Eighty-five residences. Five per floor. One boutique tower in Thao Dien, Ho Chi Minh City. That's The Berkley — SonKim Land's latest project on the Vo Nguyen Giap gateway — and it's a much smaller pool than most foreign buyers expect when they start shopping in District 2.
Here's the problem nobody puts on the landing page: when a building has only 85 units and a hard 30% cap on foreign ownership, the math is brutally simple. You've got roughly 25 units that can be registered under foreign-ownership titles. Not 25 per bedroom type. Twenty-five total, across every floor, every layout. That means your choice of unit size and bedroom count isn't just about lifestyle or budget — it's about what's actually left on the quota sheet when your SPA gets submitted.
This article answers one question and one question only: which of The Berkley's unit types actually make sense for a foreign owner, given the quota squeeze, resale dynamics, and letting demand in Thao Dien today.
How the Foreign-Ownership Quota Shapes Your Options at The Berkley
Let's get the legal framework out of the way first, because it directly determines what you can buy.
Under Article 19 of the Housing Law 2023 (Law No. 27/2023/QH15), foreigners may own no more than 30% of units in any individual condominium building. For a landed-house project, there's a separate cap of 250 units per ward. The Berkley is a condominium tower, so the 30% per-building rule applies. With 85 residences, that ceiling is 25 units — and once those 25 slots are filled, no further foreign-ownership SPAs can be registered for the remaining 60 units, regardless of who's buying.
Under Article 20 of the same law, you hold a 50-year ownership term, renewable, via an official SPA with SonKim Land. The implementing regulations sit in Decree 95/2024/ND-CP. You can freely resell or lease your unit during that term. When you sell to a Vietnamese national, the title converts to permanent freehold automatically.
Now — back to The Berkley specifically.
The unit mix runs from 81 m² to 176 m², with bedroom counts ranging from 2 BR up through Garden configurations. The smaller 2-bedroom units start at 81 m². The larger Garden units push toward 176 m². At the listed price of 150 million VND per m² (as of August 2026), that's a raw purchase range from roughly 12.15 billion VND for the smallest unit to around 26.4 billion VND for the largest.
So which line are foreign buyers actually competing for? Almost always the smaller two-bedrooms. Here's why.
The 2-Bedroom Problem: Highest Demand, Fastest to Fill
The 2-bedroom units at 81 m² are the lowest entry point in the building. For a foreign buyer who wants Thao Dien exposure without committing 20+ billion VND, this is the obvious first target. The result? These are the first units to get picked up — by both domestic and foreign purchasers — and they're the first to exhaust the foreign quota on any given floor.
Practically, this means if you're eyeing a 2-bedroom, you need to move early in the sales cycle. By the time SonKim Land opens later phases or releases remaining inventory, the 2-BR foreign slots may already be spoken for. There's no mechanism to waitlist behind a quota once it's full.
The upside: 2-bedrooms in Thao Dien have historically been the easiest unit type to let. The district attracts young professionals, embassy staff, and short-term corporate tenants who want a well-appointed apartment near An Phu or the Saigon River without paying for space they don't use. A tightly managed 81 m² two-bed in a SonKim Land building is a strong rental product.
Mid-Size Units: The Underrated Sweet Spot
Between the compact 2-bedrooms and the sprawling Garden units, The Berkley has a mid-range tier that often gets overlooked in the foreign-buyer conversation. These are units with more generous square footage than the base 2-BR — think wider living rooms, a proper second bathroom, and often better orientation toward the river or Thao Dien streetscape.
For an overseas buyer, this tier has an interesting property: it's expensive enough that the domestic buyer pool narrows slightly, which means foreign-ownership slots in this range may linger longer. It's also a better fit for owner-occupiers who plan to spend time in Ho Chi Minh City themselves rather than letting full-time.
The rental case still works. Thao Dien commands premium rents per square metre, and a mid-size unit in a well-managed building with proper licensing (The Berkley includes a short-term-rental licence, which is a meaningful differentiator) can serve both monthly tenants and serviced-apartment platforms. You won't match the occupancy rates of a tightly-priced 2-bedroom, but the per-night or per-month rate is higher.
The Garden Units: Premium Product, Narrower Market
At the top end of the mix — up to 176 m² — the Garden units are a different proposition entirely. These are large-format residences, likely ground-level or with private outdoor space, designed for a buyer who wants something closer to a landed house inside a condo structure.
For foreign owners, the calculus here is straightforward but not always favourable. You're committing 20+ billion VND of your 50-year leasehold budget to a single unit in a 25-slot foreign quota. The pool of future foreign buyers willing to take over a 176 m² leasehold at whatever the resale price is five or ten years from now? It's thin. Domestic buyers will pay less per m² on resale because the title converts to freehold for them, but that conversion is precisely why the resale price typically reflects a discount — the foreign buyer paid a premium for a leasehold that disappears the moment it changes hands.
The rental angle is viable for executive relocations and high-end serviced-apartment operators, but Thao Dien's ultra-premium rental market is seasonal and dependent on corporate expat flows. This isn't a guaranteed income stream; it's a lifestyle asset first, a rental play second.
If you have the budget and the intent to use the unit yourself, the Garden configuration at The Berkley is genuinely attractive. As an investment-only purchase, the numbers require more scrutiny.
Resale Liquidity by Unit Type: What Happens When You Want Out
Overseas buyers rarely think about exit strategy on day one, but at The Berkley you should — because the 50-year leasehold structure makes resale mechanics different from a freehold purchase.
The good news: under the Housing Law 2023, you can freely resell your unit to another foreigner within the quota, or to a Vietnamese national (at which point the title converts to permanent ownership). There's no lock-up period. But "can sell" and "can sell easily" are different things.
For the 2-bedroom units at 81 m², resale liquidity is the strongest. The buyer pool is widest — both foreign buyers with remaining budget and domestic buyers looking at Thao Dien addresses. Transaction velocity in this segment is the fastest in any District 2 project.
For mid-size units, you're in a moderate-liquidity zone. The purchase price is higher, the foreign buyer pool is smaller, and domestic buyers will benchmark against newer inventory that's come to market since your original purchase. You'll sell — but expect a longer marketing period and more price negotiation.
For the Garden units above 150 m², resale is a project in itself. You're marketing a high-ticket leasehold product to a niche audience. Agent networks in Ho Chi Minh City know how to handle this, but don't expect a quick close. Factor in three to six months of active marketing at minimum, and price realistically against current new-build alternatives rather than what you paid.
Rental Demand in Thao Dien: Which Layouts Tenants Actually Want
The Berkley includes a short-term-rental licence, which is worth more than it sounds. Many HCMC condominium buildings restrict or prohibit short-term lets. Having the licence built in from day one means you can list on platforms and serve the serviced-apartment market without waiting for building management to update its rules — a process that can take months or never happen at all in some projects.
That said, the unit type you choose still determines your tenant profile.
2-bedroom (81 m²): This is the workhorse. Corporate tenants on three-to-twelve-month contracts, embassy families, language-school teachers sharing a unit, and digital nomads who want a proper living room and a second bedroom for a home office. Occupancy potential is the highest of any unit type at The Berkley. If your primary goal is rental yield, this is where the numbers pencil out.
Mid-size units: You're competing in the serviced-apartment tier now. Operators will want a well-furnished, well-maintained unit in a building with the right licences. The per-night rate is higher, but you'll need to furnish to a specific standard and manage turnovers — or hand the unit to an operator and accept their commission structure. These units work best for owners who want partial personal use plus rental income.
Garden units (176 m²): Rental is possible but not primary. You're looking at high-end relocations — a family with a six-month assignment, a diplomat who wants space. The tenant pool is real but small, and they have options across District 1, District 7, and Thao Dien. Price these units competitively or prepare for vacancy gaps.
A Practical Decision Framework
Here's how I'd break it down for a foreign buyer at The Berkley, given everything above:
If you want the strongest rental return and easiest resale: target the 2-bedroom units at 81 m². Move fast — the foreign quota on this line will fill first. Budget for full furnishing to a rental-ready standard.
If you want personal use plus some rental income: the mid-size tier gives you space to live comfortably and the option to let when you're away. Resale is moderate; rental occupancy is solid but not automatic.
If you want a premium home and accept the holding period: the Garden units at up to 176 m² are a lifestyle choice. Don't buy one expecting easy exits or guaranteed income. Buy it because you want to live in one of the quieter, greener pockets of Thao Dien with SonKim Land's build quality around you.
In every case, your ownership sits within the same 30% foreign quota under Article 19 of the Housing Law 2023, and your 50-year term runs from Article 20 of the same law, with Decree 95/2024/ND-CP governing the implementation details. Get your SPA filed with SonKim Land early. The quota is finite and there is no appeals process once it's full.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I buy more than one unit at The Berkley as a foreigner?
Yes — the quota is per building, not per buyer. You can purchase multiple units as long as foreign-ownership slots remain available. In practice, tying up two of 25 slots with one buyer is unusual in a project this size, so don't count on it being available.
What happens to my 50-year term if I sell to another foreigner?
The remaining term transfers to the new buyer. If you sell in year 10, the buyer inherits 40 years — renewable under Article 20 of the Housing Law 2023. This is a standard feature of foreign-ownership resale in Vietnam.
Can I renovate the unit after handover?
Internal renovations are generally permitted within building management guidelines. Structural changes or alterations to the building facade require approval. The Berkley's handover is scheduled for Q4 2026, so confirm renovation rules with SonKim Land or the management board before purchasing.
Is the short-term-rental licence guaranteed for all unit types?
The project includes a short-term-rental licence at the building level. Individual unit use is subject to building management policies, but the licence is a project-level attribute, not unit-specific. Confirm operational details with the developer.
How does the price compare to other Thao Dien projects?
At 150 million VND per m² as of August 2026, The Berkley sits in the premium tier for Thao Dien condominiums. SonKim Land's brand carries a premium, and the 85-unit density — five per floor — is lower than most competing projects. Whether that justifies the price depends on your priorities around privacy, build quality, and resale positioning.
Next Step
Eighty-five units. Twenty-five foreign slots. That's the math. If The Berkley's mix aligns with your budget and strategy, the next move is straightforward: request the current availability schedule from SonKim Land's sales team, confirm which foreign-ownership slots remain, and get your SPA in process before the quota closes. Don't wait for a second article to make up your mind — the building won't wait either.
