We found a house! And a friend!

We started our house search last week, and spent two afternoons driving around Vientiane, looking at different houses.  The first day was a total bomb, the second showed a tiny bit of promise.  Unfortunately, we weren't too impressed with what the agent we were working with was showing us.  So, Joel talked to some people, and his teaching assistant told him that she had a friend who also did some work on the side as an agent, and she would hook us up.

So Saturday morning we got picked up by said friend/agent.  And we were off in hopes of seeing something different and better than what we had seen before.  And then the first house she drove us to was one the other agent had shown us! D'oh!

We found out later in the day from Joel's brother about the way these agents work/make their money.  A landlord doesn't have to pay to list a house with any agent.  Agents find rental properties on their own, take pictures of them and then list them on their websites, and in their books.  Then, clients like us, call up agents, tell them what we're looking for, and of course, our price cap.  Then they drive us around showing off different houses until, hopefully, we find one we like.  Only once the lease is signed, do the agents make money.  They get paid the same amount as one month's rent on the house that they helped to lease.  It is a one time deal, the landlord pays them, and it's done!  So unfortunately the agent that spent two afternoons driving us around will get nothing for her time spent.  However, the agent we worked with on Saturday will get paid a few hundred dollars for the work she did.  She's actually going to make about $100 an hour for what she did with us!  Good for her, for really listening and knowing what it was we wanted- she scored!

We saw a few houses on Saturday morning.  One of them seemed like a real contender- we were negotiating with the landlord right there and then about getting an oven, painting some walls, getting rid of the some of the furniture, etc.  We walked away without saying yes, and it's a good thing we did.

The last house our new agent showed made instant points because it is located just a short drive/walk down the street from my BIL/SIL, and is right on the Mekong River- a beautiful view.  The agent warned us that it was not a wooden house (which was one of the things for which we had been asking), but that it was new and in good condition.

When we walked in the high ceilings, white(ish- maybe cream?) walls, and open spaces were an instant hit.  The kitchen is huge- although lacking storage space, but we can add in some shelves, etc.  And I think we will bring in some sort of island as well.  The downstairs bedroom struck Joel right away as a perfect room for a play room.  There is also a living room with two decent couches and a bathroom tucked away in the back corner behind the dining room.

Upstairs we found three more bedrooms, one slightly larger than the others with an en suite.  There is also a separate bathroom for the other two bedrooms to share.  There is also a great window with a view on to the Mekong that would be a great spot for a desk, and there is an open sitting area where we're thinking we might put a big day bed/couch thing in front of more windows that look out onto the river.

The floors are tile, which we didn't really want, BUT, the tile has a "wood floor" pattern on it- so maybe from a distance it looks like wood.  At least it's not a really busy floral pattern, which is what a LOT of the houses we looked at had.

The backyard has a couple trees in it, and it also has a "sala" which is Lao word for a structure similar to a gazebo or pavilion.  It is square and probably 3x3 meters, a tiled floor, and a small bench around the edge- but I'm sure it's meant for sitting on the floor.  It'll be a great covered spot to hang out and enjoy the breeze off the river.

The landlords (or his representatives) were at the house, and we negotiated a few things- an oven, a water cooler/dispenser, and screen doors and happily told them we'd take it!

After the deal was done, our agent really wanted to take us to her house, because we will now be "neighbors".  She lives quite a ways down the road, but, none the less... we're in the same neighborhood.  We'd been talking and sharing with her the whole morning about all kinds of things- where we're from, where we've lived.  Every house I looked at I was super critical of the kitchen saying that it was very important to me- so we talked about how we both like to cook, etc.

So we get in the car and she drives through a pretty rough looking neighborhood, but ends up pulling up to a huge, ornate gate.  And as we drove in, we realized that our new friend has got it made.  Come to find out she designed and built the house herself- it is HUGE, (I think she said 5 bathrooms and 5 bedrooms), and the whole thing is beautiful dark wood floors and white walls.  She also has a beautiful swimming pool (a rarity in Laos) with another gorgeous view of the Mekong.  Honestly, we were all very impressed and fully felt like we were on the grounds of a resort.  She invited us to sit, and we talked and drank some water and ate chocolates and peanuts.

Beni and my SIL (my BIL had actually come to see our house while we were there, and then come along to her house as well).  She had kept saying that we would need to get together to cook sometime.  Well, when she was dropping us off she asked, "When will we get together?  How about next weekend!?"  We had no real reason to say no... so that is the plan for now!  It's pretty cool because she does honestly seem like a very nice person, and we had plenty to talk about.  And we can't really pass up the opportunity to take Beni swimming!

It was a good day to say the least.  It's not every day you find a house that you can happily picture yourself living in, AND make a new friend.

Oh, and by the way... this is the house from the road!