Whether you are a potential tenant or buyer in Bangkok, chances are high that you will end-up having to live in a Condo.
This is usually for practical reasons, as the Capital and especially popular prime areas have become extremely pricey!
Therefore you will (or have already faced) the inevitable BIG question:
Should I go for a High Rise or Low Rise Condominium?
Interestingly both options offer varying benefits and offer different living experiences. While the natural skeptics will scoff and say “a condo is a condo” and there is really no difference “apart from a better view” this perspective is actually, technically incorrect!
If it were up to Property Developers, they would all opt to build “high rise projects” to maximize their returns and revenues. However their grand projects are restricted by Bangkok’s planning and building regulations.
While it is above and beyond the scope of this article to go into the specifics, a basic rule of thumb is:
“If the road to access a condo is below a certain size, the building cannot be above a certain height.”
This is imposed for security and safety reasons (I.e. If a fire was to erupt in the building, emergency services may struggle to access a building).
So how does this benefit or affect the lifestyle offered by these buildings?
Starting with High Rise Condos:
1. Convenient Location
High Rise Condos can only be built along wide-roads, and this means major arteries such as Sukhumvit Road! This means automatically, high rise residences are better located and in closer proximity to mass transit links like the BTS and MRT. For people with cars, these building are also in close proximity to important junctions and expressway entrances. This makes high rises perfectly suited for commuters and working professionals.
Lumpini 24, a Condo comprising of 46 Floors!
2. Beautiful Common Areas and Facilities
High Rise units tend to be “dense” with several units and numerous residents per floor. This means project developers have to design larger and grander common areas; this usually translates into large pools, well-equipped gyms, and stunning lobbies. Without realizing it, high rise condos offer such a high quality living experience, that they can be compared to hotels/resorts!
Stunning Lobby of 185 Rajadamri!
3. Stunning Views
This benefit requires very little explanation as Bangkok offers a beautiful skyline (Especially at night). There is nothing more peaceful and relaxing, than to be able to gaze outside and enjoy magnificent urban scenery.
After evaluating the joys of high rise living, it may seem that low rise living has nothing to offer… that is simply NOT true.
The benefits of Low Rise Condos:
1. Peaceful Living
Since the roads to access low rise buildings are narrower, they tend to be tucked away in peaceful and quiet sub sois. In many cases, low rise condos are nestled in beautiful leafy neighborhoods and thus they offer a rare serenity in urban and hectic Bangkok. This can be incredibly attractive, especially for busy working professionals who have to deal with stressful work during weekdays.
2. Privacy and Exclusivity
Due to the size limitation of low rise buildings, they tend to be less densely populated. In many cases, there are rarely more than 100 Unit available per building. This means units feel more homely and cozy, which contrasts greatly with high rises which tend to be comparable to “bee hives”.
Gorgeous Siamese Thirty Nine, low rise condo!
3. Less Rental/Sales Competition
On an investment perspective, since the property market is dictated by general demand and supply factors, it is important to note that low-rise condos automatically have restricted supply! While a lot depends on the quality of the building (Due diligence is important), this can be an enormous advantage for buy-to-let landlords and investors as their Units are a little more “rare/uncommon” possibly making them more popular!
This short article demonstrates that the Bangkok Property market has so much to offer! Whatever your personal preferences (Low Rise or High Rise), professional Agencies such as Fresh Property will be able to find options that suit your specific lifestyle requirements!
