Hello there! My husband and I will arrive soon in Shanghai. We have been searching information for housing agencies online for renting information. All apartments provided on English websites are really far out of our budget, and we found the local ones with website in Chinese only are apparent more suitable for our budget, they also have wide range of offers.

Does anyone ever worked together with local agents? Did it work out ok? What kind of pros and cons can we expect? (Language will not be a problem, I do speak Chinese) Will be even nicer if someone can recommend some agencies! Thanks a lot in advance!

When we arrived we had no idea where we wanted to live, so simply wandered until we found neighbourhoods and buildings we liked. Asked the building security guards if they knew if any apartments were for rent. One took us to a nearby agent, who proceeded to show us an apartment we fell in love with, in our budget. Next day we met the landlord and signed contracts. Still here over a year later, zero complaints about the landlord or agent. Everything was very professional.

Agency was E-House (there are lots of them all over Shanghai) on Taikang Lu, agent was Cindy. She's Chinese but speaks pretty good English. She was so helpful, and the entire year she more than earned whatever commission she made off the rental, dealing with any little problem or question we had. I'm sure there are plenty of negative stories out there, but our experience has been only positive.

One thing to keep in mind if you use a local agent, you have to VERY direct about what your requirements are, or they may waste your time showing you everything. But if you speak Chinese, you should have no problem.

I used a local agent. She was really very good. I wanted a door to my kitchen as i do a lot of heavy cooking. The landlord refused bcos he had given in to our other requests. I really liked the house and would have taken it anyway. But the agent with the permission of the landlord not only paid for the new door. I even got to choose what and how i wanted it.

Its like anything... there are good agents and ones that are not so good. I have heard both successes finding great deals and living hell caused by the agent trying to make an extra buck. I am happy to see the stories above. And yes.. agents who post a lot on english sites are aiming at the high end with rents paid by corp budget. A couple of good ones post on this site However, there lots and lots of people looking for mid range or lower and you find those by getting out in the neighborhoods and looking around. Helps to have someone who speaks and reads Chinese help you out.

My wife and I arrived in Shanghai two years ago and have first hand experience with a pathetic, sorry excuse of an agent and one that was one of the best we have ever worked with, so I would recommend you do a little "due dilligence" on the agent and the agency, before you start looking at apartments (as you are doing with this posting).

When we arrived in Shanghai, I felt obligated to find suitable housing as soon as possible, as we were staying in one of the 5 star hotels in the city, so we "hitched our wagon" to the first agent we could find and soon thereafter, we were in an apartment that barely met out needs, while the agent was telling us the entire time that we needed to decide quickly because the apartment would not be available in a day or two. The more we looked, the harder she pushed. We found an apartment within a week of arriving in Shanghai, signed the lease, paid the deposits and rent and saw the agent ONE time during the first week that we were in the apartment. After that first "assistance" visit (which is supposed to last for one year), she made every excuse imaginable not to help us after that. She received her commission and moved on to the the next mark!

Our lease expires at the end of month and one particlar agent was recommended to us by one of the regulars here in Sh expat and in the short time we have known her, she is close to becoming like a member of family. The agent listened to our requirements, spent time lining up multiple units for my wife to see and and due to her understanding of our requirements, she was able to help us find an apartment that met our price point and in area that my wife and I will enjoy.

PM me if you would like her name and contact information. I will recommend her, just as she was recommended to my wife and I.