekly plus pay somewhat 10mil for electricity on top XD. Good luck finding a place!

[@TravelWithNala]

yeah "shouldn't" but I feel like it always is a thing. Luckily in Da Nang it's so easy, convenient, and affordable to hire people to come and fix things.

[@brianrichards7006]

Why don't you start a multiple listing service? It's beneficial for both landlord and renter and/or buyer and seller. I guess I'm a lot cheaper than you. I'd rent a place for $800 and put the balance into my business, or investments.

[@TravelWithNala]

That would be a good business here. Got too much on my plate atm. Also people forget that we’re 2 people. So the rent per person is half. We need Nala to pay rent and then it’s even cheaper 😂

[@greengreensio]

Wow.. you guys have so much money. What are you guys do for living? Nala is so beautiful ❤

[@TravelWithNala]

We both work for US companies so we are blessed with the conversion rate.

[@SPSquirtle]

lol welome to Da Nang, always have 2 extra empty rooms out here 😅😅

[@TravelWithNala]

Never know when people want to stay over

[@timgoodliffe]

with a mold test id be more open to it

[@TravelWithNala]

That’s gotta be mandatory for sure

[@emilyRose-bo6jh]

The first one was better :)

[@ethanmandel2413]

2nd house id pass. Noise problem. Im a light sleeper. Yes, its more space. But cockroach problem and mold problem. its very sifficult to fully clean mold out of the entire house. Its also too big for you two, even if its a "better deal".

[@TravelWithNala]

Not as quiet as the first house but still one of the quietest places you’ll find in Da Nang 😂

[@lindadorman2869]

I would not get the 4BR house. It has not been well-maintained and the owner likely won't do better after you move in. It's also too much for what you need - just more to clean. I personally don't want so many levels, especially if you need to carry laundry or groceries up and down all the time. You will need to spray for bugs every month or two and use mosquito nets. Look for something smaller, maybe with a pool.

[@TravelWithNala]

All good things to consider. Ironically we’ve been avoiding pools/ponds or any water features as a way to avoid potential mosquito breeding grounds.

[@17napps38]

Dude, you own any properties in Vietnam?

[@KarlaKayM]

This house has too many floors, and is too big for just 2 people. It will cost more for a cleaning service, and more per month for rent which adds up. Plus no grass at this one. LOTS of cleaning as you said and I never trust anywhere that you see roaches....gross!!! Who knows if you will ever get rid of them.

[@TravelWithNala]

It’s big for sure. The good thing is that it’s split levels so it’s not too much climbing up stairs to get from room to room

[@yoonchongong8914]

You shouldnt take a house with moulds. Fngus and moulds can cause serious health problems. They have to clean the whole house thoroughly. and not just paint over it.

[@TravelWithNala]

Unfortunately it seems really hard to completely avoid mold problems in the rainy season in Vietnam. Just need to make sure to stay diligent and to clean it properly. We even had mold in our high rise apartment in the AC units and I got sick from it

[@christinap43]

The first house!

[@lynnebiliskis8716]

Stay in the condo! Why do you need to pay for 4 bedrooms. Neighborhood looks a bit run down. Also, beware of realtors showing properties that are in disarray. They should be squeaky clean when potential renters show up . Finally, this area should be gated for everyone’s protection.

[@TravelWithNala]

What if it’s similar price wise

[@lynnebiliskis8716]

Still stay in condo. Does house have security that works and is reliable? You need safety. No grass for Nala. To be sure mold is gone you need a certified test to prove it. Just saying it means nothing.

[@TravelWithNala]

@ it’s a gated community with 24/7 security

[@lynnebiliskis8716]

Is this security system inside your house? We have one in house we pay around 75 per month. Also gated community where I live but about 30% of the time it is faulty. Please see be careful as they can see you coming !!

[@lotysblossom]

something about the second house that is a no go. aside from the obvious cockroaches, mold etc … the “vibe” is not there

[@888Peetah]

I’d probably lay those tiles if I were the landlord because it wouldn’t cost that much to do in Vn - maybe $400? In exchange though, I’d ask you to sign a longer lease….

[@TravelWithNala]

Yeah agreed but I think the landlord is just assuming if he invests in upgrades then tenants will not take care of it and just ruin it. We learned the previous tenants were 4 young foreign roommates who didn’t clean or maintain the place at all.

[@888Peetah]

Yikes…

[@donnaparker6409]

Neither place for me. I would keep looking

[@teamcoltra]

I see a hacker house / incubator house. 😎

[@TravelWithNala]

That would be sick but I gotta get another about for that haha

[@chalayan]

House with a pool?

[@TravelWithNala]

There's some great options with a pool but we wouldn't use the pool. When we want to swim we go to the beach. We would rather have a yards instead of a pool so that Nala can hang out outside.

[@chalayan]

@TravelWithNala fair enough.

[@UncleHoCM]

Kims cute.

[@UncleHoCM]

As a single man I'd stick with the city views.

[@TravelWithNala]

Yeah apartment building is best If you’re solo

[@TheRebornofSocialVietSub]

please not a good price, don't move.

[@vietoi3791]

The houses will be too big for two people to live in

You will grow in a big house in no time. Lived in a big 3 story house in Nha Trang and it was perfect for 3 people. Always go bigger

[@TravelWithNala]

Maybe we’ll start pumping out babies 🤔

[@vietoi3791]

Then the house is perfect 😀

[@vietoi3791]

It was good but moving from one room to the others in the big house in the middle of the night made me scared of ghost 👻

[@TravelWithNala]

@ 😂 too bad nala is the biggest scaredy cat out of all of us. She’s supposed to protect us

[@MichelleVoegtline]

Nhà đẹp nhưng quá lớn cho 2 người.

[@TravelWithNala]

2 người và 1 con chó :)

[@MichelleVoegtline]

@ yeah I forgot. Your dog is so cute!

[@laurapagan9937]

It is a lot of house, outdated and very dirty.

[@johnnow1]

Too big for both of you and dog :).

[@TravelWithNala]

No such thing as too big :)

[@tuantran-de5bi]

if i was the owner....i would say get lost to you and your wife

[@mr.seanster]

renters are always so damn picky lol

[@TravelWithNala]

The great thing about the world is it’s full of options and you’re allowed to have what you want

[@debkin5851]

The first house had better space outside for Nola . I wasn't a fan of the outside area in the second home. Or all the 🪳🪳🪳😎

[@jacqdanieles]

Yeah, they should just hand over their money & not have any expectations 🙄

[@kingsdaughter777]

Complain, complain, complain.

[@TravelWithNala]

If having standards and expectations for the things you pay for is complaining in your opinion then that’s fine. In my opinion, shutting up and taking what’s given to you makes you a pushover.

[@Vanfinity88]

Wow. STOP misleading or exaggerating! Do your research yet?

[@TravelWithNala]

gotta be a little more specific on what you're talking about

[@citygirl6592]

You can a huge walk in closet, an exercise room and offices.