In the last days of the year, Hanoi will have heavy rain after two historic storms. On the road leading to the old apartment complex of a state agency in the Nam Tu Liem area, the yellow light reflects on the cold, wet brick floor.
On the 12th floor of this 15-storey building, Ms. Minh and Mr. Long (character's name has been changed) are busy moving the last boxes of belongings into the newly renovated apartment.
"While house prices are increasing faster than the speed of the train, finding a peaceful place like this is truly lucky", Ms. Minh smiled, holding her hand tightly in her husband's apartment that had just dried up after rainy days.
Ms. Minh shared that the story of buying a house for the couple started from the familiar pressure of most young families in the capital "asking the previous day, the next day increased by several hundred million to a billion".
The purchase plan in Greenbay, where they used to rent a house, was forced to be abandoned because each price increase increased by a factor.
The new price is completely different from the price a month ago. We couldn't keep up," said Mr. Long - Ms. Minh's husband.
"My family also moved to another project, but the large population made both of us not feel much secure. At that time, the family found an 80m2 apartment in the area built for the staff. Here, the people are gentle, civilized, and more importantly, the price is reasonable compared to the market.
The apartment owner is a friend of my parents-in-law, so my husband and I decided to pay," said Ms. Minh.
The apartment costs nearly 4 billion VND. The couple spent an additional 300 million to completely renovate the electricity and water systems, re-pave the floor, make a kitchen, repair the balcony...
"After the repair and moving into the new apartment, I was so satisfied that I wanted to stay that night," she said.
The apartment is not too new, not as glossy as a commercial apartment, but it is a place where the couple feels just as peaceful.
Unlike Ms. Minh's journey, one morning when she woke up, Ms. Nguyen Thu Hanh (from Phu Tho) received a notice to increase her rental fee by 500,000 VND/month.
Ms. Hanh shared: "500,000 VND is not too much money, but it is like a drop of water overflowing a glass after 4 years of renting. At a rented house, he was tired of being passive. If you want to increase it, increase it, if you don't want to, move away. Every time I move, I feel depressed.
That evening, when the couple were sitting in front of a simple meal, she looked at her husband and said a sentence she had been thinking about for a long time: " Or should I risk a day to buy a house! I'd rather pay the debt every month than pay 7 million for the house and still be left empty-handed."
They sat down to calculate their finances, after 4 years of working, they had more than 800 million VND in excess. Initial goal is to buy an old house or small apartment for 1.8 - 2 billion VND and can borrow more from relatives if needed
"We calculate if we borrow 1-1.2 billion from the bank for 20 years, and plan to pay 12-14 million/month. Thinking is also scared, holding a debt of billions of dong. But thinking about the scene of celebrating New Year's Eve at home this New Year's Eve, I naturally find it worth it," Ms. Hanh said excitedly.
They began their journey to find a house in the harsh sun and heavy rain, but the more they watched, the more... discouraged they were.
"The photos are sparkling like a hotel. When we arrived, the walls were peeling, the house was dark, and the elevator was broken. I went all day and felt frustrated all week, she said.
Luckily, colleagues introduced an application with a real-life video inside the apartment. Every night, the couple lies together to see every corner and every room. Seeing that the house was clear and had a suitable price of over 1 billion, they made an appointment to come and see it.
Thanks to careful filtering, the couple was able to close a 3 billion VND apartment, suitable for both location and budget.
"Now we are preparing to transfer the name. As for paying off debts, it's a real concern, but thinking about hanging a painting on a wall without anyone's opinion, I'm happy," the young mother laughed.
Through the door frame, the Hanoi lights after the rain reflected sparklingly. In an old apartment that has just been renovated, and in a 3 billion house waiting for the day to be transferred, two young families are starting a new journey. It may be more tiring, more responsible, but it also has more hope.
