Moving to Vietnam
Rent your home before you arrive
Choose, check and sign for your home in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City or Da Nang while you are still overseas, with a Nest agent in the room for you. Here is exactly how it works, what we do at each step, and how we stop it going wrong.
- Live video viewings led by you, and a recorded walkthrough to keep
- The owner checked before any money moves
- A lease in English and Vietnamese that you sign on your phone
- No fee for tenants: the landlord pays our commission
How it works, step by step
At every step you see what you do, what we do for you, and what you hold at the end of it. You can stop at any point before you sign, and nothing is paid until you have seen the home and the owner is verified.
Step 1
Tell us about the move
You
Book a free 20-minute call and tell us your budget, move-in date, office, school, pets and the things you will not live without.
We do for you
One concierge reads every answer before the call, then tells you honestly what the market has at that price, in the areas that fit your commute and school run.
You end with
A clear brief, and one person who stays with you until you have moved in.
Step 2
Get a shortlist of three to five homes
You
Look through the shortlist and pick the homes you want to see.
We do for you
We check that each home is really free on your date, get the full monthly cost in writing, and leave out anything we would not rent ourselves.
You end with
Three to five real, available homes, each with its all-in monthly cost.
Step 3
View them live on video
You
Join a live video call on WhatsApp, Zalo, Zoom, Google Meet or FaceTime, at a time that suits your time zone, and tell us where to point the camera.
We do for you
Your agent walks every room with you, opens the cupboards, runs the taps and the air-conditioning, and shows you the view, the corridor, the lift and the street outside.
You end with
A home you have seen properly, room by room, with your own questions answered.
Step 4
Get the walkthrough and the checks
You
Watch the recorded walkthrough again, and share it with your partner or family.
We do for you
We send a recorded walkthrough you can keep, check the owner’s certificate (sổ đỏ) and that the landlord is the legal owner, and negotiate the rent, the deposit and the terms on your side.
You end with
A video record of the home and a verified owner, before any money moves.
Step 5
Sign the lease on your phone
You
Read the lease and sign it from wherever you are.
We do for you
We write the lease in English beside Vietnamese, put what comes with the home in writing, and send it to you to sign by your own link on any phone. Every signer reads the same words.
You end with
A signed lease in a language you read, with the deposit terms written in.
Step 6
Pay the deposit by bank transfer
You
Send the deposit and first rent by international bank transfer to the account named in your lease.
We do for you
We tell you the exact amount in dong, confirm with the landlord that it arrived, and send you the receipt.
You end with
A home that is held for you, and a paper trail for every dong.
Step 7
Move in
You
Land, and come straight home instead of to a hotel.
We do for you
We can meet you at the airport, go through the home with you, note anything that differs from the walkthrough, photograph its condition and read the meters. Then we make sure your stay is registered with the local police (tạm trú).
You end with
Keys, a home that matches what you were shown, and a record of its condition for when you leave.
When to start
Start talking early, and choose the home late. This is the order that works.
- As soon as you know your datesBook the call. Choosing the area and the school first is what makes the shortlist good, and both take longer than choosing the home.
- In the weeks before you flyShortlist, view and sign. Homes here are usually let close to the day they come free, so a home you see months ahead is rarely still free when you land.
- Once the lease is signedPay the deposit, book your airport pickup, and tell us anything the landlord should fix or add before you arrive.
- Move-in dayWe go through the home with you before you take the keys, and register your stay.
What to have ready
- Your passport’s photo page, for the lease and your police registration
- Your visa, or the date you expect it, because the registration needs it once you arrive
- Your move-in date and how long you want to stay
- If your employer is renting for you: the company’s legal name, address and tax code, and who signs for it
- If you are bringing a pet: tell us at the start, because not every landlord accepts one
- A bank or money-transfer service that can send Vietnamese dong abroad
Is renting before you arrive right for you?
It suits you if school starts soon after you land, if you are moving a family or a pet and do not want to move twice, or if your employer needs your address for work permit or residence card papers.
It may not if you are coming alone and still choosing an area. Then a serviced apartment for the first month, and viewings in person, is the lower-risk choice. Our guide, book from abroad, or wait?, sets out both.
Either way, your concierge will tell you which fits your move on the first call.
What can go wrong, and how we stop it
Renting unseen goes wrong in a handful of known ways. This is what we do about each one, every time.
The home is not what the video showed
You lead the live call and choose what to look at, the recorded walkthrough is kept, and what comes with the home is written into the lease. On move-in day we compare the home with the walkthrough before you take the keys.
The listing is fake, or the person is not the owner
Every home is checked in person, and we check the owner’s certificate (sổ đỏ) and that the landlord is the legal owner before any money moves.
Costs you were not told about
You get the full monthly cost in writing before you sign: management fee, electricity rate, water, internet and parking.
A lease you cannot read
The lease is English beside Vietnamese, and the deposit return, the notice period and who pays for repairs are in it.
The deposit goes to the wrong person
Only documented bank transfers, only to the account named in the lease, never cash. We confirm it arrived and send you the receipt.
Your registration is never filed
We make registering your stay part of the deal and check it was done, so it does not hold up your visa or residence card paperwork.
Questions families ask
What if the home is different from the video?
On move-in day we go through the home with you before you take the keys, with the recorded walkthrough and the lease to hand. Anything missing, broken or different from what you were shown, we take up with the landlord there and then, in Vietnamese, and agree in writing when it will be put right.
How do I pay the deposit from abroad?
By international bank transfer, in Vietnamese dong, to the account named in your lease. Ask your bank or a money-transfer service to send dong, so the full amount arrives after fees and exchange. We tell you the exact figure, confirm with the landlord that it arrived and send you the receipt. Never pay cash, or to an account the lease does not name.
Can I sign the lease before I am in Vietnam?
Yes. The lease is written in English beside Vietnamese and sent to you to sign by your own link, on any phone. A residential lease in Vietnam does not need a notary, and an electronic signature cannot be refused for being electronic. This is our reading of the law, not legal advice.
What time are the video viewings?
Mornings, afternoons and early evenings, Vietnam time. When you ask for a video viewing on a home’s page, the form shows each time on your own clock, and your agent agrees a time that suits you.
Can my partner or family join the call?
Yes. Share the call link with whoever is choosing with you, and keep the recorded walkthrough to watch together later.
What does it cost?
Finding and securing your home costs you nothing: the landlord pays our commission, and tenants pay no fees. If you also want help with visas, schools, shipping or settling in, each service is quoted, fixed and agreed before we start.
Should I rent before I arrive, or wait until I land?
Rent before you arrive if school starts soon after you land, if you are moving a family or a pet and do not want to move twice, or if you need an address for your paperwork. If you are coming alone and still choosing an area, a serviced apartment for the first month and viewings in person is the lower-risk choice. Book from abroad, or wait?
Which cities do you cover?
Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang. Video viewings, the walkthrough and e-signing work the same way in all three.
Tell us about your move
A free 20-minute call with your concierge, in English or Vietnamese. We will tell you what the market has for your budget, and how we would find your home before you land.
Moving the whole family? See relocation services for visas, schools, pets and shipping, or read our renting guides.