If you have just moved to Bangkok or if you’ve lived in an apartment or condo in Bangkok, you may think about renting a Bangkok townhouse or detached house with its own garden area. However in the past it has been difficult to find a good townhouse in Bangkok to rent and even more difficult to find a detached house to rent in Bangkok, but recently Thai property developers have been building some great new housing estates or Moo Baans as they are called in Thailand.

Renting a townhouse or leasing a detached house in Bangkok always faced the following compromises:

• Price – often a detached house or townhouse would cost far more than the equivalent condo or apartment in Bangkok
• Location – most expats want to live as close to the BTS or MRT as possible and many townhouses or detached houses were located too far from a BTS or MRT station to be practical
• Quality – to find a townhouse or detached house in Bangkok to rent that was in most expats budgets, often quality had to be compromised leading mot expats to prefer a condo or apartment over renting a Bangkok townhouse or detached house.
• Age – a lot of townhouse and detached houses in Bangkok had been built in the 1970’s and 1980’s and they looked it. With old style design and out of fashion fittings. Often bathrooms and kitchen looked very tired and unattractive.

However with the advent of the new BTS stations due to open in August 2011, http://www.ajarn.com/blogs/neil-mcdonough/property-possiblities-on-the-bts-sukhumwit-extension/ more attractive residential land had opened up to Thai property developers and the sharpest ones have been keen to pick up on this trend.

Here we can review some of the best townhouses and detached houses to rent near the MRT and BTS in Bangkok’s city center. The first one is located on the new BTS extension near the BTS Bearing station. Supalai Ville Bearing is a townhouse development located within a few minutes of the new Soi Bearing BTS station. With 3 bedroom townhouses to rent for as little as THB 17 000/ month these Bangkok townhouses represent great value for money and are ideal for those working in the Srinakarin and Bang Na areas of town. http://www.easyhomes.tv/property/supalai-ville-bearing-2096

And of course with the opening of the BTS station as Soi Bearing, there has never been a better time to rent a townhouse in the Bang Na area. The Moo Baan also has a swimming pool and secure parking so there are very few sacrifices being made in regards to facilities.

Hop on the BTS at soi Bearing and you could be in central Sukhumvit in approximately 20 mins and even in Siam Square BTS within approximately 30 mins, all in the air-conditioned comfort and without the hassle of Bangkok traffic.

Staying in the same area, The Centro Srinakarin development offers another great way to rent a townhouse or detached house in the Bang Na and Srinakarin areas of Bangkok. A more luxurious development Centro townhouses will rent for approximately THB 25 000/month for a 3 bedroom unit. http://www.easyhomes.tv/property/the-centro-srinakarin-2095

Once again the development containing The Centro townhouses also has a swimming pool, security and garden areas. Ideal for small families looking for a safe modern environment for their children, The Centro Srinakarin again offers a great option for those who work in Bang Na, Srinakarin or even Sukhumvit. Once on the train at Bearing BTS station anyone renting a townhouse at this Bangkok suburb could be in the centre of town within 30mins or so.

Moving on to detached housing, but staying in the Bang Na area of Bangkok, Cosy House Bang Na, offers an excellent place to rent a detached house in a leafy suburb or Bangkok.

A 3 bedroom modern styled detached house in Cosy House Bang Na will cost approximately THB 25 000/month to rent and the Cosy House development offers not only a swimming pool, security and a garden area, but is also surrounded beautifully by a lake, and attractive landscaping. Once you rent a detached house in this Bangkok suburb, you can feel you are in a different world, and yet only be 30mins from the city center via the new BTS extension. http://www.easyhomes.tv/property/cosy-house-bang-na-2097

Moving away from the BTS, but still remaining on the Bangkok metro system we find a beautiful new townhouse development in Lat Prao, ideal for those who want to rent a townhouse in the northern part of Bangkok. Town Plus Lat Prao features 3 bedroom townhouses to rent near the Lad Phrao MRT station for as little as THB 20 000/ month. http://www.easyhomes.tv/property/town-plus-lad-prao-2094

A brand new development with covered parking, modern stylish design and 24 hour security, this is an ideal way to rent a Bangkok townhouse near the Bangkok city center. For those working in Lat Prao, Phahonyothin or eve n Ratchada, this offers a viable and inexpensive way to enjoy the comfort of a 3 bedroom family property.

So thanks to a new drive by Thai property developers there has now become an increased and improved selection of modern and attractive townhouses and detached houses to rent in Bangkok. And for those who want to rent a detached house near the BTS or a lease and townhouse near the MRT choices are both attractive and reasonably priced.

We are often asked ‘What are the best districts in Bangkok for an expat to live?’, and of course some people expect us as Real Estate Agents in Bangkok and Bangkok property consultants that we have a definitive, but of course we don’t! The truth is there is no ideal place for an expat to live in Bangkok.

For a start all expats are different, some people like high-rise Bangkok condos in busy vibrant areas, like Asoke or Nana they love to have a great city view from their windows and feel part of an international city. Others like the more intimate feel of a low-rise Bangkok condominium or apartment in a quieter area of town like On Nut.

However for expats wanting or needing to live in the Sathorn area of Bangkok near the Bangkok CBD, then Yenakart is a great place to live. Quiet, green and centally placed with access to Rama 3 Expressway, Rama 4 road, Sathorn road and Narathiwat Road, it is actually quite difficult to find a more centrally placed location in Bangkok.

It is also important to note that Yenakart has 3 points of access from the Bangkok Metro system. The first and original is the Chong Nonsi BTS station, only 5 minutes drive from the central Yenakart area, even closer is the Lumpini MRT station, which is located near Q-House Lumpini and offers residents just a 15 minute walk to most of the condos mentioned in this blog. And finally and most recently opened is the Yenakart BRT station, which only opened its doors 2 months ago on the Bangkok BRT line.

So what is on offer in Yenakart and what are the sort of condos and apartments that one can expect to find in this area of Bangkok?

Resorta Yenakart

Well fortunately Yenakart has all ranges of condos on offer, from low-cost Bangkok Studios for rent starting at THB 13 000/month to large beautiful 3 Bedroom Yenakart condos to rent at THB 100 000/month, However let’s start by looking at the low-cost condos at The Resorts Yenakart. One bedroom units can be for as little as THB 15 000/month, but some of the better furnished or more attractive units will be priced up to THB 18 000/ month.

The Resorta has a large swimming pool, attractive grounds and gardens and the usually 24hr security and car parking that one can expect from a good quality modern Bangkok condominium. The Resorta represents great value for those wanting to live in the Bangkok CBD area. http://www.easyhomes.tv/property/the-resorta-yenakart-1240

Sathorn Plus

Moving up in terms of price is the Sathorn Plus on the Pond and Sathorn Plus by the Garden condos located on the main Yenakart road. These condos built 3 years ago by Sansiri offer practical living in the Yenakart area with access to the roof-top swimming pool, fitness room and of course security and car parking. http://www.easyhomes.tv/property/sathorn-plus-by-the-garden-278

These Yenakart based Bangkok condos rent for approximately THB 24 000/month for a 50sqm 1 Bedroom. Studios are slightly cheaper at just THB 17 000/month.

Sansiri Sathorn

Located near by to Sathorn Plus on the Pond and Sathorn Plus by the Garden is Sansiri Sathorn which offers Grade-A condo living in an attractive low-rise condo in Yenakart. Being a low-rise Bangkok condominium there is a nice feeling of both intimacy and quality. With the solid wooden floors, powder coated window frames and quality fittings throughout these condos are special and a 55sqm 1 Bedroom unit will rent for approximately THB 30 000/ month.

Sansiri Sathorn all offers Bangkok studio condos and 2 Bedroom condos, which can rent for THB 20 000 and THB 40 000/month respectively, and offer 35sqm and 80sqm living space. http://www.easyhomes.tv/property/baan-sansiri-sathorn-275

The Lanai Condominium

As mentioned earlier Yenakart has condos for rent to suit a varied selection of tastes, budgets and requirements. The Lanai Condominium in Yenakart is a condo that offers residents an unusual choice for Bangkok. Indisputably high-end with a real 5 Star quality feel to this Bangkok condominium, it offers residents of Bangkok a resort type feel that one would only expect to experience in a location such as Samui, Phuket or even Bali.

Located near by to Sathorn Plus on the Pond and Sathorn Plus by the Garden is Sansiri Sathorn which offers Grade-A condo living in an attractive low-rise condo in Yenakart. Being a low-rise Bangkok condominium there is a nice feeling of both intimacy and quality. With the solid wooden floors, powder coated window frames and quality fittings throughout these condos are special and a 55sqm 1 Bedroom unit will rent for approximately THB 30 000/ month.

The condos in The Lanai are huge with the 3 bedroom units over 250sqm and even the 2 bedrooms can be above 200sqm. Oozing quality and opulence The Lanai condos are bright airy and sophisticated. If you like traditional South East Asian style and architecture then The Lanai could be the perfect place for you. http://www.easyhomes.tv/property/the-lanai-320

The moment that you enter the lobby, it feels like you have been transported outside of Bangkok and magically arrived at a beautiful 5 Star resort near the Andaman Sea or Gulf of Thailand. It is safe to say The Lanai offers its residents that no other Bangkok condominium building can offer. Of course though all this space, luxury and style does not come for free and at THB 100 000/month for a 3 bedroom, only the higher earners in Bangkok will be able to afford to live here.

So as you can see the little known and often forgotten area of Bangkok known as Yenakart actually offers Bangkok expats a great deal of choice and convenience, with access to not only the BTS and MRT, but also the Bangkok BRT system. In addition those with a car can access Rama 4 road, Rama 3 road, Narathiwat Road, Sathorn Road and can easily access Rama 3 Expressway.

In fact is could be that Yenakart could be one of the most ideal places for and expat to live in Bangkok.