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monkeyboyz
Seeker
Joined: June 17, 2008
Posts: 48
Location: Charlottesville, Va, USA
Status: Offline
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 Posted:
Aug 27, 2008 - 10:14 PM |
 
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| Post subject: A housing question for the Pudong area experts.... |
I"ve read lots of great posts on the subject, both objective and subjective, and I appreciate that so many people take the time to help us newbies out!
We have a list of priorities, and a list of housing possibilities sent to us by the agent that my husband's company connected us with, and I'd like to see if anyone has any feedback, positive or otherwise, about these options.
What we hope for:
--As close as possible to Concordia Intl. School and football pitch at Dulwich (walking distance if possible)
--Enclosed garden (yard) for our dog
--3 or more bedrooms
We don't much care if it's fancy, and are fine with an apartment or townhouse, but would like a friendly place where the kids and dog would be welcome ( I have read about the difficulties and rules about dogs, so we want to be careful)
Our budget is $5,000 - $5,500 USD, so Green Villas or Vizcaya are out. I still can't believe that much money is considered a modest housing budget!
Choices we have been offered:
--Beverly Hills (seems like ideal location, but can't find on Google Earth to be certain. Looks a bit austere and not necessarily friendly?)
--Green Hills (not walking distance, but maybe very short bus ride? From what I've read, people seem happy there)
--Shimao Lakeside Garden (Good location, not sure about a private garden for the dog)
--Oriental Garden (can't find it on a map)
--Oriental Sun Court (also can't find...)
--Seasons Villas (farther, but I think lots of Concordia families, so maybe bus ride is not so bad, and has lots of facilities so it doesn't seem too isolated?)
--Green Court (ideal location, and I've been told that ground level apartments have a small private garden, so might be ok)
--Dawn Garden (looks like across the street from Diamond Court? great location, but don't know anything else about it)
We received some more suggestions, but they seemed either too far or too isolated. Please let me know if I am wrong about them:
Tomson Golf
Palm Spring Garden
Shanghai Garden
Tomson Garden
Yanlord Town
Xiangmei Garden
I know I can ask an agent the same questions, but I know I can count on you guys to give me the unvarnished truth!
If you have managed to read this whole thing without falling asleep, I thank you very much! |
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"Wherever you go, there you are...." |
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monkeyboyz
Seeker
Joined: June 17, 2008
Posts: 48
Location: Charlottesville, Va, USA
Status: Offline
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Aug 27, 2008 - 11:59 PM |
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Not sure why this wasn't included in the list, but it seems to me that Royal Garden is another one in a good location for our needs, and pet-friendly. Any comments? |
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"Wherever you go, there you are...." |
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Renovator
Raver
Joined: Apr 18, 2007
Posts: 490
Location: Century Park & MA,USA
Status: Offline
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Aug 28, 2008 - 01:58 AM |
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Not only very long, but also quite confusing. You make many statements and then end your statements with a ? mark. Are these supposed to be questions? Or do you only want to know if you are wrong about 6 properties being too far or too isolated vis-a-vis walking to Dulwich?
You should probably think about asking specific concise questions, limit the questions to one topic at a time and keep your requests brief. That way you will probably have better luck getting the answers you are looking for. You should probably also wait to post after 8PM US East Coast (8 AM China time) time as there will be more people online to answer your questions, especially in Pudong where people tend to get to bed a little earlier than in Puxi.
Good Luck. |
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mmhm
Seeker
Joined: Mar 31, 2008
Posts: 54
Status: Offline
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Aug 28, 2008 - 02:30 AM |
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^I have no problems understanding, Renovator. Poster posts when convienent, rest of us reply when convienent. OP's post is neither too long or too confusing.
Can't answer for all the compounds-only Green Court Phase 1. our apt is 4 bdr, 2 1/2 bath. comfortable, quiet. Good quality finish-faucets, doors, windows, kitchen cabinets are all quality. Enormous master, back 2 bedrooms are small -twin size bed, dresser, nightstand okay. Only 2 apts per floor. Definitely a small yard on ground floor apts.(also a seperate entrance from the rest of the building so you don't have foot traffic outside your door. I see LOTS of dogs being walked. Personally, I would hesitate having a large dog in an apt. but from my observations of dogs out for walks, large breeds are here and they are not all on the ground floor. Very kid friendly, 2 full busloads from here to SAS. Lots of Concordia kids and teachers here-school begins on the 1st, so they are arriving now. Many, many families.
Don't worry-it gets much clearer on arrival. |
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monkeyboyz
Seeker
Joined: June 17, 2008
Posts: 48
Location: Charlottesville, Va, USA
Status: Offline
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Aug 28, 2008 - 03:48 AM |
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Thanks for clearing up some of my questions, mmhm. I'm trying to do as much research as possible before a scouting trip in a few weeks so that we can be efficient in our housing search.
I really like the location of Green Court, and I think that if we were able to find a ground level apartment we'd be ok there with a dog. Maybe not as ideal as Green Villas, but that's on a whole different budget level. It's good to know that there are lots of families there, too, and a separate entrance in the ground level apartments. That is the sort of info one can't get from the real estate websites! Indeed, it will be much easier to judge things when we are there in person, which is one thing that makes the responses from current expats on this forum so valuable to those of us who are not there yet.
(BTW Renovator, I used a question mark to indicate information about whose accuracy I was unsure, and it was not intended to confuse, but to avoid making an already long post even longer.....to date I've had such kind assistance from posters on this forum that I'm a little surprised to have my wrist slapped for the overuse of question marks.)  |
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"Wherever you go, there you are...." |
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Renovator
Raver
Joined: Apr 18, 2007
Posts: 490
Location: Century Park & MA,USA
Status: Offline
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Aug 28, 2008 - 04:14 AM |
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I am so sorry, did not mean any disrespect whatsoever. Just did not see you getting any replies so added that input. Based on your comment and comment from mmhh, I was obviously clearly out of line. Again, my apologies and welcome to Shanghai. |
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monkeyboyz
Seeker
Joined: June 17, 2008
Posts: 48
Location: Charlottesville, Va, USA
Status: Offline
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Aug 28, 2008 - 04:52 AM |
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No blood... no foul.  |
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"Wherever you go, there you are...." |
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iara
Veejay
Joined: June 09, 2006
Posts: 2076
Location: brazil-shanghai
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Aug 28, 2008 - 08:32 AM |
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ok, forget about Royal Garden...we call it the ghost compound 
no one lives there, or just a few, few families. I read once that they will destroy that place to re-make it.Houses haven't a good design inside. The only good thing I saw there, apart from the area, is the swimingpool.
Beverly Hills is a small place, just a dozen of houses, huge houses, and a some townhouses, no facilities till now, but very close to anything. I have a friend that has a friend that lives there, if you want I can ask her about the place. Find Concordia at Google Earth, you will find B. Hills and East Garden. (if you want I give you my google earth directions from my place).
Green Hills is a good place for what I know, lot's of friends there. As I told you, we just aren't there because they never, ever, showed a house that looked nice, they're always under renovation and too dirty or chinese style inside (you'll see what I mean when you check some houses and see the dark/hard wood furnitures some houses have - I don't like it, but this is my opinion).
Green Court, very nice apts, huge ones on the top floor (duplex), lots of dogs and kids, and I think they use the Green Villas clubhouse. Concordia puts it's teachers there. one short block from school.
Dawn Garden - forget about it too. Lot's of problems. It's a new building, but most people that live there are complaining about constructions at other apts, too noise, management doesn't care.
The others compounds are a bit far, and I'm quite sure that with 5k you can find something closest.
As I told you, google villas in shanghai and you'll get lot's of pictures and directions.
Most compounds here have school bus coming everyday, so don't worry about this. |
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I'm my husband slave! always! |
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hc
Post Roaster
Joined: Apr 04, 2007
Posts: 4545
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Aug 28, 2008 - 09:14 AM |
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"Dawn Garden - forget about it too. Lot's of problems. It's a new building, but most people that live there are complaining about constructions at other apts, too noise, management doesn't care."
Just wanted to say something here, it's off topic.
But think about it. Let's say the OP will stay for 2 years, 24 months at 5,000usd.
That amounts to 120,000usd.
So, the  management of Dawn Garden that doesn't care is losing potentially 120,000usd just because they failed to care, most probably (might be wrong) because they don't care about stuff that very well might cost a fraction of 120,000usd.
Isn't the net beautiful! I love it.
Thanks Iara for your always honest and down to earth posts.
This being said, when is the next Feijoada?  |
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Click here to read the latest retarded PM Natalie sent me. Let's make her lose face and FINALLY leave this site. |
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monkeyboyz
Seeker
Joined: June 17, 2008
Posts: 48
Location: Charlottesville, Va, USA
Status: Offline
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Aug 28, 2008 - 09:49 AM |
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Good point, hc. They are definitely losing out on a sure thing by not offering a place in good condition and with good service, especially with a corporate rental. It's a no-brainer for a landlord - never have to worry about late rent payments, and charging so much for it that after 2 years they're making enough money that they could come to my city and buy a small house for cash! F***tarded indeed.
I was able to find most of the places on Google Earth, which you had suggested to me before, Iara, and it was very helpful to see how far apart places are, and which have busy streets to cross. Beverly Hills I couldn't find, but from the address, I think it is basically across the street from Concordia.
Great help, as usual. I owe you all a beer.
Now I just need to relax and wait it out until I can see it in person.... |
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"Wherever you go, there you are...." |
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iara
Veejay
Joined: June 09, 2006
Posts: 2076
Location: brazil-shanghai
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Aug 28, 2008 - 11:40 AM |
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yes, landlord's level here can be from 0 to 90...(I would just give 100 is the rental was free  )
I'm lucky with ours. We don't have any agent between, so is much easier to handle everything, and they live quite near us. Our contract says we need to pay the rental every 30th of the month, but when we received the rental money from company, we pay sometimes 10 days earlier...I like to please them, because they treat us well. We pay them 3k, and he pays for 2 satelites, internet, phone fees, clubhouse. We take of their house as it was ours, and maybe is why they like us. I saw so many houses that are looking like crap inside because some laoways here just don't care. I heard a lot about "oh, this furniture isn't our so kids can jump on it and break it and do whatever they want"... I think our landlord prefer to have 3k everymonth and in the end he still have everything like it was in the first day we rent the place.
HC, I know we all live in a kind of "fantasy island" here, but or we have our feet in the ground or when we go back to our reality we just won't be able to live our simple life again 
And feijoada...oh, it's just too hot now!! but you know what? found a place that import meat from Uruguai and some from Argentina! quite cheap and it just melts in our mouth! Yay, it's bbq season! and pastel, and cheese bread, and ...ok, I'll stop now! |
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I'm my husband slave! always! |
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monkeyboyz
Seeker
Joined: June 17, 2008
Posts: 48
Location: Charlottesville, Va, USA
Status: Offline
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Aug 28, 2008 - 06:58 PM |
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Do your landlords own any other properties!? they sound terrific.
I always like to read posts from Iara for great honesty and detail, and from you hc for a good laugh! |
_________________
"Wherever you go, there you are...." |
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